The Knowledge Transfer From Headquarter to Local Subsidiaries Through Expatriates - Local Employees’ Perspective - Publication - Bridge of Knowledge

Your account

login

Search

The Knowledge Transfer From Headquarter to Local Subsidiaries Through Expatriates - Local Employees’ Perspective

Abstract

Background. Knowledge transfer between the HQ and subsidiary has recently been targets of increasing research interest. However, the role of expatriate managers and local staff perspective on this process has not been examined enough. Research aims. This paper has two main objectives: first to develop a conceptual framework (model) of knowledge transfer between the headquarters and local subsidiary, and second to empirically evaluate this process in five foreign subsidiaries based in Poland from a knowledge-based perspective. Methodology. Our study relied on qualitative case study methods. The authors report the empirical findings from five multinational subsidiaries (two German, two American and one Indian) located in Poland. 68 semi-structured interviews were conducted among HR specialists and managers. Key findings. The transfer of knowledge has always been in one direction, that is from the headquarters to its foreign subsidiary in Poland. Both the headquarters (as a sender) and the subsidiary (as a receiver) have been prepared in terms of tools and institutions to accumulate the knowledge. A key link in the knowledge transfer has included expatriates – their skills and abilities such as openness, willingness to learn and motivation for learning, ability to transfer their knowledge and experience to others, and ability to build positive interpersonal relations.

Citations

  • 1

    CrossRef

  • 0

    Web of Science

  • 0

    Scopus

Authors (5)

Cite as

Full text

download paper
downloaded 166 times
Publication version
Accepted or Published Version
License
Creative Commons: CC-BY-ND open in new tab

Keywords

Details

Category:
Articles
Type:
artykuły w czasopismach
Published in:
International Journal of Contemporary Management no. 17, pages 207 - 239,
ISSN: 2449-8920
Language:
English
Publication year:
2018
Bibliographic description:
Przytuła S., Rozkwitalska M., Chmielecki M., Sułkowski Ł., Basińska B.: The Knowledge Transfer From Headquarter to Local Subsidiaries Through Expatriates - Local Employees’ Perspective// International Journal of Contemporary Management/Współczesne Zarządzanie -Vol. 17,iss. 3 (2018), s.207-239
DOI:
Digital Object Identifier (open in new tab) 10.4467/24498939ijcm.18.032.9628
Bibliography: test
  1. Patriotta, G. & Castellano, A. (2013). Coordinating knowledge transfer: Global managers as higher-level intermediaries. Journal of World Business, 48, 641-653. open in new tab
  2. Pattie, M. & White, M. (2010). The homecoming: The review of support practices for repatriates. Career Development International, 15(4), 121-134. open in new tab
  3. Przytula, S., Rozkwitalska, M., Chmielecki, M., Sulkowski, L. & Basinska, B. (2014). open in new tab
  4. Cross-cultural interactions between expatriates and local managers in the light of positive organizational scholarship-practice from Poland. Social Sciences (Socialiniai Mokslai), 4(86), 14-24. open in new tab
  5. Purgał-Popiela J. (2013). Dimensions of foreign subsidiary's absorptive capacity in the context of knowledge transfer through expatriation. Education of Economists and Managers, 29, 127-142. open in new tab
  6. Purgał-Popiela, J. (2017). Transfer wiedzy w warunkach ekspatriacji. Warszawa: PWE. open in new tab
  7. Raab, K., Ambos, B. & Tallman, S. (2014). Strong or invisible hands? Managerial involvement in the knowledge sharing process of globally dispersed knowledge groups. Journal of World Business, 49(1), 32-41. open in new tab
  8. Reiche, S. (2014). Knowledge benefits of social capital upon repatriation: A longi- tudinal study of international assignees. Journal of International Business Studies, 45, 1052-1077. open in new tab
  9. Rozkwitalska, M., Chmielecki, M., Przytula, S., Sulkowski, L. & Basinska, B.A. (2017). Intercultural interactions in multinational subsidiaries: Employee accounts of "the dark side" and "the bright side" of intercultural contacts. Baltic Journal of Management, 12(2), 214-239. open in new tab
  10. Sanchez, J., Spector, P. & Cooper, C. (2000). Adapting to a boundaryless world: A developmental expatriate model. Academy of Management Executive, 14(2), 96-106. open in new tab
  11. Sánchez Bengoa, D., Ruediger Kaufmann, H. & Vrontis, D. (2012). A new organisa- tional memory for cross-cultural knowledge management. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 19(3), 336-351. open in new tab
  12. Sparrow, P., Brewster, C. & Harris, H. (2004). Globalizing HRM. London: Routledge.
  13. Stahl, G.K., Maznevski, M.L., Voigt, A. & Jonsen, K. (2009). Unraveling the effects of cultural diversity in teams: A meta-analysis of research on multicultural work groups. Journal of International Business Studies, 41(4), 690-709. open in new tab
  14. Stephan, M., Brown, M. & Erickson, R. (2017). Talent Acquisition: Enter the Cognitive Recruiter. Global Human Capital Trends. New York: Sage.
  15. Stroh, L.K., Gregersen, H.B. & Black, J.S. (2000). Triumphs and tragedies: Ex- pectations and commitments upon repatriation. International Journal of HRM, 11(4), 681-697. open in new tab
  16. Szkudlarek, B. (2010). Coming Home-understanding the Corporate Re-entry of International Employee's (1 st Quarter). Rotterdam: RSM University.
  17. Szulanski, G. (2000). The process of knowledge transfer: A diachronic analysis of stickiness. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Process, 82(1), 9-27. open in new tab
  18. Tsang, E.W. (1999). The knowledge transfer and learning aspects of international HRM: An empirical study of singapore MNCs. International Business Review, 8(5-6), 591-609. open in new tab
  19. Villinger, R. (1996). Post-acqusition managerial learning in central and east Europe. Organisation Studies, 17(2), 181-206. open in new tab
  20. Wang, P., Tong, T.W. & Koh, C.P. (2004). An integrated model of knowledge transfer from MNC parent to China subsidiary. Journal of World Business, 39(2), 168-182. open in new tab
  21. Sylwia Przytuła, Małgorzata Rozkwitalska, Michał Chmielecki, Łukasz Sułkowski... open in new tab
  22. The Knowledge Transfer from the Headquarters to Local Subsidiaries through Expatriates… open in new tab
Sources of funding:
  • NCN DEC-2013/09/B/HS4/00498
Verified by:
Gdańsk University of Technology

seen 81 times

Recommended for you

The Development of a Conceptual Framework for Knowledge Sharing in Agile IT Projects

  • R. O. de Castro,
  • C. Sanin,
  • A. Levula
  • + 1 authors
2022

Cross-Cultural Interactions between Expatriates and Local Managers in the Light of Positive Organizational Behaviour

  • S. Przytuła,
  • M. Rozkwitalska,
  • M. Chmielecki
  • + 2 authors
2014

Knowledge Sharing and Organizational Culture Dimensions: Does Job Satisfaction Matter?

2019

Tacit knowledge acquisition & sharing, and its influence on innovations: A Polish/US cross-country study

2023
Meta Tags