scholarly journals Knowledge Management Constraints and Operations of Multinational Companies in Developing Countries

Author(s):  
Okafor Nwora Uzoaku
2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 905-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Jiménez-Jiménez ◽  
Micaela Martínez-Costa ◽  
Raquel Sanz-Valle

Purpose – This paper aims to assess the importance of different knowledge management practices to promote organizational innovation in multinational companies. The links among internationalization, reverse knowledge transfer and social capital and organizational innovation are analyzed. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modeling was used to check the research hypotheses with a sample of 104 multinational companies. Findings – The results show that internalization has no direct effect on organizational innovation but a indirect effect trhrough the transfer of knowledge from external subsidiaries to the headquarter. Furthermore, this knowledge and other that comes from internal and external social capital is essential for the development of innovations. Research limitations/implications – Self-reporting by the CEOs may be the most significant limitation, as a single key informant provided the data; multiple informants would enhance the validity of the research findings. A second limitation is the cross-sectional design of the research that does not allow observation of the short- and long-term impact of the relationships among the variables. Practical implications – Organizational innovation is not an easy task. However, those multinational companies which foster knowledge management practices that generate new knowledge from external subsidiaries, internal or external social relationships, will facilitate the generation of innovations. In consequence, these companies should foster the generation of knowledge from different sources. Originality/value – The focus of the study in this paper is on multinational companies and the possibility to acquire knowledge from different sources (inside organization, external local environment and international context). Specially, focus on the transfer of knowledge from subsidiaries to headquarters (reverse knowledge transfer), as it is insufficiently investigated by current literature.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dasun Bhagya Sapuarachchi

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore a phenomenon in knowledge management that has been given scant attention: the influence of cultural distance on inter-organizational knowledge transfer in the context of multinational companies involving headquarters in the USA and a subsidiary in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach Designed as a qualitative exploratory study, data was collected through in-depth interviews of 15 participants and documents review. Findings The findings of this study implied that the theoretically introduced cultural dimensions shall be relevant to analyze the phenomenon of this study. Consequently, through the findings of this study, it is argued that inter-organizational knowledge transfer in multinational companies is influenced by cultural distance. Research limitations/implications This study theoretically and empirically contributes to the debates on knowledge transfer in knowledge management research in general and, inter-organizational knowledge transfer in multinational companies between headquarters and subsidiaries with respect to the influence of cultural distance in particular, through the light of Trompenaars’ (1993) cultural dimensions theory. Practical implications The findings of this study could motivate the practitioners to take into account: the influence of cultural distance on inter-organizational knowledge transfer, if inter-organizational knowledge transfer happens in similar contexts: multinational companies with a headquarters in the USA (a western context) and a subsidiary in Sri Lanka (a non-western context) in the practical business world. Originality/value This study provides theoretical and empirical insights into the influence of cultural distance on inter-organizational knowledge transfer in multinational companies between headquarters and subsidiaries in the selected context while suggesting various avenues for further research toward the influence of cultural distance on such phenomenon in similar/dissimilar contexts.


Author(s):  
Qamar Ali ◽  
Sami Ullah Bajwa ◽  
Khaliq Ur Rehman

Although, knowledge has been recognized as a key business asset, firms are still in the infancy stages of comprehending the practical implications of knowledge management. Developing countries are widely believed to be falling far behind in competitiveness and socio-economic development, due to their inability to develop capacities to enable themselves to take part in the emerging global networks of knowledge creation. There is a dire need for a more organized and purposeful study, on critical success factors for knowledge management adoption in developing countries like Pakistan. However, no research, so far, has been conducted to empirically investigate a detailed list of CSFs for KM adoption in Pakistan. This paper evaluates and disseminates the findings of a self-administered survey to investigate the critical success factors for the implementation of KM in banking sector of Pakistan. A survey questionnaire having 11 factors, consisting 66 items is adopted in this study, which is statistically tested for its validity as well as reliability. Data are collected from banking officials. The level of importance, as well as the ranking list of the critical success factors for KM adoption is statistically examined. This paper provides a priority list of CSFs—figured out in order of their importance—for KM adoption in the banking sector of Pakistan. Human resource management, motivational aids, and processes and activities are found to be the most important, while measurement and organizational infrastructure are found to be the least important factors, perceived by the bankers.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yelin Hu ◽  
Qiwang Zhang ◽  
Zhen Yang ◽  
Sujian Huang

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between effective knowledge management and corporate performance, to explore the dynamic symbiosis phenomenon of effective knowledge management based on organizational ecology with multinational companies (MNCs) and non-multinational companies (non-MNCs) and to explore the symbiosis strategy of knowledge management between multinational and non-multinational companies (non-MNCs) in China. Design/methodology/approach To measure effective knowledge management, this paper first uses structural equation model to measure knowledge management, based on the evolution dynamics equation in organizational ecology to measure the effectiveness of knowledge management, and studies the symbiosis of effective knowledge management between MNCs and non-MNCs based on ecological perspective. Findings Effective knowledge management can promote the financial performance of enterprises, but different degrees of effectiveness have different effects. In addition, the coupling and collaboration between knowledge management and corporate performance can reflect the value of effective knowledge management. The results show that effective knowledge management plays a positive moderating effect between knowledge management and corporate performance. Finally, the effective knowledge management system of MNCs (non-MNCs) has negative effect on non-MNCs (MNCs), showing the exclusive relationship between MNCs and non-MNCs in China. Research limitations/implications The effectiveness of knowledge management is only based on the measurement of financial performance coupling. For other types of performance, it needs to be tested. The samples may not cover symbiosis relationship of effective knowledge management in other countries. Practical implications This paper provides practical and theoretical reference for confirming the symbiotic interaction and identifying the opportunities and challenges of knowledge management among different types of corporation groups. Originality/value The paper is one of the pioneering studies to explore the pattern of symbiotic evolution of effective knowledge management between MNCs and non-MNCs. From completely new perspectives, this study advances the research of knowledge management to a new and promising area.


Author(s):  
Kgomotso H. Moahi ◽  
Kelvin J. Bwalya

Knowledge sharing has always been used as a platform for cross-pollination of ideas and innovations in a bid to improve and enhance performance thereby increasing competitiveness and responsiveness both in organizations and individual levels. Healthcare systems are not an exception. However, for knowledge sharing to take place there is need for certain factors to be noted and addressed such as the individual, organizational and technological. Further, knowledge sharing goes hand in hand with knowledge management and must become part of the strategic fabric of organizations. This chapter focuses on knowledge sharing by health professionals in healthcare and medicine in developing countries. The chapter covers knowledge management and its link with knowledge sharing; the various methods of knowledge sharing in healthcare; factors that make knowledge sharing an important strategic move for healthcare organizations; and factors and issues that affect or determine knowledge sharing behavior. Finally, a literature search for examples of knowledge sharing in developing or low and middle-income countries was conducted and the results are presented. The chapter shows that developing countries have recognized the value of knowledge sharing in healthcare systems and there are tangible signs that this is going to shape cross-pollination of ideas and innovations in the health systems in the foreseeable future.


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