IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/asiapa/v23y2006i1p71-92.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Bridging the distance: Managing cross-border knowledge holders

Author

Listed:
  • Shenxue Li
  • Hugh Scullion

Abstract

This article examines the micro-level operational difficulties for multinational corporations (MNCs) to generate value from its highly geographically dispersed cross-border knowledge and studies the strategies for overcoming them. Using China as the research context, we identify key geographical, institutional and cultural features of cross-border knowledge holders and examine the dimensions of distance that separates them. We then link these dimensions to the conditions that facilitate cross-border knowledge building processes. In doing so, we propose a conceptual model for overcoming these context-specific knowledge management barriers. Copyright Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. 2006

Suggested Citation

  • Shenxue Li & Hugh Scullion, 2006. "Bridging the distance: Managing cross-border knowledge holders," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 71-92, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:asiapa:v:23:y:2006:i:1:p:71-92
    DOI: 10.1007/s10490-006-6116-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10490-006-6116-x
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10490-006-6116-x?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. Bruce Kogut & Harbir Singh, 1988. "The Effect of National Culture on the Choice of Entry Mode," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 19(3), pages 411-432, September.
    2. Salvador T. Porras & Stewart Clegg & John Crawford, 2004. "Trust as Networking Knowledge: Precedents from Australia," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 345-363, September.
    3. Paul Almeida & Jaeyong Song & Robert M. Grant, 2002. "Are Firms Superior to Alliances and Markets? An Empirical Test of Cross-Border Knowledge Building," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(2), pages 147-161, April.
    4. Inkpen, Andrew, 1998. "Learning, knowledge acquisition, and strategic alliances," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 223-229, April.
    5. Shige Makino & Andrew Delios, 1996. "Local Knowledge Transfer and Performance: Implications for Alliance Formation in Asia," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 27(4), pages 905-927, December.
    6. Jeffrey Cummings, 2003. "Knowledge Sharing : A Review of the Literature," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 19060.
    7. Wong, Yim Yu & Maher, Thomas E., 1997. "New key success factors for China's growing market," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 43-52.
    8. David A Ralston & Carolyn P Egri & Sally Stewart & Robert H Terpstra & Yu Kaicheng, 1999. "Doing Business in the 21st Century with the New Generation of Chinese Managers: A Study of Generational Shifts in Work Values in China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(2), pages 415-427, June.
    9. Robert Jensen & Gabriel Szulanski, 2004. "Stickiness and the adaptation of organizational practices in cross-border knowledge transfers," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(6), pages 508-523, November.
    10. Harvey, Michael G. & Speier, Cheri & Novicevic, Milorad M., 1999. "The impact of emerging markets on staffing the global organization:: A knowledge-based view," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 5(3), pages 167-186.
    11. Andrew H. Van de Ven, 2004. "The Context-Specific Nature of Competence and Corporate Development," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 21(1_2), pages 123-147, March.
    12. Ram Mudambi & Pietro Navarra, 2004. "Is knowledge power? Knowledge flows, subsidiary power and rent-seeking within MNCs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(5), pages 385-406, September.
    13. Michael D Lord & Annette L Ranft, 2000. "Organizational Learning About New International Markets: Exploring the Internal Transfer of Local Market Knowledge," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 31(4), pages 573-589, December.
    14. Nicholas Athanassiou & Douglas Nigh, 2000. "Internationalization, Tacit Knowledge and the Top Management Teams of MNCs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 31(3), pages 471-487, September.
    15. Gerald E. Fryxell & Robert S. Dooley & Wing-Sun Li, 2004. "The Role of Trustworthiness in Maintaining Employee Commitment During Restructuring in China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 515-533, December.
    16. Xiao-Ping Chen & Chao C. Chen, 2004. "On the Intricacies of the Chinese Guanxi: A Process Model of Guanxi Development," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 305-324, September.
    17. Jean-François Hennart & Jorma Larimo, 1998. "The Impact of Culture on the Strategy of Multinational Enterprises: Does National Origin Affect Ownership Decisions?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 29(3), pages 515-538, September.
    18. Andrew C. Inkpen & Mary M. Crossan, 1995. "Believing Is Seeing: Joint Ventures and Organization Learning," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(5), pages 595-618, September.
    19. Yadong Luo & Mike W Peng, 1999. "Learning to Compete in a Transition Economy: Experience, Environment, and Performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(2), pages 269-295, June.
    20. Gary Hamel, 1991. "Competition for competence and interpartner learning within international strategic alliances," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(S1), pages 83-103, June.
