Global Mindset in Context: Middle Manager Microfoundations of Strategic Global Mindset

This paper addresses the call for identification of organizational contingencies related to global mindset, exploration of different forms of global mindset and their relationship with global strategies (Osland, Bird, Mendenhall & Osland, 2006). To this end, this paper explores global mindset development in the context of a 3-year single case study of middle manager microfoundations of global mindset in a Danish multinational corporation working with deliberate global mindset capability development as a vehicle for strategy execution and facilitation of global performance. A force field analysis of individual middle manager behavioural microfoundations of global mindset and associated organizational practices is condensed into four core aspects of individual-organizational practice enabling the enactment of global mindset in context; strategic dialogue, ‘just-enough’ interaction and exposure, imagined community building, and ‘glocal’ performance management. On the basis of these learnings, potentials and pitfalls of applying a contextual, behavioural perspective on global mindset incorporating both individual and organizational factors as opposed to a generic, cognitive perspective are discussed in terms of advancement of knowledge of the global mindset-performance causal chain as well as the actionability and practical impact of global mindset research.