Abstract
ABSTRACTPurpose. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanism and impact of information flow on the organizational belonging of remote local employees in Chinese multinational small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In the context of “light-asset” internationalization, this research addresses the management dilemma of how information processing affects the psychological attachment of distributed overseas teams.
Theoretical Framework. This study integrates Organizational Information Processing Theory (OIP) and Sensemaking Theory. OIP provides a structural perspective to analyze information flow barriers, while Sensemaking Theory serves as a cognitive lens to explain how employees interpret these barriers and translate them into subjective feelings of belonging.
Methodology. This research adopts a qualitative single-case study method within the constructivist paradigm, focusing on a representative Chinese photovoltaic small and medium-sized enterprise. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 16 participants, including 12 remote local employees across eight countries and 4 key headquarters managers. A theory-and-data-driven thematic analysis approach was employed for systematic data analysis. The study also incorporated researcher reflexivity strategies to ensure the credibility and validity of the qualitative findings.
Findings. The study identified four structural barriers to information flow: response latency, socio-cultural encoding misalignment, decision-making opacity, and organizational capability constraints. More importantly, it revealed that "sensemaking" acts as a critical mediator, through which remote employees process information via attributional patterns, cultural decoding, and proactive coping. Consequently, three distinct typologies of organizational belonging emerged: Institutional Trust, Relationship Embeddedness, and Low Involvement.
Conclusion and Recommendations. This study concludes that in remote cross-border contexts, information flow is not only a coordination tool but also a core medium for employee identity affirmation; “information visibility” directly determines the experience of belonging. Accordingly, this study proposes three practical action guidelines: first, establishing institutionalized bridges by deploying language talents and formulating communication protocols; second, enhancing transparency by implementing decision-context briefings and opening bilateral feedback channels; and third, fostering informal connections to mitigate emotional deficiency. These recommendations aim to drive the transition of information flow from “instruction delivery” to “consensus building”, providing a reference for Chinese multinational SMEs to enhance their global resilience.