Check with their local authors. They are often not interested and not capable of accepting books back from a subsidiary. Small publishers on the other hand have their own international networks, actively seeking co-operative arrangements. Furthermore, small publishers, unlike subsidiary multinationals, can approach the head office of a multinational to negotiate international rights sales. With the advent of the Internet, small publishers have access to international markets, and vice versa.
Big publishers are reliable and produce good quality books.
Multinational publishers are also big businesses with increasing pressures on sales, costs and profits. Books come and go more quickly, have reducing production standards, and are produced by overworked staff. Big publishers make more money . Fewer rights, lower royalties, less marketing, less international exposure, longer schedules, less flexibility, less attention from staff and no better books. But they do often pay as high or higher royalties and sell just as many or more books.