TY - JOUR
T1 - Improving subsidiaries' innovation through knowledge inflows from headquarters and peer subsidiaries
AU - Crespo, Cátia Fernandes
AU - Lages, Luis Filipe
AU - Crespo, Nuno Fernandes
N1 - Funding text#
FCT-Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia#
UIDB/SOC/04521/2020#
UIDB/04928/2020#
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - This study develops a conceptual model that compares the intensity of the impact of knowledge inflows from peer subsidiaries and from the headquarters in the promotion of a focal subsidiary's innovation activities, moderated by socialization mechanisms and national cultural distance. The authors test hypotheses with a dataset comprised of survey data from 202 multinational corporations (MNC) Portuguese subsidiaries. The results indicate that although knowledge inflows from both the headquarters and peer subsidiaries promote the focal subsidiary's innovations capabilities, headquarters' knowledge transfer is a superior and more efficient source of knowledge in the promotion of a subsidiary's new product development. Moreover, socialization mechanisms, both lateral and vertical integrating mechanisms, act as critical instruments that facilitate the incorporation of the incoming knowledge flows into innovation. This study extends the literature on knowledge transfer in MNCs by exploring how two sources of knowledge transfer, the headquarters and peer subsidiaries, influence a focal subsidiary's new product development, investigating socialization mechanisms and national cultural distance moderating effects.
AB - This study develops a conceptual model that compares the intensity of the impact of knowledge inflows from peer subsidiaries and from the headquarters in the promotion of a focal subsidiary's innovation activities, moderated by socialization mechanisms and national cultural distance. The authors test hypotheses with a dataset comprised of survey data from 202 multinational corporations (MNC) Portuguese subsidiaries. The results indicate that although knowledge inflows from both the headquarters and peer subsidiaries promote the focal subsidiary's innovations capabilities, headquarters' knowledge transfer is a superior and more efficient source of knowledge in the promotion of a subsidiary's new product development. Moreover, socialization mechanisms, both lateral and vertical integrating mechanisms, act as critical instruments that facilitate the incorporation of the incoming knowledge flows into innovation. This study extends the literature on knowledge transfer in MNCs by exploring how two sources of knowledge transfer, the headquarters and peer subsidiaries, influence a focal subsidiary's new product development, investigating socialization mechanisms and national cultural distance moderating effects.
KW - Headquarters
KW - Innovation
KW - Knowledge inflows
KW - MNC
KW - New product development
KW - Subsidiaries
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85094585281&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.intman.2020.100803
DO - 10.1016/j.intman.2020.100803
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85094585281
SN - 1075-4253
VL - 26
JO - Journal of International Management
JF - Journal of International Management
IS - 4
M1 - 100803
ER -