The Impact of Distance (External) and Organizational Factors (Internal) on the Knowledge Chain of Multinational Corporations: South Africa as a Host Country

The geographic dispersion of multinational corporations (MNCs) implies that while it gives them access to new and different knowledge from diverse localities, it also adds to the costs and complexities of managing that knowledge and its effective dispersal across geographies. The purpose of this article is to examine how knowledge is transferred within MNCs and provide a framework for this process, particularly focusing on the role that distance (external) and organizational (internal) factors plays therein. A qualitative study is utilized, focusing on two technology companies from different cultural home countries and the technology transfer process with their South African subsidiaries. We find that the standardization of knowledge impacts the creation and diffusion of knowledge; expatriates impact on the creation, diffusion, and adoption; and, finally, relevance and localization impact on the adoption and utilization of knowledge. We present a conceptual framework around trust and rationalization as regards transferring knowledge within MNCs and find some evidence of the impact of distance, particularly cultural, on the methods employed in this transfer. The article illustrates the practical ways in which MNCs organize their internal resources and overcome various dimensions of distance in ensuring knowledge transfers. By choosing companies from such divergent home countries (one industrialized and one newly industrialized, with very different cultural settings) and examining their knowledge transfers with their South African subsidiaries, we are able to unpack various dimensions of distance and how organizational mechanisms affect this process. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Supporting Technologies and Organizational Practices for the Transfer of Knowledge in Virtual Environments

A field study of a global science/technology company provides evidence of the value of both organizational practices and technology tools for supporting knowledge attainment (the combined tacit and explicit knowledge gained in a focal area – in this study we focus on product knowledge attainment) in virtual environments. We present a three-dimensional typology of knowledge management systems. Method of input, form of content, and how the users accrue the benefit of the knowledge help us to argue that organizational practices and technological tools will have independent positive effects on user knowledge attainment. We find attendance at face-to-face community of practice meetings, use of searchable archives, video-on-demand, and full-text search of video-on-demand all positively predict knowledge attainment. We suggest that organizations develop both organizational practices and technical supports for knowledge transfer. An interview with the video-on-demand vendor gives us the context to discuss issues for the support of tacit knowledge in more virtual environments as well as issues of expertise as it relates to support for formal and informal learning.     

The international transfer of organizational technologies

The international transfer of organizational structures and processes—that is, of organizational technologies—is assuming increasing importance both in business and in public policy arenas. This study assessed the applicability to organizational technologies of some of the insights into international technology transfer processes developed through the analysis of the transfer of physical technologies and draws on organization theory to suggest some additional areas for investigation. The article draws extensively on the historical experience of Japan, a society that has been noted for its experience in transferring and adapting foreign organizational technologies, to address these issues.     

Social Media as the Missing Link: Connecting Communities of Practice to Business Strategy

Communities of Practice (CoP) have long been considered powerful Knowledge Management (KM) mechanisms. CoP, however, are often viewed independently from organizational goals and structures, as they are primarily seen as a means of individual knowledge sharing and learning. In this article, we argue that CoP supported by social media have great potential to contribute to organizational goals, such as business strategy. We seek to support this statement through an embedded case study that includes 54 CoP within a prominent multinational engineering firm. This investigation explores the extent to which CoP contribute to business strategy. The paper's contribution is in providing five guidelines for practice that outline how CoP can be best designed to contribute to business strategy and how social media can serve as the “missing link” to execute those guidelines.     

Knowledge and Technology Transfer Relationship between a Research Center and the Production Sector: CIMAT Case Study

This article presents a study of the adoption of a knowledge and technology transfer model at the Center for Research in Mathematics in Guanajuato state, Mexico, in order to define the model that would produce the best outcomes for establishing a transfer relationship with industry, the government, and academia. The transfer of organizational models and practices is a phenomenon that occurs frequently in dynamic globalized organizational contexts that underpin ongoing quests for greater and faster development, while also adapting and exchanging innovative products and services. This article presents theoretical input from specialized entities and authors focused on knowledge and technology transfers at universities and research centers. The methodological strategy used in these research projects adopts a qualitative approach, with the study of an explanatory case study being the methodological tool, together with document analyses and semi-structured interviews. After the results have been obtained, the mechanisms used by the Center were identified for relating to the production sector, noting that this relationship involves high-level direct transfers. Positive outcomes were found that benefitted the Center and the company studied, underscoring the importance of government research centers having a knowledge and technology transfer model allowing identification of the contextual, technical and structural conditions that shape underlying transfer relationship at this Center, as well as the surrounding regions.     

