IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/teinso/v47y2016icp31-39.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Technology transfer, outsourcing, capability and performance: A comparison of foreign and local firms in Ghana

Author

Listed:
  • Appiah-Adu, Kwaku
  • Okpattah, Bernard K.
  • Djokoto, Justice G.

Abstract

Owing to intense competition in today's business environment, organisations that aspire to excel in their respective sectors need to develop the appropriate capabilities in order to gain and sustain a competitive edge. Outsourcing and technology transfer provide firms with the platform for developing capability to achieve superior performance in the marketplace. However, in the setting of a developing economy, the relative effects of outsourcing and technology transfer on corporate performance among foreign and local companies when investigated together in an amalgamated model is yet to be examined empirically. To obtain a deeper understanding, two pathways through which outsourcing and technology transfer enhance corporate performance of companies in Ghana are presented. Results of this research indicate differences in the extent to which outsourcing and technology transfer influence capability and subsequently affect corporate performance. Limitations of this study as well as implications of the findings for managers and researchers are ultimately highlighted.

Suggested Citation

  • Appiah-Adu, Kwaku & Okpattah, Bernard K. & Djokoto, Justice G., 2016. "Technology transfer, outsourcing, capability and performance: A comparison of foreign and local firms in Ghana," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 31-39.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:47:y:2016:i:c:p:31-39
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2016.07.002
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X16300835
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techsoc.2016.07.002?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. McIvor, Ronan, 2008. "What is the right outsourcing strategy for your process," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 24-34, February.
    2. Sourafel Girma & Holger Görg, 2004. "Outsourcing, Foreign Ownership, and Productivity: Evidence from UK Establishment‐level Data," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(5), pages 817-832, November.
    3. repec:hrv:faseco:4784031 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Pol Antràs & Luis Garicano & Esteban Rossi-Hansberg, 2006. "Offshoring in a Knowledge Economy," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 121(1), pages 31-77.
    5. Ann Bartel & Saul Lach & Nachum Sicherman, 2005. "Outsourcing and Technological Change," NBER Working Papers 11158, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Inge Ivarsson & Claes Goran Alvstam, 2004. "International technology transfer through local business linkages: the case of Volvo Trucks and their domestic suppliers in India," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(2), pages 241-260.
    7. Carmen Díaz Mora, "undated". "DETERMINANTS OF OUTSOURCING PRODUCTION: A Dynamic Panel Data Approach for Manufacturing Industries," Working Papers on International Economics and Finance 05-07, FEDEA.
    8. Abraham, Katharine G & Taylor, Susan K, 1996. "Firms' Use of Outside Contractors: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(3), pages 394-424, July.
    9. Birger Wernerfelt, 1995. "The resource‐based view of the firm: Ten years after," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(3), pages 171-174.
    10. Gene M. Grossman & Elhanan Helpman, 2002. "Integration versus Outsourcing in Industry Equilibrium," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(1), pages 85-120.
    11. Bozeman, Barry, 2000. "Technology transfer and public policy: a review of research and theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(4-5), pages 627-655, April.
    12. Kathleen R. Conner & C. K. Prahalad, 1996. "A Resource-Based Theory of the Firm: Knowledge Versus Opportunism," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(5), pages 477-501, October.
    13. Masaaki Kotabe & Glenn S Omura, 1989. "Sourcing Strategies of European and Japanese Multinationals: A Comparison," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 20(1), pages 113-130, March.
    14. Ilan Oshri & Julia Kotlarsky & Leslie P. Willcocks, 2015. "The Handbook of Global Outsourcing and Offshoring," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, edition 3, number 978-1-137-43744-0.
    15. Sendil K. Ethiraj & Prashant Kale & M. S. Krishnan & Jitendra V. Singh, 2005. "Where do capabilities come from and how do they matter? A study in the software services industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 25-45, January.
    16. Mansfield, Edwin, 1975. "International Technology Transfer: Forms, Resource Requirements, and Policies," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 65(2), pages 372-376, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Poudeh, Hossein Dehghani & Cheshmberah, Mohsen & Torabi, Hassan & Karimi Gavareshki, Mohammad Hossein & Hosnavi, Reza, 2019. "Determining and prioritizing the factors influencing the outsourcing of Complex Product Systems R&D projects employing ANP and grey-DEMATEL method (case study: Aviation Industries Organization, Iran)," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 57-68.
    2. Tiyas Kurnia Sari & Fitra Roman Cahaya & Corina Joseph, 2021. "Coercive Pressures and Anti-corruption Reporting: The Case of ASEAN Countries," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(3), pages 495-511, July.
    3. Kim, Jong-Seok & Kim, Byung-Keun, 2022. "Examining different technology transfer capabilities and their counterpart works from two different positions," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    4. Chege, Samwel Macharia & Wang, Daoping & Suntu, Shaldon Leparan & Bishoge, Obadia Kyetuza, 2019. "Influence of technology transfer on performance and sustainability of standard gauge railway in developing countries," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 79-92.
