The relationship between organization culture and knowledge sharing in a born global firm

Knowledge sharing and its stickiness have been studied extensively over the last decade in the context of traditional MNCs. However, minimal research focuses on the organizational culture of Born Global firms and its relationship with knowledge sharing. Knowledge sharing is very much influenced by organizational culture because it is through organizational culture that shapes employees to achieve desired organizational goals, such as increased internal knowledge sharing. The AMO framework (Ability, Motivation & Opportunity) is used to draw the link between knowledge sharing and organizational culture. In addition, the role of the CEO was studied to better understand the influence of the CEO in motivating (or inhibiting) subordinates to share knowledge. The research had two main research questions; the first research question looks at the extent to which organizational culture represents a barrier or enhancer to effective knowledge sharing within the born global firm. Secondly, research question 2 aims to investigate the role of the CEO in knowledge sharing. To complete this research, a qualitative in-depth case study was conducted on one Finnish Born Global firm. Interviewees were from its two headquarters located in two Finnish cities. Seven semi-structured interviews were carried out to complete this embedded case study. Organizational culture of the born global firm was in fact an enabler of knowledge sharing, contrary to findings of previous studies done on traditional MNCs. One key component of organizational culture emerged in this research – the flat organizational structure of the Born Gobal firm was shown to be most influential in enhancing knowledge sharing within headquarters and its foreign subsidiaries. In addition to having a flat organizational structure, the born global firm was relatively small and agile which allowed them to work fast and have direct communication with others within the firm. With shared work goals and a common understanding of the company’s visions, knowledge was shared effectively in this born global firm. The CEO of the born global firm works professionally and his openness eases knowledge sharing amongst his subordinates.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format

Knowledge sharing in the context of mentoring

The research examines individual level horizontal knowledge sharing across MNC subsidiaries taking place in the context of mentoring. The aim is to look beyond traditional career related outcomes associated with mentoring and explore how it affects ability, motivation and opportunity to share knowledge. The theoretical review is guided by the knowledge governance approach and factors affecting knowledge sharing are discussed with the help of the AMO- framework. The research is a qualitative case study of a MNC’s international business unit. Data was collected by conducting structured theme interviews. The empirical part of the research is based on the integrative framework derived from existing scientific literature on the research topic. The data was first analyzed to form a comprehensive picture about the current state of knowledge sharing in the business unit. Then, knowledge sharing in the context of mentoring was taken under closer examination. In the end, factors affecting an individual’s motivation, opportunity and ability to share knowledge within and outside the mentoring relationship were compared with each other for conclusions to be drawn. The findings suggest that knowledge sharing at the local level is mostly affected by a siloing effect arising from internal competition and an entrepreneurial organizational culture, whereas cross-border sharing is still in its infancy and is characterized by lack of structures. Mentoring can be considered as a commitment-based knowledge governance mechanism, which improves individuals’ motivation, opportunity and ability to share knowledge by transcending barriers otherwise present in the business unit. Nevertheless, perceived organizational commitment, prior mentoring experience and a wide work related experience gap were shown to have a negative effect on knowledge sharing, even in the context of mentoring.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format

Transferências internas de conhecimento em empresas multinacionais: uma revisão sistemática da literatura

