TY - CHAP
T1 - Developing transnational social space in an emerging market
T2 - How a Chinese NGO led Apple to clean up local supply chains
AU - Yu, Haitao
AU - Hong, Jacky
AU - Liu, Wenjie
N1 - Full text of this publication does not contain sufficient affiliation information. With consent from the author(s) concerned, the Research Unit(s) information for this record is based on the existing academic department affiliation of the author(s)
PY - 2026
Y1 - 2026
N2 - Grand challenges – such as environmental pollution across supply chains – involve multiple stakeholders and cover a wide geographic scope. They require coordinated and cooperative efforts across organizational and geographical boundaries to be effectively addressed. The concept of transnational social space (TSS) provides an ideal lens through which to understand how such efforts can be developed. Prior literature has considered the central role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in developing a TSS. MNEs can move ideas and practices from their home country across geographic boundaries to address grand challenges in host countries. This study investigates how civil society, such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the host country, can lead the development of a TSS. We conduct a longitudinal case study of a grassroots Chinese environmental NGO and its evolving collaborative relationships with MNEs, such as Apple, to direct these MNEs’ attention to environmental pollution across their local supply chains. Drawing on our data and on studies of attention and social movement, we abductively theorize the process through which the local NGO leveraged a group of local and foreign actors, including MNEs, NGOs in MNEs’ host and home countries, and local suppliers, to develop such a TSS. This research contributes to the TSS literature by extending it beyond the MNE-centric approach and elaborating on the mechanisms and temporal processes through which a host-country NGO leads the development of a TSS. © 2026 Haitao Yu, Jacky Hong and Wenjie Liu
AB - Grand challenges – such as environmental pollution across supply chains – involve multiple stakeholders and cover a wide geographic scope. They require coordinated and cooperative efforts across organizational and geographical boundaries to be effectively addressed. The concept of transnational social space (TSS) provides an ideal lens through which to understand how such efforts can be developed. Prior literature has considered the central role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in developing a TSS. MNEs can move ideas and practices from their home country across geographic boundaries to address grand challenges in host countries. This study investigates how civil society, such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the host country, can lead the development of a TSS. We conduct a longitudinal case study of a grassroots Chinese environmental NGO and its evolving collaborative relationships with MNEs, such as Apple, to direct these MNEs’ attention to environmental pollution across their local supply chains. Drawing on our data and on studies of attention and social movement, we abductively theorize the process through which the local NGO leveraged a group of local and foreign actors, including MNEs, NGOs in MNEs’ host and home countries, and local suppliers, to develop such a TSS. This research contributes to the TSS literature by extending it beyond the MNE-centric approach and elaborating on the mechanisms and temporal processes through which a host-country NGO leads the development of a TSS. © 2026 Haitao Yu, Jacky Hong and Wenjie Liu
U2 - 10.1108/S0733-558X20260000101007
DO - 10.1108/S0733-558X20260000101007
M3 - RGC 12 - Chapter in an edited book (Author)
SN - 978-1-83608-169-2
VL - 101
T3 - Research in the Sociology of Organizations
SP - 153
EP - 179
BT - Reinterpreting Multinational Enterprises through a Revitalized Transnational Social Space Perspective
A2 - Geppert, Mike
A2 - Bozkurt, Ödül
A2 - Dörrenbächer, Christoph
PB - Emerald Publishing Limited
ER -