Knowledge transfer practices in multinational corporations in China's information technology industry

Abstract

The goals of this study were to explore existing practices used to facilitate knowledge transfer in MNCs in the information technology industry in China, and to investigate the frequency of use and the influence of each practice on knowledge transfer. In addition, this study examined which types of knowledge could be transferred by a given practice. The study used a two-stage method that included two surveys. The first survey was designed to develop an inclusive list of knowledge transfer practices. Thirty-three practices were identified in the first survey. The second survey found: 1) the frequency of use and the influence on knowledge transfer varied from one practice to another; 2) MNCs frequently used those practices with higher influence on knowledge transfer; 3) certain practices are better suited in transferring certain types of knowledge.     

Innovation: a knowledge transfer perspective

One means of innovation is the adoption of new knowledge from external sources. This article describes theory building research to improve the transfer of knowledge between universities and businesses that are collaborating together. Using pilot studies and in-depth interviews based on real-life innovation projects, the research identified and confirmed two hypothetical constructs; that successful knowledge transfer comes from the transfer of tacit knowledge; and that tacit knowledge can best be transferred in this arena using rich media channels. This article describes the research and goes on to assess a range of channels for their media richness and their ability to transfer tacit knowledge. This article then positions this in the frame of collaborative or open innovation. It concludes that selection of the appropriate channel can improve the innovation through the transfer of knowledge between organisations and presents a model for successful application.     

跨国公司知识转移：知识特性与转移工具研究

为了揭示知识特性和知识转移工具对跨国公司内部知识转移结果的影响程度,构建了一个包含知识特性、转移工具和知识跨国界转移结果的知识转移过程模型并做出相应假设,然后对跨国公司在华子公司做问卷调查,用结构方程模型对样本数据进行分析.实证结果显示,知识的默会性、简单嵌入性、初级转移工具对知识从国外母公司向中国子公司的跨国界转移起到了显著的直接作用,而高级转移工具对默会性起到了部分中介作用,对关系嵌入变量起到了完全中介作用.     

East meets West: a case example of knowledge transfer

This article highlights some of the similarities and differences in management theory and practice between the UK and the Former Soviet Union (FSU) and Central and East European (CEE) states. It does so in the context of a debate over the appropriateness and extent of cultural dominance in knowledge transfer of theory and practice, which has occurred during the last decade, and which is still unresolved. It reviews a scheme for knowledge transfer which offered a flexible structure within which the organizers could amend their material in the light of their growing experience with the way in which the scheme operated, and whereby they might avoid some of the mistakes of cultural dominance made within other schemes offered elsewhere The Joint Industrial and Commercial Attachment Programme (JICAP), its structure, approach and some outcomes are outlined as a case example. Sponsored by the British Council to arrange visits by middle and senior managers from the post-command economies to the UK for intensive management training and work placement in an organization complementary to their home employment, JICAP was typical of the best Western thinking in management development of the time. The espousals and realities, the benefits and flaws in this approach are examined, drawing on the perceptions of the JICAP delegates themselves in terms of their personal and business development. Czarniawska's model of the travel of ideas (Czarniawska and Joerges 1996) is used as an organizing framework within which the problems of knowledge transfer, culturally dominant or maximally flexible, can be examined, and the underlying issues identified. This notion of flexibility, within which alternative perspectives can be negotiated and new meanings created, constitutes the main contribution proposed by this paper.     

A process model of establishing knowledge management: Insights from a longitudinal field study

This paper contributes to the discussion on how to manage knowledge in organizations. Taking a perspective which acknowledges the importance of, but does not privilege, IT as the decisive element, it reports the results of a study investigating the process of establishing as opposed to conducting knowledge management. Based on a grounded theory approach to the analysis of the empirical data, a model of establishing knowledge management in organizations is developed. The model emphasizes how the organizational members make sense of the action and behavior of management, and how this understanding influences their own perceptions and actions in the process of establishing knowledge management. This leads to an understanding of knowledge management as an autonomous venturing process. The model is then used to suggest an explanation of why establishing knowledge management was not successful in the case which was investigated. Conclusions are provided on how the model can be further exploited for studying and improving the practice of knowledge management.     

The impact of knowledge properties on international manufacturing transfer performance

Abstract

This paper examines how knowledge properties of a manufacturing activity transfer in international manufacturing network impact performance during the transfer itself and after steady state has been reached. Hierarchical regression was used to test the relationship on survey data from 178 companies. Knowledge properties as a group was significantly affected by both performance measures when controlling for the effects of sender unit experience, sender unit size and receiver unit experience. The activities transferred thus impact the success of the transfer. The control variables of sender unit experience and receiver unit experience have their relatively strongest performance effects after steady state has been reached. Independency was the single knowledge property dimensions with the strongest relative performance effect. This is one of the first survey studies to cover both the performance of the transfer itself and after reaching steady state of manufacturing transfers. Several strands of further research were therefore identified.     