In the current marketplace, characterised by globalisation, proliferation of technology and hostile competition, the exploitation and management of internal knowledge in companies has become the best vehicle for ensuring a differentiated international positioning, developing organisational knowledge bases, improving performance and growth, as well as to increase market responsiveness. Multinational companies face even more challenges in these processes, since they have to manage multiple knowledge transfers between headquarters and subsidiaries, among subsidiaries, and also within each of these units, in very different cultural, geographic and economic scenarios. Therefore, the aim of this dissertation is to deepen the knowledge about this phenomenon and to uncover the main influencing factors on internal knowledge transfers in multinational companies. Apart from including intra-unit knowledge transfers, this dissertation also analyses transfers between units, namely conventional, horizontal and reverse knowledge transfers. For this purpose, a systematic review of the literature was conducted to synthesise the content of 72 articles. Conclusions were drawn regarding the most recurrent publication years and sources, theoretical foundations, research methods, countries and industries in the literature. Moreover, this dissertation allowed to summarise the results for each type of knowledge transfer, identifying eight thematic categories and 97 topics covered in the literature, thus creating a complete framework of this phenomenon. Some gaps in the literature and contributions to theory, research and management are also highlighted, which will help to advance knowledge in these fields.Nos mercados atuais — marcados pela globalização, pela proliferação da tecnologia e pela competitividade agressiva — a exploração e gestão do conhecimento interno das empresas tornou-se o melhor veículo para assegurar um posicionamento internacional diferenciador, desenvolver a base de conhecimento organizacional, incrementar o desempenho e crescimento das empresas, bem como para aumentar a capacidade de resposta às necessidades dos mercados. As empresas multinacionais atravessam ainda mais desafios na gestão destes processos, pois têm de gerir múltiplas transferências de conhecimento entre sede e subsidiárias, entre subsidiárias e também dentro de cada uma destas unidades organizacionais, em cenários culturais, geográficos e económicos muito distintos. Assim, o objetivo desta dissertação é aprofundar o conhecimento sobre o fenómeno descrito e determinar os principais fatores que influenciam as transferências internas de conhecimento em empresas multinacionais, englobando transferências dentro de uma unidade e transferências entre unidades — incluindo transferências convencionais, horizontais e reversas. Para esse fim, é adotado um método de revisão sistemática da literatura para sintetizar o conteúdo de 72 artigos. Foram tiradas conclusões sobre os anos, as revistas científicas, as bases teóricas, os métodos de investigação, as indústrias e os países mais explorados na literatura. Para além disso, esta dissertação permitiu sumariar os resultados para cada tipo de transferência, identificar oito categorias temáticas e 97 tópicos abordados, criando, assim, um esquema completo sobre este fenómeno. Por fim, são destacadas algumas lacunas na literatura e contribuições para a teoria, a investigação e a gestão, que ajudarão a progressão do conhecimento nestas áreas.Mestrado em Gestã

Out-in, in-out buyer quality innovation pathways for new product outcome: empirical evidence from the Chinese consumer goods industry

In today’s dynamic environment, quality innovation and new product development (NPD) are the key factors in gaining competitive advantage. However, the quality innovation process is a complex procedure, because it may combine internal and external resource requirements to meet customer expectations. This paper reviews two quality innovation pathways and their respective NPD performances based on the joint supplier-buyer relationship within the fast consumer goods (FCGs) industry. Specifically, we study buyers’ quality innovation potential using ‘out-in,’ which is the identification of quality innovative suppliers, and ‘in-out,’ which is buyers’ quality knowledge transfer ability to suppliers. Our dyadic data from both buyers and suppliers reveal that the supplier’s innovation ability and passion is the dominating factor, irrespective of quality innovation pathways, in the context of the Chinese consumer goods industry. However, cooperative attitude and the cost reduction ability of suppliers are the differentiating factors

Factors impacting knowledge transfer success in information systems outsourcing

Despite increased research interest on knowledge transfer in information systems (IS) outsourcing, the field still lacks sound and holistic understanding of the key factors influencing knowledge transfer success. The present paper attempts to provide a synthesis of existing theoretical perspectives and empirical findings related to the factors that facilitate or hamper knowledge transfer success in IS outsourcing. The data collection method is discussed and the key findings are presented. Conclusion is drawn and further research is suggested

A Strategic Management Analysis on Activity‐level

In this exploratory study we look at human asset aspects of offshore outsourcing of services that over time become more advanced and strategic potent to the outsourcing firms. As a consequence, the outsourcing firms might want to internalize the operations. We focus on the ways that outsourcing firms may transfer key personnel of local service providers to whollyowned subsidiaries. We argue that a felt need for applying more powerful incentives on key personnel of the service provider ‐ to harness and empower the sourcing operation ‐ may in itself be a motive for, and key driver of, the internalization process

