Organizational Legitimacy and the Strategic Bridging Ability of Green Alliances

Center for Environmental Studies and Applied Life Sciences, The University of Trinidad and Tobago,Arima, Trinidad and Tobago, West IndiesABSTRACTAlliances with environmental non‐governmental organizations may benefit multinationalcorporations (MNCs) operating in developing countries where uncertain socio‐cultural andinstitutional conditions present higher investment risks. Such ‘green alliances’ can providestrategic bridging services by interceding between MNCs and distant, yet important,stakeholders. From an institutional perspective, strategic bridging success may depend onstakeholder perceptions of alliance legitimacy. In this study the relationship between alliancelegitimacy and strategic bridging ability is explored through the case of the Turtle VillageTrust in Trinidad and Tobago. Findings suggest that bridging success occurs whenorganizational legitimacy peaks; that new alliance partners temporarily weaken legitimacy;and bridging with every new targeted stakeholder requires continued acquisition oflegitimacy based on their respective values. MNC decisions to form alliances that bridgetargeted stakeholders on their behalf should therefore consider the potential of the allianceto acquire and accumulate organizational legitimacy without which strategic bridging effortsmay be futile. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

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