    5. Sonmezturk Bolatan, Gulin Idil & Giadedi, Abdulhakim & Daim, Tugrul, 2022. "Innovation leadership through technology transfer: Case of Turkish industry," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    6. Philip Awino & James M. Kilika & Stephen M.A Muathe, 2022. "Organization health conceptualized as an emergent capability in a public sector reform program:Empirical and practical implications," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 11(2), pages 16-28, March.
    7. Yeo Amy Chu May & Lai Marcus Ee Ken, 2020. "The Influence of B2B Relationship Quality on Opportunism and Firm Performance," HOLISTICA – Journal of Business and Public Administration, Sciendo, vol. 11(3), pages 59-87, December.
    8. Joao J. M. Ferreira & Cristina Fernandes & Vanessa Ratten, 2019. "The effects of technology transfers and institutional factors on economic growth: evidence from Europe and Oceania," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(5), pages 1505-1528, October.
    9. Hossain, Mokter & Simula, Henri, 2017. "Recycling the unused ideas and technologies of a large corporation into new business by start-ups," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 11-18.
    10. Osabutey, Ellis L.C. & Papanastassiou, Marina & Jin, Zhongqi & Navare, Jyoti & Agyapong, Ahmed, 2023. "Revisiting FSAs and CSAs in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Ghanaian Firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4).
    11. Lugasi, Solomon Omwoma & Odhiambo, Mercy Auma, 2022. "Implementation of Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs) in Kenya: Challenges and opportunities," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    12. Song, Sangyoung & Lee, Jongkuk, 2023. "Licensing early-versus late-stage technologies: The licensee perspective," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Roberto Antonietti & Giulio Cainelli, 2008. "Production Outsourcing, Organizational Governance and Firm’s Technological Performance: Evidence from Italy," The IUP Journal of Managerial Economics, IUP Publications, vol. 0(1), pages 51-69, February.
    2. Dermot Leahy & Catia Montagna, 2006. "'Make-or-Buy' in International Oligopoly and the Role of Competitive Pressure," Dundee Discussion Papers in Economics 197, Economic Studies, University of Dundee.
    3. Elhanan Helpman, 2006. "Trade, FDI, and the Organization of Firms," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 44(3), pages 589-630, September.
    4. Bartel, Ann & Lach, Saul & Sicherman, Nachum, 2008. "Outsourcing and Technological Innovations: A Firm-Level Analysis," CEPR Discussion Papers 6731, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Dermot Leahy & Catia Montagna, 2011. "Economising, Strategising and the Decision to Outsource," Discussion Papers 11/17, University of Nottingham, GEP.
    6. Catherine J. Morrison Paul & Mahmut Yasar, 2009. "Outsourcing, productivity, and input composition at the plant level," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 42(2), pages 422-439, May.
    7. Antonietti, Roberto & Cainelli, Giulio, 2007. "Spatial Agglomeration, Technology and Outsourcing of Knowledge Intensive Business Services. Empirical Insights from Italy," Knowledge, Technology, Human Capital Working Papers 8221, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    8. Dermot Leahy & Catia Montagna, 2008. "Outsourcing Versus Fdi In Oligopoly Equilibrium," Dundee Discussion Papers in Economics 215, Economic Studies, University of Dundee.
    9. C. D Mora & A. Triguero-Cano, 2012. "Why do some firms contract out production? Evidence from firm-level panel data," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(13), pages 1631-1644, May.
    10. Charlie Karlsson & Gunther Maier & Michaela Trippl & Iulia Siedschlag & Gavin Murphy, 2010. "ICT and Regional Economic Dynamics: A Literature Review," JRC Research Reports JRC59920, Joint Research Centre.
    11. Holger Görg & Aoife Hanley, 2004. "Does Outsourcing Increase Profitability?," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 35(3), pages 267-288.
    12. R. Antonietti & D. Antonioli, 2007. "Conditional Leptokurtosis in Energy Prices: Multivariate Evidence from Futures Markets," Working Papers 594, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    13. Chen, Guo & Liu, Yishuang & Gao, Qizheng & Zhang, Jianqing, 2023. "Does regional services development enhance manufacturing firm productivity? A manufacturing servitization perspective," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 451-466.
    14. Jos頃. Fari & Alberto L󰥺 & Ana Mart󻑍arcos, 2014. "Assessing the impact of domestic outsourcing and offshoring on productivity at the firm level," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(15), pages 1814-1828, May.
    15. Sasan Bakhtiari, 2015. "Productivity, outsourcing and exit: the case of Australian manufacturing," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 425-447, February.
    16. Amelia U. Santos-Paulino & Mariagrazia Squicciarini & Peilei Fan, 2008. "R&D (Re)location: A Bird's Eye (Re)view," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2008-100, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    17. Angela Triguero, & Carmen Díaz Mora, "undated". "Why do some firms contract out production?," Studies on the Spanish Economy 232, FEDEA.
    18. Ohnemus, Jörg, 2007. "Does IT Outsourcing Increase Firm Success? An Empirical Assessment using Firm-Level Data," ZEW Discussion Papers 07-087, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    19. Holl, Adelheid, 2008. "Production subcontracting and location," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 299-309, May.
    20. Gene M. Grossman & Esteban Rossi-Hansberg, 2008. "Trading Tasks: A Simple Theory of Offshoring," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(5), pages 1978-1997, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:47:y:2016:i:c:p:31-39. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/technology-in-society .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.