Intersectionality as a new perspective in international business research

SummaryUsing the intersectionality perspective as a theoretical lens in the study of the multinational company (MNC) – with its spatial separation of subunits, language and cultural diversity, organizational complexity, and multiplicity of activity environments – will yield exciting and novel possibilities for theory creation. A prime area of study deals with career patterns, i.e., who ‘makes it to the top’ in MNCs. Especially interesting are the effects of social interaction shaped in the interplay between MNCs’ talent identification and individuals’ identification processes. We discuss empirical research strategies for applying the intersectionality perspective, and managerial implications related to raising intersectionality awareness.