Sentiments That Affect Sociopolitical Legitimation of TNCs in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan: Sustainable Strategic Management From an Institutional Perspective

The study focuses on TNCs’ sociopolitical legitimation in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan with a view to ensuring sustainability in the greater institutional context. Taking an institutional perspective as a theoretical lens, using a grounded theory methodology, and employing nine cases as a methodological tool, the study explores and conceptualizes three types of sentiments. They are abbreviated as “REN-sentiments,” and cause tensions between TNCs and sociopolitical actors in the process of legitimation. The REN-sentiments comprise “religiosity and ideology,“”nationalism and patriotism,” and “ecological balance,” and suggest that tensions stemming from these sentiments can be managed and often turned into opportunities if appropriate strategies are applied. Eight types of strategic choices derived from the nine case studies are presented in order to mitigate, manage, and cash in on the REN-sentiments in South Asian markets. Such strategies include collaboration strategy, local development strategy, strategy of alignment with sociopolitical actors, local name and staffing strategy, hibernation strategy, sentiment-focused strategy, isomorphism strategy, and openness strategy.