Will enterprise social networking systems promote knowledge management and organizational learning? An empirical study

ABSTRACT

Nowadays, enterprise social media practitioners and researchers are keen to know how the enterprise usage of social media can be converted into the improved organizational performance. Meanwhile, organizational learning has long been considered as one of the measures of organizational performance. This article investigated the impact of enterprise social networking systems (ESNS) usage on knowledge management processes and organizational learning; in particular, we examined the mediating role of knowledge creation and knowledge sharing. Four theories from sociology and strategic management were used to build the hypotheses in the research model. An online survey was conducted to empirically test the model. Our study results showed that ESNS usage directly and indirectly influences organizational learning; and that knowledge management processes (knowledge creation and sharing) mediate the path between the two. This study contributes to the existing literature on enterprise social media for three reasons. First, it is among the first to connect the three independent concepts (social media, knowledge management, and organizational learning) and explore their relationships in one theoretical framework. Second, this work also specifically examines the influence of ESNS (Yammer in this case) on organizational processes and outcomes. Third, this is a pioneering study that employs multiple theories to address the research questions under the organizational social media context. Therefore, the research gives implications for both practitioners and scholars who are interested in understanding the effectiveness of ESNS usage in the modern organizations today.     

Congenital learning in the Spanish telecommunication industry

Knowledge provided by a firm's founder(s) is one of the most important success factors for SMEs. This paper aims to identify the impact of the founder's knowledge on business performance in today's organization. It is with this in mind that we propose a specialized organizational learning process, which we refer to as the congenital learning process, by which the firm transforms the tacit and explicit knowledge of the founder into knowledge which is available to the firm and its members. The research model and hypothesized relationships are empirically tested using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, validated by factor analysis of 130 SMEs in the Spanish telecommunications sector. Two structural equation models, derived from the literature, have been used, resulting in the conclusion that organizational performance is positively affected by the transfer and transformation of knowledge as long as the organization has implemented processes that lead to the creation of what we refer to as an open organizational context.     

The Impact of Origins of Reverse Technology Transfer on MNC Home‐Country Product Development

Reverse technology transfer (the transferring of multinational corporation [MNC] subsidiaries’ technological knowledge to their home country) deserves more executive attention since the source of competitive advantage of MNCs resides in their capabilities to leverage knowledge from different units across borders. This article examines three salient “origins” of reverse technology transfer—headquarters, local constituents, and subsidiary research and development (R&D) activity—and their impact on MNCs’ home‐country product development. We argue that reverse technology transfer from subsidiary R&D activity is more likely to have a positive impact on MNC home‐country product development than the other two origins because reverse transfer from local constituents requires high integration cost, and transfer from headquarters adds little technological novelty. We also develop two contingency hypotheses for the latter two origins to increase their likelihood of positive impacts on home‐country product development. Using a data set of 1,331 Taiwanese MNCs, our empirical evidence provides two important messages to managers: (1) a subsidiary whose technology mainly relies on its R&D would be an ideal target for reverse transfer; and (2) reverse transfer from local constituents and headquarters can be effective when they fit with an appropriate organizational mechanism, such as governance mode and absorptive capacity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Team‐based learning and training transfer: a case study of training for the implementation of enterprise resources planning software

While traditional models of training such as behavioral modeling (BMT) have been found to enhance training transfer, research suggests that more active learning strategies such as error management (EMT) and team‐based learning (TBL) may be more effective. This paper analyzes BMT, EMT and TBL strategies to train employees on new enterprise resources planning (ERP) software and discusses which training leads to successful procedural and declarative knowledge transfer, knowledge retention and application, and tangible business outcomes. TBL was predicted to be the most effective training type, as it models several components needed to use ERP software in the actual job setting. Overall and procedural knowledge as well as knowledge application scores improved most for TBL participants, while declarative knowledge improved the most in the EMT condition. During training, all conditions showed significant improvement in knowledge application; however, the TBL condition showed the highest knowledge application gains. This paper discusses the elements of TBL that support its use as an effective strategy to increase knowledge transfer in an organizational context.     

Knowledge transfer between marketing functions in multinational companies: a conceptual model

A key competitive advantage of multinational companies lies in their ability to exploit locally created knowledge worldwide. This implies that such companies have to be able to transfer knowledge within organizational networks characterized by separation through time, space, culture and language. Given the pivotal importance of knowledge transfer for the competitiveness of multinationals, it is remarkable that the process of transferring knowledge effectively across dispersed units of multinational corporations has only attracted little and rather fragmented research interest. What appears to be missing is a unifying framework that serves as a basis for a research agenda. Our paper aims to develop such a framework. Specifically, we propose a conceptual model of knowledge transfer between marketing functions within multinationals and advance research propositions for future empirical testing.     

