Internal Issue Selling : An individual perspective on the issue selling process within the subsidiary

Abstract: The traditional issue selling process refers to strategic actions taken at a subsidiary in order to gain attention from the HQ. This study aims to broaden the theories on issue selling to also cover internal issue selling, which refers to the individual level of issue selling within a subsidiary. Further is attention and initiative taking worth investigating when studying issue selling, whereas these underlying constructs of issue selling are highlighted in the paper. For this specific study we have performed a case study with L’Oréal Sweden to investigate how the individuals are selling issues within the subsidiary. This micro-level focus of the issue selling process have the potential to contribute to an understanding of the process and the underlying constructs of issue selling on a macro perspective. The findings of this study indicate a tendency that issue selling exists on a subsidiary level. Thereby it could be argued that ideas and initiatives raised by the individuals within a subsidiary have the potential to generate in strategic and organizational improvements on a macro perspective for the MNC.