向心力與離心力的觀念是來自於吸引著地球向太陽的萬有引力與因地球本身的速度所引起欲偏離太陽的物理力。將這兩種力的概念引進國際通路管理環境中，向心力意指著能夠使坐落各國的分公司趨向總公司的一種影響力，可以阻止那些分公司脫離總公司的控制與支配；反過來說，離心力意指能夠使分公司脫離總公司控制與支配的影響力，可以阻止分公司太過於跟隨總公司的支配。也就是說，向心力可以使總公司有效集中控制其分公司網絡；離心力則允許各地分公司扮演好自治的角色。本篇研究當中，我們將嘗試從向心力與離心力這兩種角度來探討國際通路管理；確認出向心力與離心力等變數。本篇研究也會探討這些影響力是如何在保留網絡互操作性且連接性的前提下影響各種國際通路組織之間多種管理的發展。分析結果將能提供良好的建議給多國公司，使其能採用適當的領導風格，給予各地分公司良好的誘因，以期能比對手更有效地扮演好互相合作的國際通路任務與行銷功能。 The literature on multinational corporations (MNCs) generally identifies as critical the establishment of an effective headquarters-subsidiary/ branch relationship with the local responsible for marketing activities. This leads to questions about how to manage complex network of MNCs most effectively. Borrowing from Bartlett and Ghoshal’s view (1990), the MNC is described as an inter-organizational network. Under such circumstances, headquarters is seen as the center while local branches are seen as units dispersed around the center. In astrodynamics, for a planet (local subsidiary/branch) orbiting the sun (HQs), there exists centripetal force acting on the planet, pushing it toward the center of the circular path; equilibrium by a reaction force, centrifugal force, keeping circular motion. Applying this concept into investigating the relationship between HQs and branches, centripetal force direct branches towards the HQs and prevent these branches from flying off; on the other hand, centrifugal force direct them away from the HQs and prevent branches falling into the HQs. As Halbert (2004) states, in an internationalized economy, MNC strategies attempt to main an equilibrium between the necessity to centralize decisions in order to increase efficiency and gains in productivity (centripetal pressure), and to be decentralized enough to react to the specificities of regional market (centrifugal effect). In this study, an attempt will be made to study headquarters-subsidiary/ branch relationship from centripetal force and centrifugal force perspectives. Sets of competing variables being as centripetal force and centrifugal force will be identified. The analysis result will place a premium on the MNCs to employ appropriate attitudes that can handle local branches to cooperatively perform international distribution tasks and marketing functions more efficiently and effectively than their rivals.