FDI in CEECs: How do Western investors survive?

This article emphasizes that knowledge transfer across a firm's boundaries, in a transition context, implies a specific involvement of Western investors. They need to promote specific relationships within affiliates. This article emphasizes two points. First, partners have few common practices and do not share the same perception of the firm. This is the problem with building new capabilities. Second, Western firms have to mobilize organizational resources to build efficient affiliates (new human resources management, introduction of new functions, management by expatriates). Setting up new management rules to run an affiliate in transition countries is costly and often underestimated by foreign investors. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Towards a Framework of Reverse Knowledge Transfer by Emerging Economy Multinationals: Evidence from Chinese MNE Subsidiaries in the United States

This article extends the research on knowledge transfer by emerging‐economy multinationals (EEMs) by exploring the determinants of successful reverse knowledge transfer (RKT) in Chinese enterprises operating in the United States. Building upon organizational evolution and learning literature, we propose a model linking strategic asset‐seeking motivations, headquarters (HQ) control, and subsidiary age to RKT. The model is empirically tested in the context of Chinese enterprises in the United States and further justified by four cases of Chinese multinationals. Our exploratory study provides initial evidence that strategic asset‐seeking motivations and HQ control are significantly and positively related to RKT. Furthermore, our empirical evidence indicates a negative relationship between subsidiary age and RKT. We discuss the implications for theory development and practice for managing and organizing EEMs and their subsidiaries and suggest avenues for future research on this emerging phenomenon. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Knowledge transfer upon repatriation

This paper proposes a conceptual framework describing important conditions under which personnel transfers result in successful ‘reverse’ knowledge transfer. We argue that effective knowledge transfer occurs when there is a fit between individual readiness to transfer knowledge and organizational receptivity to knowledge. We suggest that, in order to achieve such a fit, multinational enterprises (MNEs) need to match the level of intensity of their knowledge transfer mechanisms to the type of knowledge gained abroad. Further, they must promote repatriate motivation to act as agents of knowledge and competence transfer through providing career development initiatives that would satisfy repatriate career aspirations. The paper outlines a number of practical issues that MNEs need to consider when designing appropriate mechanisms for capturing, retaining, and integrating the knowledge gained by their repatriates.     

Knowledge complementarity,knowledge absorption effectiveness,and new product performance: The exploration of international joint ventures in China

Firms use international joint ventures (IJVs) to access and learn from partners’ knowledge and thus enhance their new product performance, especially when the partners have complementary knowledge bases. Most of the existing literature assumes that knowledge complementarity can directly lead to enhanced new product performance, while ignoring the mediating role of knowledge absorption effectiveness and moderating effects of organizational structure and organizational culture to integrate and manage knowledge complementarity. Using dyadic data from 119 IJVs in China, this article suggests that knowledge complementarity influences IJV new product performance through the full mediation of knowledge absorption effectiveness. Also, the results suggest that an IJV's departmentalization of organizational structure significantly hurts the effect of knowledge complementarity on knowledge absorption effectiveness, while a strong learning culture of the IJV can significantly enhance such effects.     

Organizational learning as a situated routine-based activity in international settings

A large body of research has extensively studied the mechanisms behind organizational learning processes. However, there have been few studies of the learning process that explore the influences of history, context, and social meaning in international settings. Rather, the focus within the international management field has been on knowledge transfer. This study adopts a situated routine-based view of organizational learning to highlight the influence of national institutional characteristics on the acquisition and enactment of new knowledge. It is based on in-depth case studies that systematically compare the ways in which Japanese parent company knowledge diffuses to subsidiaries in the UK automotive industry. It concludes that organizational learning within the context of multinational corporations is shaped by actors’ enactment of new practices that are embedded in broader institutional contexts, where the links between knowledge transfer and the reinforcement of or change in routines are important in determining the level at which a subsidiary learns.     

