This paper examines coordination modes within multinational corporations (MNCs) in order to understand the nature of the relationships established between headquarters and subsidiaries. I realized interviews of both headquarters' and international subsidiaries' top managers in ten French MNCs. The findings of the study enable us to specify the informal mechanisms used in headquarters-subsidiaries relationships. I also propose a typology based on the combination of coordination modes and taking into consideration factors linked to the specific context of the subsidiaries and the group.
