How do MNC R&D laboratory roles affect employee international assignments?

Research and development (R&D) employees are important human resources for multinational corporations (MNCs) as they are the driving force behind the advancement of innovative ideas and products. International assignments of these employees can be a unique way to upgrade their expertise; allowing them to effectively recombine their unique human resources to progress existing knowledge and advance new ones. This study aims to investigate the effect of the roles of R&D laboratories in which these employees work on the international assignments they undertake. We categorise R&D laboratory roles into those of the support laboratory, the locally integrated laboratory and the internationally interdependent laboratory. Based on the theory of resource recombinations, we hypothesise that R&D employees in support laboratories are not likely to assume international assignments, whereas those in locally integrated and internationally interdependent laboratories are likely to assume international assignments. The empirical evidence, which draws from research conducted on 559 professionals in 66 MNC subsidiaries based in Greece, provides support to our hypotheses. The resource recombinations theory that extends the resource based view can effectively illuminate the international assignment field. Also, research may provide more emphasis on the close work context of R&D scientists rather than analyse their demographic characteristics, the latter being the focus of scholarly practice hitherto

Robust image analysis with sparse representation on quantized visual features

10.1109/TIP.2012.2219543IEEE Transactions on Image Processing223860-871IIPR

Determinants of the success of international assignees as knowledge transferors: a theoretical framework

Drawing on previous work in the knowledge management literature, this article develops a conceptual framework to analyse the cause and effects of international assignments as a knowledge transfer mechanism. In examining the characteristics of knowledge transferred within multinational companies (MNCs) the use of international assignees is explained and justified. The article also identifies the factors influencing the success of international assignees as knowledge transferors. It is argued that, in addition to the specific characteristics of the knowledge involved, transfer success will be affected by three sets of human-related factors: abilities and motivation of international staff; abilities and motivation of local employees; and the relationship between local and international staff. The article concludes by discussing some management initiatives helping to trigger the human-related factors