Exploring the Influence of Organizational Ethical Climate on Knowledge Management

In recent years, knowledge management has been utilized as an essential strategy to foster the creation of organizational intellectual capital. Organizational intellectual capital can be derived both individually and collectively in the process to create, store, share, acquire, and apply personal and organizational knowledge. However, some organizations only focus on the development of public good, despite the concerns arising from individuals’ self-interest or possible risks. The different concern of individual and collective perspectives toward knowledge management inevitably leads to ethical conflicts and ethical culture in the organization (Jarvenpaa et al., J Manage Inf Syst 14(4):29–64, 1998; Ruppel and Harrington, IEEE Trans Prof Commun 44(1):37–52, 2000). The purpose of this study is to examine the ethical climate within the organization and its possible influence on members’ evaluation, satisfaction, engagement, and job performance with respect to knowledge management practice. The research results reveal that several types of organizational ethical climate coexist in the organization and have different degrees of influence on employees’ attitude as well as participation in knowledge management activities. In this article, we argue the importance of organizational ethical climate and highlight the implications of such a climate for facilitating knowledge management.     

The Role of Absorptive Capacity in Acquisition Knowledge Transfer

This article examines the role of absorptive capacity in acquisitions. We propose that absorptive capacity is an important determinant of acquisition knowledge transfer. Also, we identify antecedents of absorptive capacity in the specific context of acquisitions. These include contextual (national cultural differences), individual (employee withdrawal), and organizational design level (integration process communication, knowledge processing system) antecedents. We test our hypotheses on a sample of domestic and foreign acquisitions conducted by Finnish companies. This study contributes to the acquisition literature by elaborating on the role of absorptive capacity in acquisitions and to the general absorptive capacity literature by highlighting the importance of previously underexplored antecedents and outcomes of absorptive capacity. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Learning transfer: the views of practitioners in Ireland

Considerable expenditure on human resource development (HRD) has not necessarily resulted in a significant impact on organizational performance, and research suggests that the failure to transfer learning may be an important explanation. The search for factors affecting transfer has been extensive, as shown in Grossman and Salas's article in this issue, but, as they also show, more research is needed. The purpose of the present study is to ascertain the views of HRD practitioners (in Ireland) about the factors that they believe are relevant to the transfer of learning in the workplace. The aim is to discover whether practitioners have identified potential factors which researchers have not explored or not explored sufficiently. This group of practitioners was chosen because of the considerable control they wield over significant tranches of organizational resources. The method first involved engagement with 28 senior HRD practitioners in a workshop setting to create a transfer inventory based on their expert opinion. The initial inventory was then responded to online by a group of 314 practitioners indicating the relevance of the items to the question of transfer. Factor analysis was used to achieve parsimony among items, and 21 potential factors were identified. This study focused on the 15 factors adjudged by practitioners to be most relevant. It is concluded that trainer effectiveness, organizational linkage and training event climate, all deemed relevant by practitioners, may justify further research.     

Network Imitation to Deal with Sociocultural Dilemmas in Acquisitions of Young,Innovative Firms

This article expands current acquisition literature to include sociocultural challenges on inter‐organizational levels following acquisitions of young, innovative firms. Socioculture here denotes network parties' shared values, belief systems, and practices. Three acquisitions illustrate their consequences. The young, innovative firms and their acquirers are part of different networks, have dissimilar motives for pursuing business, and work within different time frames. To potentially improve knowledge transfer and integration, the acquirer can learn from the innovative firm's network interactions; choose targets among its own network parties; organize its governance into a separate business unit; practice reverse value integration from the acquired party; and carefully promote practices that foster innovativeness. The article contributes to research on acquisitions of young, innovative firms through pointing to how values and practices are interlinked in networks, and how the imitation of the acquired party's network interaction may help to sustain its innovativeness and transfer knowledge between the acquirer and acquired party. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Organizational Implementation of Corporate Citizenship: An Assessment Tool and its Application at UN Global Compact Participants

The corporate citizenship (CC) concept introduced by Dirk Matten and Andrew Crane has been well received. To this date, however, empirical studies based on this concept are lacking. In this article, we flesh out and operationalize the CC concept and develop an assessment tool for CC. Our tool focuses on the organizational level and assesses the embeddedness of CC in organizational structures and procedures. To illustrate the applicability of the tool, we assess five Swiss companies (ABB, Credit Suisse, Nestlé, Novartis, and UBS). These five companies are participants of the UN Global Compact (UNGC), currently the largest collaborative strategic policy initiative for business in the world (www.unglobalcompact.org). This study makes four main contributions: (1) it enriches and operationalizes Matten and Crane’s CC definition to build a concept of CC that can be operationalized, (2) it develops an analytical tool to assess the organizational embeddedness of CC, (3) it generates empirical insights into how five multinational corporations have approached CC, and (4) it presents assessment results that provide indications how global governance initiatives like the UNGC can support the implementation of CC.