The aim of this paper is to empirically investigate the level of subsidiary autonomy in various decision areas relating to after-sales service, distribution, sales and marketing, procurement, production, research and development, and finance. The paper presents the results of a field survey carried out in 2012 through the direct interview and questionnaires sent by mail to Polish MNE subsidiaries operating abroad. The research results revealed that the subsidiaries of Polish MNEs are given a significant degree of decision-making freedom. In the majority of the listed areas the subsidiaries possessed a high degree of autonomy, claiming to take full or partial responsibility for their decisions. Only financial decisions remained predominantly under the control of the parent company. The empirical findings also showed that the age of the subsidiary influenced the extent of autonomy delegated to the subsidiary – foreign units with a longer period in the host country markets had a greater degree of autonomy.

The aim of this paper is to empirically investigate the level of subsidiary autonomy in various decision areas relating to after-sales service, distribution, sales and marketing, procurement, production, research and development, and finance. The paper presents the results of a field survey carried out in 2012 through the direct interview and questionnaires sent by mail to Polish MNE subsidiaries operating abroad. The research results revealed that the subsidiaries of Polish MNEs are given a significant degree of decision-making freedom. In the majority of the listed areas the subsidiaries possessed a high degree of autonomy, claiming to take full or partial responsibility for their decisions. Only financial decisions remained predominantly under the control of the parent company. The empirical findings also showed that the age of the subsidiary influenced the extent of autonomy delegated to the subsidiary – foreign units with a longer period in the host country markets had a greater degree of autonomy.