    21. Andrew Delios & Paul W. Beamish, 1999. "Ownership strategy of Japanese firms: transactional, institutional, and experience influences," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(10), pages 915-933, October.
    22. Anil K. Gupta & Vijay Govindarajan, 2000. "Knowledge flows within multinational corporations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 473-496, April.
    23. Dunning, John H., 1994. "Multinational enterprises and the globalization of innovatory capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 67-88, January.
    24. Nicolai Juul Foss & Torben Pedersen, 2004. "Organizing knowledge processes in the multinational corporation: an introduction," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(5), pages 340-349, September.
    25. Bruce Kogut & Udo Zander, 1993. "Knowledge of the Firm and the Evolutionary Theory of the Multinational Corporation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 24(4), pages 625-645, December.
    26. March, James G., 2005. "Parochialism in the Evolution of a Research Community: The Case of Organization Studies," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 5-22, March.
    27. Alfred Wong & Dean Tjosvold & Pengzhu Zhang, 2005. "Supply Chain Relationships for Customer Satisfaction in China: Interdependence and Cooperative Goals," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 179-199, June.
    28. Lilach Nachum & Srilata Zaheer, 2005. "The persistence of distance? The impact of technology on MNE motivations for foreign investment," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(8), pages 747-767, August.
    29. Lee, Jenny S. Y., 1999. "Organizational learning in China," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 37-44.
    30. Mudambi, Ram, 2002. "Knowledge management in multinational firms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9.
    31. John Child & Sek Hong Ng & Christine Wong, 2002. "Psychic Distance and Internationalization: Evidence from Hong Kong Firms," International Studies of Management & Organization, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(1), pages 36-56, January.
    32. Goodall, Keith & Roberts, John, 2003. "Only connect: teamwork in the multinational," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 150-164, May.
    33. J Child & L Chung & H Davies, 2003. "The performance of cross-border units in China: a test of natural selection, strategic choice and contingency theories," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(3), pages 242-254, May.
    34. Anne S. Tsui, 2004. "Contributing to Global Management Knowledge: A Case for High Quality Indigenous Research," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 491-513, December.
    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. Farndale, Elaine & Scullion, Hugh & Sparrow, Paul, 2010. "The role of the corporate HR function in global talent management," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 161-168, April.
    2. Yi-Ju Lo & Tung Hung, 2015. "Structure offshoring and returns on offshoring," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 443-479, June.
    3. Hartmann, Evi & Feisel, Edda & Schober, Holger, 2010. "Talent management of western MNCs in China: Balancing global integration and local responsiveness," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 169-178, April.
    4. Ng, Paul Wai-Kit & Lau, Chung-Ming & Nyaw, Mee-Kau, 2007. "The effect of trust on international joint venture performance in China," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 430-448, December.
    5. Yuping P Zeng & Oded Shenkar & Sangcheol Song & Seung-Hyun Lee, 2013. "FDI Experience Location and Subsidiary Mortality," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 477-509, June.
    6. Cristina Chaminade & Claudia De Fuentes & Gouya Harirchi & Monica Plechero, 2016. "The geography and structure of global innovation networks: global scope and regional embeddedness," Chapters, in: Richard Shearmu & Christophe Carrincazeaux & David Doloreux (ed.), Handbook on the Geographies of Innovation, chapter 22, pages 370-381, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Qian Huang & Robert Davison & Jibao Gu, 2008. "Impact of personal and cultural factors on knowledge sharing in China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 451-471, September.
    8. Latukha, M. & Veselova, A. & Selivanovskikh, L., 2015. "Talent management practices in emerging market firms: Research agenda," Working Papers 6428, Graduate School of Management, St. Petersburg State University.
    9. Li, Shenxue & Scullion, Hugh, 2010. "Developing the local competence of expatriate managers for emerging markets: A knowledge-based approach," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 190-196, April.
    10. Li, Shenxue & Easterby-Smith, Mark & Lyles, Marjorie A., 2008. "Overcoming corporate rigidities in the dynamic Chinese market," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 51(6), pages 501-509.
    11. Kazuhiro Asakawa & Ashok Som, 2008. "Internationalization of R&D in China and India: Conventional wisdom versus reality," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 375-394, September.
    12. Li, Shenxue & Easterby-Smith, Mark & Lyles, Marjorie A. & Clark, Timothy, 2016. "Tapping the power of local knowledge: A local-global interactive perspective," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(4), pages 641-653.
    13. Qin Yang & Crystal Jiang, 2007. "Location advantages and subsidiaries’ R&D activities in emerging economies: Exploring the effect of employee mobility," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 341-358, September.

