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Subsidiary absorptive capacity and knowledge transfer within multinational corporations

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Abstract

The paper reviews extant literature on subsidiary absorptive capacity and knowledge transfer within multinational corporations (MNCs), and proposes an agenda for future research on the relationship between these two constructs. It suggests that motivation should be viewed as a moderating factor between subsidiary absorptive capacity and MNC knowledge transfer, and that future research should make a clear distinction between the choices of MNC headquarters and those of subsidiaries regarding knowledge transfer. The paper proposes that a more comprehensive, multi-level framework and dynamic model of the determinants of subsidiary absorptive capacity and MNC knowledge transfer be developed in future studies.

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Acknowledgements

I appreciate research assistance from Sangji Kim, Yeonjin Park, Chuyue Jin, and Jiwon Kylie Hwang. This article has been supported by the Institute of Management Research at Seoul National University.

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  1. Graduate School of Business, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

    Jaeyong Song

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  1. Jaeyong Song
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Correspondence to Jaeyong Song.

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Accepted by John Cantwell, Editor-in-Chief, 25 August 2013. This paper was single-blind reviewed.

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Song, J. Subsidiary absorptive capacity and knowledge transfer within multinational corporations. J Int Bus Stud 45, 73–84 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2013.55

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