IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/worbus/v49y2014i4p560-571.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The potential for technology and knowledge transfers between foreign and local firms: A study of the construction industry in Ghana

Author

Listed:
  • Osabutey, Ellis L.C.
  • Williams, Karen
  • Debrah, Yaw A.

Abstract

Multinational corporations (MNCs) and other foreign firms can be conduits for technology and knowledge (T&K) transfer to host countries in the developing world. Most of the existing research focuses on T&K transfers through FDI and are drawn from Asia not Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), although SSA is increasingly receiving foreign investment. There is a paucity of research that gives insights into project-level T&K transfer issues in SSA countries. Using the Ghanaian construction industry as an empirical focus, this article explores T&K transfer potential. The findings reveal significant weaknesses in T&K transfer across industry subsectors and between foreign and local firms. This arises from the potentially complementary but dissimilar resource and knowledge bases. The weaknesses are compounded by the absence of coherent government T&K development policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Osabutey, Ellis L.C. & Williams, Karen & Debrah, Yaw A., 2014. "The potential for technology and knowledge transfers between foreign and local firms: A study of the construction industry in Ghana," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 560-571.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:49:y:2014:i:4:p:560-571
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jwb.2013.12.009
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090951613000977
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jwb.2013.12.009?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. Howard Pack & Kamal Saggi, 1997. "Inflows of Foreign Technology and Indigenous Technological Development," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 1(1), pages 81-98, February.
    2. Brian J. Aitken & Ann E. Harrison, 2022. "Do Domestic Firms Benefit from Direct Foreign Investment? Evidence from Venezuela," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization, Firms, and Workers, chapter 6, pages 139-152, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    3. Robert Grosse, 1996. "International Technology Transfer in Services," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 27(4), pages 781-800, December.
    4. Gerald A McDermott & Rafael A Corredoira, 2010. "Network composition, collaborative ties, and upgrading in emerging-market firms: Lessons from the Argentine autoparts sector," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(2), pages 308-329, February.
    5. Ronald Findlay, 1978. "Relative Backwardness, Direct Foreign Investment, and the Transfer of Technology: A Simple Dynamic Model," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 92(1), pages 1-16.
    6. Manley, Karen, 2008. "Against the odds: Small firms in Australia successfully introducing new technology on construction projects," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(10), pages 1751-1764, December.
    7. Patricia Carrillo & Herbert Robinson & Chimay Anumba & Nasreddine Bouchlaghem, 2006. "A Knowledge Transfer Framework: the PFI context," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(10), pages 1045-1056.
    8. Cepeda, Gabriel & Vera, Dusya, 2007. "Dynamic capabilities and operational capabilities: A knowledge management perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(5), pages 426-437, May.
    9. Minbaeva, Dana B., 2008. "HRM practices affecting extrinsic and intrinsic motivation of knowledge receivers and their effect on intra-MNC knowledge transfer," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 703-713, December.
    10. Yves Doz, 2011. "Qualitative research for international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(5), pages 582-590, June.
    11. Francesca Sanna-Randaccio & Reinhilde Veugelers, 2007. "Multinational knowledge spillovers with decentralised R&D: a game-theoretic approach," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(1), pages 47-63, January.
    12. Lorraine Eden, 2009. "Letter from the Editor-in-Chief: FDI spillovers and linkages," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(7), pages 1065-1069, September.
    13. Fu, Xiaolan & Pietrobelli, Carlo & Soete, Luc, 2011. "The Role of Foreign Technology and Indigenous Innovation in the Emerging Economies: Technological Change and Catching-up," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 1204-1212, July.
    14. George Ofori, 2000. "Globalization and construction industry development: research opportunities," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 257-262.
    15. David J. Teece, 2007. "Explicating dynamic capabilities: the nature and microfoundations of (sustainable) enterprise performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(13), pages 1319-1350, December.
    16. Anna Dubois & Lars-Erik Gadde, 2002. "The construction industry as a loosely coupled system: implications for productivity and innovation," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(7), pages 621-631.
    17. George Ofori & Chan Swee Lean, 2001. "Factors influencing development of construction enterprises in Singapore," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 145-154.
    18. Bakuli, D. Luvisia, 1994. "Pitfalls in technology transfer: Kenya's construction industry," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 22(10), pages 1609-1612, October.
    19. Julian Birkinshaw & Mary Yoko Brannen & Rosalie L Tung, 2011. "From a distance and generalizable to up close and grounded: Reclaiming a place for qualitative methods in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(5), pages 573-581, June.
    20. George Ofori, 2003. "Frameworks for analysing international construction," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(4), pages 379-391.
    21. Corkin, Lucy, 2012. "Chinese construction companies in Angola: A local linkages perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 475-483.
    22. Harrison, Ann & Haddad, Mona, 1993. "Are there dynamic externalities from direct foreign investment? Evidence for Morocco," MPRA Paper 36279, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    23. Lee, Sang-Gun & Trimi, Silvana & Kim, Changsoo, 2013. "The impact of cultural differences on technology adoption," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 20-29.
    24. Kwabena Asomanin Anaman & Charity Osei-Amponsah, 2007. "Analysis of the causality links between the growth of the construction industry and the growth of the macro-economy in Ghana," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(9), pages 951-961.
    25. Jaejoon Woo, 2009. "Productivity Growth And Technological Diffusion Through Foreign Direct Investment," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 47(2), pages 226-248, April.