    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. 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.
    2. Rabbiosi, Larissa & Santangelo, Grazia D., 2013. "Parent company benefits from reverse knowledge transfer: The role of the liability of newness in MNEs," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 160-170.
    3. Pak, Yong Suhk & Ra, Wonchan & Lee, Jong Min, 2015. "An integrated multi-stage model of knowledge management in international joint ventures: Identifying a trigger for knowledge exploration and knowledge harvest," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 180-191.
    4. Li, Shenxue & Easterby-Smith, Mark & Lyles, Marjorie A. & Clark, Timothy, 2016. "Tapping the power of local knowledge: A local-global interactive perspective," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(4), pages 641-653.
    5. Rabbiosi, Larissa, 2011. "Subsidiary roles and reverse knowledge transfer: An investigation of the effects of coordination mechanisms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 97-113, June.
    6. Hitt, Michael A. & Li, Dan & Xu, Kai, 2016. "International strategy: From local to global and beyond," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 58-73.
    7. Klaus E. Meyer & Chengguang Li & Andreas P. J. Schotter, 0. "Managing the MNE subsidiary: Advancing a multi-level and dynamic research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 0, pages 1-39.
    8. Fortwengel, Johann & Gutierrez Huerter O, Gabriela & Kostova, Tatiana, 2023. "Three decades of research on practice transfer in multinational firms: Past contributions and future opportunities," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(3).
    9. Cher-Hung Tseng, 2015. "Determinants of MNC’s Knowledge Inflows to Subsidiaries: A Perspective on Internalization Advantages," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 55(1), pages 119-150, February.
    10. Lee, Jeoung Yul & Park, Young-Ryeol & Ghauri, Pervez N. & Park, Byung Il, 2014. "Innovative Knowledge Transfer Patterns of Group-Affiliated Companies: The effects on the Performance of Foreign Subsidiaries," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 107-123.
    11. Tallman, Stephen & Chacar, Aya S., 2011. "Communities, alliances, networks and knowledge in multinational firms: A micro-analytic framework," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 201-210, September.
    12. Hong, Jacky Fok Loi & Snell, Robin Stanley & Easterby-Smith, Mark, 2009. "Knowledge flow and boundary crossing at the periphery of a MNC," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(6), pages 539-554, December.
    13. Kurokawa, Sam & Iwata, Satoshi & Roberts, Edward B., 2007. "Global R&D activities of Japanese MNCs in the US: A triangulation approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 3-36, February.
    14. Yuzhe Miao & Yuping Zeng & Jeoung Yul Lee, 2016. "Headquarters Resource Allocation for Inter-Subsidiary Innovation Transfer: The Effect of Within-Country and Cross-Country Cultural Differences," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 56(5), pages 665-698, October.
    15. Lunnan, Randi & Meyer, Klaus & Mudambi, Ram & Yang, Qin, 2023. "The impact of knowledge and financial resource flows for MNE strategy: A typology of subsidiary roles," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(6).
    16. Klaus E. Meyer & Saul Estrin & Sumon Kumar Bhaumik & Mike W. Peng, 2009. "Institutions, resources, and entry strategies in emerging economies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 61-80, January.
    17. Thomas Hutzschenreuter & Tanja Matt, 2017. "MNE internationalization patterns, the roles of knowledge stocks, and the portfolio of MNE subsidiaries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(9), pages 1131-1150, December.
    18. Klaus E. Meyer & Chengguang Li & Andreas P. J. Schotter, 2020. "Managing the MNE subsidiary: Advancing a multi-level and dynamic research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(4), pages 538-576, June.
    19. Ambos, Tina C. & Ambos, Björn & Schlegelmilch, Bodo B., 2006. "Learning from foreign subsidiaries: An empirical investigation of headquarters' benefits from reverse knowledge transfers," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 294-312, June.
    20. Li, Shenxue & Scullion, Hugh, 2010. "Developing the local competence of expatriate managers for emerging markets: A knowledge-based approach," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 190-196, April.

    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:kap:asiapa:v:23:y:2006:i:1:p:71-92. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.