The role of ICT-based information systems in knowledge transfer within multinational companies

This paper focuses on the internal network of multinational companies (MNC) and aims to investigate the role of information systems (IS) based on modern information and communication technologies (ICT) in transferring knowledge between different plants of the MNC, a subject still debated in the literature. To shed more light on this relationship, we propose that in the context of the MNC, the plant’s role in the knowledge network has to be taken into consideration. The analysis is based on a case study approach with interviews conducted at thirteen manufacturing plants. Data analysis shows that plants can have two basic roles in the knowledge network: knowledge senders or knowledge receivers. Knowledge sending plants see IS less supportive in transferring knowledge, while most knowledge receivers rely heavily on some form of IS. Furthermore, IS proved unhelpful if the quality of data entered in the system was low, or when strategic support to allocate resources to use IS was missing

Relação entre características empresariais e fatores da transferência de conhecimentos entre projetos de produto The relationship between company characteristics and influence factors of the inter-product project knowledge transfer

Este artigo apresenta uma análise das relações existentes entre as características das empresas e a importância que estas atribuem aos fatores que influenciam na transferência de conhecimentos (TC) entre projetos de produtos. A análise é baseada num levantamento (survey) realizado com 58 empresas no Brasil. As características estudadas foram: (i) tamanho da empresa; (ii) tamanho da equipe de projetos; (iii) localização das equipes; (iv) número de projetos simultâneos; (v) tempo de duração dos projetos; (vi) grau de inovação; e (vii) complexidade dos projetos. Através de uma análise de aglomerados, foi identificado que as características (ii), (iv) e (vii) são significativas na determinação das importâncias atribuídas aos fatores da TC. Os resultados apontam que as empresas que possuem um perfil de gestão mais complexo enfatizam os fatores de influência pertencentes ao ambiente externo. Já empresas com um perfil de gestão mais simples atribuem maior importância aos fatores internos da empresa.<br>This paper presents an analysis of the relationship between company characteristics and the importance that companies attribute to the main factors that have influence on inter-product project knowledge transfer (KT). The analysis was based on a survey carried out on a sample of 58 companies that operate in Brazil. The studied characteristics of the companies were: (i) company size; (ii) project team size; (iii) team localization; (iv) number of concurrent projects; (v) project duration; (vi) project innovation and (vii) project complexity. It was possible to identify, using a cluster analysis, that project team size; number of concurrent projects and project complexity are statistically significant regarding the determination of attributed importance for the KT influence factors. The results revealed that companies that have a more complex management profile are more interested in influence factors of the external environment. On the other hand, companies that have a simpler management profile are more interested in influence factors of the internal environment

Knowledge-sharing and social interaction within MNEs

Social interaction between managers from different units of a multinational enterprise (MNE) has been shown to be an important factor stimulating intra-MNE knowledge-sharing. Face-to-face social interactions form a communication channel particularly conducive to the transfer of tacit, non-codified knowledge. But intensive social interaction also provides opportunities for social construction of knowledge in a learning dialogue. The first explanation (sender–receiver) makes us expect social interaction to moderate positively the effects of the factors giving rise to knowledge flows in the first place, such as differences in capabilities between MNE subsidiaries. The second perspective (social learning) also grants an independent effect to social interaction as a main factor stimulating intra-MNE knowledge flows. We formulate hypotheses based on both perspectives, and test these on data from 169 MNE subsidiaries. Our findings show a considerable main effect of social interaction on all intra-MNE knowledge flows, confirming the expectations based on the social learning model. Interaction effects, based on the predictions of the sender–receiver model, are only partly confirmed. These findings suggest that future research should devote more attention to the social constitution of MNE knowledge. Journal of International Business Studies (2009) 40, 719–741. doi:10.1057/jibs.2008.106