Formation Mechanism of Knowledge Stickiness in the Collaborative Innovation of Industry-University-Research

In the context of deepening the cooperation of Industry-University-Research (IUR), enterprises must gain competitive advantage by transferring external knowledge to the enterprise for knowledge appreciation. Based on the knowledge stickiness encountered in the process of knowledge transfer in the collaborative innovation of IUR, the formation process and causes of knowledge stickiness are analyzed. In this study, the knowledge flow model based on heat conduction theory was proposed. The dynamic simulation was carried out using MATLAB software. Results show that the process of knowledge transfer between IUR is the process of continuously realizing knowledge increment and knowledge creation, and knowledge stickiness has a direct impact on the efficiency of knowledge transfer. Strengthening the cognition between IUR, increasing the number of activities between IUR, and creating a collaborative innovation atmosphere between IUR will reduce knowledge stickiness and improve the efficiency of knowledge transfer

Transferring knowledge of manufacturing techniques in multinational corporations:preliminary findings

With the growth of the multinational corporation (MNC) has come the need to understand how parent companies transfer knowledge to, and manage the operations of, their subsidiaries. This is of particular interest to manufacturing companies transferring their operations overseas. Japanese companies in particular have been pioneering in this regard, with techniques such as the Toyota Production System (TPS) for transferring the ethos of Japanese manufacturing and maintaining quality and control in overseas subsidiaries. A great deal has been written about the process of transferring Japanese manufacturing techniques, but much less is understood about how the subsidiaries themselves, which are required to make use of such techniques, actually acquire and incorporate them into their operations. The research on which this paper is based therefore examines how, from the perspective of the subsidiary, knowledge of manufacturing techniques is transferred from the parent company. There is clearly a need to take a practice-based view to understanding how the local managers and operatives incorporate knowledge about manufacturing techniques into their working practices. In-depth qualitative research was, therefore, conducted in the subsidiary of a Japanese multinational, Denso Corporation, involving three main manufacturing initiatives (or philosophies), namely ‘TPS’, ‘TPM’ and ‘TS’. The case data were derived from 52 in-depth interviews with project members, moderate participant observations, and documentations. The aim of this paper is to present the preliminary findings from the case analyses. The research contributes to our understanding of knowledge transfer in relation to the circumstances of the selection between adaptation and replication of knowledge in the subsidiary from its parent. In particular this understanding relates to transfer across different flows and levels in the organisational hierarchy, how the whole process is managed, and also how modification takes place

The role of knowledge transfer and cultural distance on international joint venture performance in Thailand

This study examines the relationship between antecedent variables (local partner’s intent to learn, local partner’s capacity to learn, local partner’s experience, foreign partner’s capacity to transfer, foreign partner’s willingness to transfer, and knowledge transfer mechanism) and knowledge transfer on international joint venture (IJV) firms’ performance in Thailand. It also aims to investigate how cultural distance moderates the impact of the relationship between knowledge transfer and IJV firms’ performance. The investigation is based on resource-based view of firm theory, knowledge based view theory and organizational learning theory. The research framework was developed and eight hypotheses were posited and tested. This research employs quantitative method by using questionnaire survey. Survey questionnaires were mailed and hand-delivered to the respondents. Questionnaires were distributed to 476 IJV firms. 160 of the IJV firms responded to the survey, which gave a 33.61 percent response rate. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science. The results revealed that each of the antecedent variables and knowledge transfer have relationship with IJV firms’ performance. However, the moderating effect of cultural distance has no significant relationship between knowledge transfer and IJV firms’ performance. The implications of the study offer into two main benefits: firstly, the contribution to the body of knowledge in the research context which encompass the key factors in knowledge transfer that should be considered and generalized; and secondly, the inputs to the practical level particularly in the IJV firms which indicate that top managers should understand knowledge transfer to achieve better performance in IJV firms. The present study also highlights the recommendation for future research as well as the limitations of the study