The soft side of knowledge transfer partnerships between universities and small to medium enterprises: an exploratory study to understand process improvement

Abstract

The study explores the soft side of knowledge transfer partnerships between universities and small to medium enterprises (SMEs), a topic which is often neglected in the knowledge management literature. The aim of this paper is to uncover the issues which emerge during formation of a partnership between heterogeneous organizations and universities. In addition, the study unfolds the criticalities of typical process improvement capability that supports the knowledge transfer partnerships between universities and SMEs. Using multiple cases, this study unravels the dominant elements that influence knowledge transfer process development, governance, implications and responsibilities. The major contribution of this study is the development of a framework based on empirical evidence using three knowledge transfer partnerships (KTPs) which illustrates the way in which soft factors in knowledge transfer partnership phases may have an impact on success or failure of university–industry collaborations for innovation.     

Knowledge transfer and R&D in pharmaceutical companies: A case study

This paper analyzes the consequences for the knowledge transfer and the organization of R&D of pharmaceutical companies after the acquisition of biotech companies. Based on four in-depth case studies, this paper comes to the conclusion that there is no systematic biotechnological know-how transfer from the biotech to the pharmaceutical company after the acquisition. Instead, the biotech companies remain independent and take over the role of centers of excellence for R&D within the pharmaceutical companies because that is the only way of preserving the innovative capabilities of the biotech company.     

Communities, alliances, networks and knowledge in multinational firms: A micro-analytic framework

We develop a model of the micro-process of knowledge acquisition, dissemination, and application in the networks of alliances that have become important sources of external knowledge for multinational firms. Based on the concept of communities of practice as sources of highly tacit know-how, this model addresses the use of alliances with local partners to acquire tacit knowledge on a sub-unit level and to then share this knowledge throughout the firm via an internal network of community-level alliances. We suggest that the supposed advantage of multinational firms in accessing and reconstituting knowledge from widely spread sources is composed of multiple micro-processes at sub-unit levels, and therefore much more complex than usually presented.     

Supporting open innovation with the use of a balanced scorecard approach: a study on deep smarts and effective knowledge transfer to SMEs

Abstract

This study aims to develop the theory of knowledge management and organizational performance within a small and medium enterprise (SME) context using action research (AR) involving a higher education institution (HEI) and an SME. The vehicle for the knowledge exchange was Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), the United Kingdom’s primary mechanism for delivering government funded knowledge transfer to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). KTPs facilitate knowledge exchange from HEIs to SMEs via the recruitment of a graduate plus an academic supervisor from the partnering HEI. The AR study was an award-winning KTP and the project deliverable included the implementation of a balanced scorecard for the SME to improve organizational performance. The transfer of knowledge was subsequently fed-back into the university in order to develop a performance framework for measuring the effectiveness of KTP research within the HEI in order to share knowledge and improve effective for other KTP projects.     

A taxonomic view of illegal transfer of technologies: A case study

Illegal transfer of technology (ITT) is one of the major policy formulation, industrial management, and law enforcement issues of this decade. It includes industrial espionage, the piracy of; software, logos, and hardware designs and it overlaps with issues of terrorism and those involving weapons of mass destruction. It is of concern at corporate, national, and world-body levels. Technology herein is defined broadly to include intellectual property. ITT involves various kinds of players, takes on various modalities and is done for various motivations. The ITT literature is very disjoint and disparate. It transcends several academic disciplines, professions and professional communities. To remedy such fractionation this paper offers a taxonomy defining the field in its entirety while delineating all of its facets in a manner that is parsimonious yet discriminating. A number of actionable uses for the taxonomy are identified as are its potential users.     

Task partitioning in new product development teams: A knowledge and learning perspective

R&D alliances and outsourcing elements of the new product development process are now commonplace practices among many firms. However, little previous work has examined how these organizational choices influence project knowledge and learning. Based on a comparison of three new product development projects in the software industry, this paper examines how task partitioning in the project influences learning and knowledge development within the firm. The paper suggests that internal development projects encourage synthetic learning and development of architectural and tacit knowledge; in contrast, outsourcing and joint ventures encourage analytic learning and development of component and explicit knowledge.     

Knowledge management in SMEs and MNCs: matching knowledge mobility mechanisms to supply network configuration profiles

Abstract

While ‘knowledge mobility’ presents significantly different challenges for SMEs and MNCs, it is strongly influenced by two common factors: the type of knowledge to be integrated and the configuration of the operations network. Here, SMEs and MNCs are required to make critical decisions about ‘levels’ of collaboration and knowledge sharing with network partners. A Knowledge Mobility Configuration (KMC) framework was developed, tested and refined using five case studies indicative of a growing shift towards information and knowledge-intensive activities. In terms of contribution, there has been limited empirical research to-date into the determinants of successful knowledge transfers in MNC-SME network contexts. The network configuration element of the KMC framework provides insights on how such networks evolve, and how specific knowledge mobility profiles may evolve over time. This more nuanced approach may be used as a basis for a proactive and differentiated approach to knowledge mobility and integration across SME and MNC networks.     

