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Knowledge sourcing from advanced markets subsidiaries: political embeddedness and reverse knowledge transfer barriers in emerging-market multinationals

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  • Francesco Ciabuschi
  • Lingshuang Kong
  • Cong Su

Abstract

This article focuses on emerging-market multinationals and their intent to source knowledge from advanced countries. A single in-depth case study of a Chinese state-owned multinational is used to shed light on the relationship between political embeddedness and the potential to reverse knowledge transfer from advanced market subsidiaries. Specifically, we argue that a strong home-country political embeddedness enhances specific organizational barriers to reverse knowledge transfer, which undermines the strategic intent of knowledge-seeking internationalization, common to much Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by emerging-market multinationals in recent years. This article contributes to research on knowledge sourcing within the context of south-north FDI by highlighting specific effects of political embeddedness at organizational level, which are critical for the possibilities to reverse knowledge transfer; our study is also relevant to international business, as new empirical insights related to the international organization and management of state-owned multinationals are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Ciabuschi & Lingshuang Kong & Cong Su, 2017. "Knowledge sourcing from advanced markets subsidiaries: political embeddedness and reverse knowledge transfer barriers in emerging-market multinationals," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 26(2), pages 311-332.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:indcch:v:26:y:2017:i:2:p:311-332.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/icc/dtx001
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Su, Cong & Kong, Lingshuang & Ciabuschi, Francesco & Holm, Ulf, 2020. "Demand and willingness for knowledge transfer in springboard subsidiaries of Chinese multinationals," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 297-309.
    2. Mico Apostolov, 2017. "The impact of FDI on the performance and entrepreneurship of domestic firms," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 390-415, December.
    3. Gölgeci, Ismail & Ferraris, Alberto & Arslan, Ahmad & Tarba, Shlomo Y., 2019. "European MNE subsidiaries' embeddedness and innovation performance: Moderating role of external search depth and breadth," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 97-108.
    4. Su, Cong & Kong, Lingshuang & Ciabuschi, Francesco & Yan, Haifeng, 2021. "Reverse innovation transfer in Chinese MNCs: The role of political ties and headquarters," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    5. Su, Cong & Kong, Lingshuang & Ciabuschi, Francesco, 2022. "Innovativeness and the relevance of political ties in Chinese MNEs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 494-508.
    6. Lô, Amadou & Geiger, Martha, 2022. "Managing internal embeddedness in multinational corporations’ R&D subsidiaries: An evolutionary perspective on the automotive industry in Silicon Valley," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    7. Kong, Lingshuang & Ciabuschi, Francesco & Martín Martín, Oscar, 2018. "Expatriate managers' relationships and reverse knowledge transfer within emerging market MNCs: The mediating role of subsidiary willingness," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 216-229.
    8. Su, Cong & Ciabuschi, Francesco & Kong, Lingshuang, 2023. "Headquarters parenting advantage in Chinese MNEs: The moderating role of top managers’ political and International experience," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(2).
    9. Liu, Min & Su, Cong & Wang, Fangfang & Huang, Liangxiong, 2020. "Chinese cross-border M&As in the “One Belt One Road” countries: The impact of Confucius Institutes," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • M16 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - International Business Administration
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • L6 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing

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