Differentiate the contributions of a multinational's subsidiaries to innovation.

Summary The strengthening of the role of subsidiaries in the innovation strategy of the Multinational Firm (MNF) is underlined by different works. We propose four differentiated ideal types of subsidiaries' contributions to this strategy based on an analytical framework that extends that of Bartlett and Ghoshal (1989) and on the case study of an emblematic MNF. In addition to the "large incumbents" and the "implementers", two new types are highlighted: the "gas pedals" and the "high potentials" who develop innovations that can be deployed in the rest of the MNF. The type of innovations that each type of subsidiary would be most likely to develop is also specified.