Decision knowledge sharing: flexible supply chains in KM context

Supply chain excellence has a real impact on business strategy. Building supply chains as flexible systems represents one of the most exciting opportunities to create value and one of the most challenging tasks for the policy makers. It requires integrated decision making amongst autonomous chain partners with effective decision knowledge sharing between them. The key to success lies in knowing which decision has more impact on the overall performance and this can be achieved by appropriate knowledge sharing. In this context, knowledge management (KM) can be used as an effective approach to achieve knowledge sharing and decision synchronisation in supply chains. Flexible supply chains (FSC_s) are more complex and involve multiple autonomous players with varying technical cultures (affects knowledge mindsets), managerial background (affects decision knowledge) and supply chain management (SCM) exposures (affects knowledge sharing attitudes). Thus there is a need to develop demo models that can encourage chain managers towards collaborative knowledge sharing in the supply chains. This paper presents the application of one such model based on decision knowledge sharing (DKS) for improved supply chain management. A simulation model of a flexible supply chain based on DKS framework is developed for demo purposes. The key results are highlighted along with industry implications. The cost based performance of DKS at different levels of flexibility is studied. Thus a careful analysis of the chain with a focus on collaborative decisions is useful to ensure success. This paper addresses this interesting and challenging domain.     

Effects of knowledge management strategy on organizational performance: A complementarity theory-based approach

The extant research investigating the relationship between knowledge management (KM) strategies and organizational performance has yielded inconclusive results. Our paper revisits this research problem by drawing on complementarity theory from Economics. The empirical segment of our work is based on data on KM strategies and organizational performance from a sample of 131 Korean firms. Our results suggest three types of relationship among KM strategies: non-complementarity, and non-critical symmetric complementarity, and asymmetric complementarity. Integrating explicit-oriented with tacit-oriented KM strategies showed non-complementarity, which suggests a drag on obtaining higher levels of organizational performance. Our analysis of KM strategies based on KM source shows that companies could benefit from KM by implementing external-oriented or internal-oriented strategy. Combining the tacit-internal-oriented and explicit-external-oriented KM strategies indicates a complementarity relationship, which implies synergistic effects of KM strategies on performance.     

Ethics and human resource management and development in a global context: case study of an Indian multinational

A firm's orientation to ethics is influenced largely by its national and organizational culture. Research shows that a growing number of Indian firms place a distinct emphasis on long-term orientation to business strategy with a social mission, underpinned by firm commitment to core organizational values, employee development and welfare. Through a case study of a large Indian multinational conglomerate, this article provides preliminary evidence of how some emerging economy firms are successfully mixing and matching indigenous business and people management strategies with the Western emphasis on meritocracy and professionalism to compete in the contemporary global economy. It further shows how the human resource development (HRD) discipline can play a pro-active role in embedding ethics and values throughout the organizational and HR architecture. The HRD professionals in the case study firm also face several structural and cultural challenges in discharging their ethics-driven HR mandate, such as management's ethnocentric attitude to global staffing and clash of work cultures.     

Internal networking and innovation ambidexterity: The mediating role of knowledge management processes in university research

This article focuses on public organizations to contribute to research on knowledge management processes, a field that until recently has focused primarily on private entities. Specifically, we analyse the mediating role of knowledge transfer and knowledge absorption in the relationship between the internal networking created in university research groups and innovation ambidexterity. Based on six hypotheses, the conceptual model is tested through a structural equations model with mediation effects. The data analysed come from 249 directors of Spanish public university research groups. The results show that the internal networking formed in university research groups has a positive and significant relationship to knowledge transfer and knowledge absorption, but we obtain different results for the relationship between knowledge transfer and knowledge absorption in the presence of innovation ambidexterity. Only knowledge absorption has a positive and significant influence on innovation ambidexterity. The most interesting results involve the mediating role of knowledge absorption in the relationship between internal networking and innovation ambidexterity. These results support the conclusion that directors of university research groups should promote development of knowledge absorption processes in order to stimulate innovation ambidexterity and thus to achieve ambidextrous innovative performance.     

Managing knowledge in supply chains: a catalyst to triple bottom line sustainability

Abstract

Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and knowledge management’s (KM) positive role in improving supply chain development and performance have both attracted attention in recent years, the former arguably stimulated by the triple bottom line (TBL). Despite the positive development, there is a paucity of theoretical and empirical studies identifying the broad capabilities that affect a firm’s ability to simultaneously pursue economic, environmental and social success. We use the natural-resource-based (NRBV) and knowledge-based (KBV) views to develop a series of propositions linking KM capability to strategic and operational supply chain sustainability and competiveness and test their veracity with practicing managers (n?=?275). We offer a systematic analysis of KM’s role in the development of SSCM. The findings confirm the credibility of the theoretical propositions and identify how different KM processes specifically facilitate strategic or operational development of SSCs. We provide researchers with a framework to guide future research at the KM/TBL nexus.