Promoting cross-border knowledge transfer for new product development in MNCs: a process view

Yang Liu ()
Additional contact information
Yang Liu: Queen’s University Belfast

The Journal of Technology Transfer, 2019, vol. 44, issue 3, No 7, 802-821

Abstract: Abstract Cross-border knowledge transfer plays an important role in the competitive advantage of multinational corporations (MNCs). However, it can be quite challenging due to cultural differences and lack of trust between organizational units located in different countries. Prior studies have not explored the knowledge transfer process (and its key nodes) in new product development in MNCs. This research aims to understand this process focusing on how knowledge transfer can be promoted through trust and understanding of cultural traits. A qualitative single-case study of an automotive MNC was conducted. I found that for the key nodes of the process, the company leveraged different mechanisms to promote knowledge transfer. These mechanisms facilitated trust and understanding of cultural traits. Headquarters provided key administrative support for these mechanisms. This study contributes to the literature through proposing a process view showing how knowledge transfer can be promoted by different mechanisms in different nodes of the process. In addition, insights were drawn on how to manage trust and the cultural difference across countries.

Keywords: Knowledge transfer; New product development; Multinational corporations; Trust; Cultural traits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F23 M16 O32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10961-017-9612-x Abstract (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:44:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s10961-017-9612-x

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... nt/journal/10961/PS2

DOI: 10.1007/s10961-017-9612-x

Access Statistics for this article

The Journal of Technology Transfer is currently edited by Albert N. Link, Donald S. Siegel, Barry Bozeman and Simon Mosey

More articles in The Journal of Technology Transfer from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().