    26. Sourafel Girma, 2005. "Absorptive Capacity and Productivity Spillovers from FDI: A Threshold Regression Analysis," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 67(3), pages 281-306, June.
    27. Steers, Richard M. & Meyer, Alan D. & Sanchez-Runde, Carlos J., 2008. "National culture and the adoption of new technologies," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 43(3), pages 255-260, July.
    28. Florence Yean Yng Ling & C. William Ibbs & Javier Cuervo, 2005. "Entry and business strategies used by international architectural, engineering and construction firms in China," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(5), pages 509-520.
    29. D Minbaeva & T Pedersen & I Björkman & C F Fey & H J Park, 2003. "MNC knowledge transfer, subsidiary absorptive capacity, and HRM," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(6), pages 586-599, November.
    30. Sivaguru Ganesan & John Kelsey, 2006. "Technology transfer: international collaboration in Sri Lanka," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(7), pages 743-753.
    31. Alex Eapen, 2012. "Social structure and technology spillovers from foreign to domestic firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(3), pages 244-263, April.
    32. Haddad, Mona & Harrison, Ann, 1993. "Are there positive spillovers from direct foreign investment? : Evidence from panel data for Morocco," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 51-74, October.
    33. John Raftery & Bernie Pasadilla & Y. H. Chiang & Eddie Hui & Bo-Sin Tang, 1998. "Globalization and construction industry development: implications of recent developments in the construction sector in Asia," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(6), pages 729-737.
    34. Garrick Blalock & Daniel H Simon, 2009. "Do all firms benefit equally from downstream FDI? The moderating effect of local suppliers’ capabilities on productivity gains," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(7), pages 1095-1112, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Osabutey, Ellis L.C. & Jin, Zhongqi, 2016. "Factors influencing technology and knowledge transfer: Configurational recipes for Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 5390-5395.
    2. Eapen, Alex & Yeo, Jihye & Sasidharan, Subash, 2019. "Finance constraints and technology spillovers from foreign to domestic firms," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 50-62.
    3. Neil Foster-McGregor, 2012. "Innovation and Technology Transfer across Countries," wiiw Research Reports 380, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    4. Benzaim, Samia & Ftiti, Zied & Khedhaouria, Anis & Djermane, Rebai, 2023. "US foreign investments: Technology transfer, relative backwardness, and the productivity growth of host countries," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 275-295.
    5. Yoshimichi Murakami & Keijiro Otsuka, 2017. "A Review of the Literature on Productivity Impacts of Global Value Chains and Foreign Direct Investment: Towards an Integrated Approach," Discussion Paper Series DP2017-19, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University, revised Aug 2019.
    6. Klaus E Meyer & Evis Sinani, 2009. "When and where does foreign direct investment generate positive spillovers? A meta-analysis," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(7), pages 1075-1094, September.
    7. Hamida, Lamia Ben, 2013. "Are there regional spillovers from FDI in the Swiss manufacturing industry?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 754-769.
    8. Ben Hamida, Lamia & Gugler, Philippe, 2009. "Are there demonstration-related spillovers from FDI?: Evidence from Switzerland," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 494-508, October.
    9. Renfei Gao & André Sammartino, 2024. "How does inward foreign direct investment shape emerging market firm invention patenting tendency? Evidence from China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 407-436, March.
    10. Heim, Irina & Kalyuzhnova, Yelena & Ghobadian, Abby, 2023. "Win-win strategies for firms operating in resource-abundant countries: Technological spillovers and a collaborative diversification policy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    11. Greenaway, David & Görg, Holger, 2002. "Much Ado About Nothing? Do Domestic Firms Really Benefit from Foreign Investment?," CEPR Discussion Papers 3485, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    12. Scaringella, Laurent & Burtschell, François, 2017. "The challenges of radical innovation in Iran: Knowledge transfer and absorptive capacity highlights — Evidence from a joint venture in the construction sector," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 151-169.
    13. Smruti Ranjan Behera, 2015. "Do Domestic Firms Really Benefit From Foreign Direct Investment? The Role Of Horizontal And Vertical Spillovers And Absorptive Capacity," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 40(2), pages 57-86, June.
    14. Michailova, Snejina & Mustaffa, Zaidah, 2012. "Subsidiary knowledge flows in multinational corporations: Research accomplishments, gaps, and opportunities," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 383-396.
    15. Rajneesh Narula & André Pineli, 2017. "Multinational Enterprises and Economic Development in Host Countries: What We Know and What We Don’t Know," Palgrave Studies in Impact Finance, in: Gianluigi Giorgioni (ed.), Development Finance, chapter 6, pages 147-188, Palgrave Macmillan.
    16. Elif Bascavusoglu-Moreau & Qian Cher Li, 2013. "Knowledge Spillovers & Sources of Knowledge in the Manufacturing Sector: Literature Review & Empirical Evidence for the UK," Working Papers wp451, Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge.
    17. Sheng Fang & Dean Xu & Lixin Colin Xu & Heba Shams, 2023. "Does FDI have a social demonstration effect in developing economies? Evidence based on the presence of women-led local firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(7), pages 1332-1350, September.
    18. Marshall S. Jiang & Jie Jiao & Zhouyu Lin & Jun Xia, 2021. "Learning through observation or through acquisition? Innovation performance as an outcome of internal and external knowledge combination," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 35-63, March.
    19. Haiwei Jiang & Yousha Liang & Shiyuan Pan, 2022. "Foreign direct investment and regional innovation: Evidence from China," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(6), pages 1876-1909, June.
    20. Chen, Yongmin & Jiang, Haiwei & Liang, Yousha & Pan, Shiyuan, 2022. "The impact of foreign direct investment on innovation: Evidence from patent filings and citations in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 917-945.

    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:worbus:v:49:y:2014:i:4:p:560-571. 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: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/620401/description#description .

    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.