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Quo vadis? The entry into new technologies in advanced foreign subsidiaries of the multinational enterprise

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  • Katarina Blomkvist

    (Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Philip Kappen

    (Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Ivo Zander

    (Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden)

Abstract

The international business literature has identified the overall emergence of technologically advanced foreign subsidiaries of the multinational enterprise (MNE), but little is known about the extent to which individual subsidiaries are able to sustain their contribution to the technological and strategic renewal of the multinational group. This paper takes on this neglected question by empirically investigating longitudinal patterns in advanced foreign subsidiaries’ entry into technologies that are new to the entire multinational group. Repeated events analysis that draws upon the complete US patenting by 211 greenfield subsidiaries of 21 Swedish multinationals over the period 1893–2008 reveals accelerated entry into new technologies, but at moderate hazard rates. The results lend support for established theorizing about the evolution of technological capabilities in greenfield subsidiaries, but question extreme views on their growing strategic importance for the MNE. It appears instead that significant additions to the technological and strategic renewal of the multinational group should be discussed in the context of a select number of “superstar” subsidiaries, not necessarily what are believed to be general developments across all subsidiaries of the MNE.

Suggested Citation

  • Katarina Blomkvist & Philip Kappen & Ivo Zander, 2010. "Quo vadis? The entry into new technologies in advanced foreign subsidiaries of the multinational enterprise," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(9), pages 1525-1549, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:41:y:2010:i:9:p:1525-1549
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Grazia D. Santangelo & Anupama Phene, 2022. "Knowledge sourcing by the multinational enterprise: An individual creativity-based model," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(3), pages 434-448, April.
    2. Lopez-Vega, Henry & Tell, Fredrik, 2021. "Technology strategy and MNE subsidiary upgrading in emerging markets," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    3. Sarianna Lundan & John Cantwell, 2020. "The local co-evolution of firms and governments in the Information Age," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1516-1528, December.
    4. Sandra M. Leitner & Robert Stehrer, 2016. "R&D and Non-R&D Innovators During the Global Financial Crisis: The Role of Binding Credit Constraints," Latin American Journal of Economics-formerly Cuadernos de Economía, Instituto de Economía. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile., vol. 53(1), pages 1-38, December.
    5. Robinson Reyes-Peña & Arun Upadhyay & Arun Kumaraswamy, 2023. "Foreign competitive pressure and inversions by U.S. multinational enterprises," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(5), pages 829-851, July.
    6. Blomkvist, Katarina & Kappen, Philip & Zander, Ivo, 2023. "Weathering storms – Technological exploration of MNCs in times of financial crisis," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    7. Anupama Phene & Stephen Tallman, 2018. "Subsidiary development of new technologies: managing technological changes in multinational and geographic space," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 18(5), pages 1121-1148.
    8. Maximilian Stallkamp & Brian C Pinkham & Andreas P J Schotter & Olha Buchel, 2018. "Core or periphery? The effects of country-of-origin agglomerations on the within-country expansion of MNEs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(8), pages 942-966, October.
    9. Tomasz Gołębiowski & Lidia Danik & Małgorzata Stefania Lewandowska & Piotr Zaborek, 2022. "Innovation Performance of Foreign Subsidiaries in Post-Transition Economy: Evidence from Poland," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 3, pages 46-66.
    10. Blomkvist, Katarina & Kappen, Philip & Zander, Ivo, 2014. "Superstar inventors—Towards a people-centric perspective on the geography of technological renewal in the multinational corporation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 669-682.
    11. Christoph Grimpe & Wolfgang Sofka & Ulrich Kaiser, 2023. "Competing for digital human capital: The retention effect of digital expertise in MNC subsidiaries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(4), pages 657-685, June.
    12. Marina Papanastassiou & Robert Pearce & Antonello Zanfei, 2020. "Changing perspectives on the internationalization of R&D and innovation by multinational enterprises: A review of the literature," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(4), pages 623-664, June.
    13. Blomkvist, Katarina & Kappen, Philip & Zander, Ivo, 2017. "Gone are the creatures of yesteryear? On the diffusion of technological capabilities in the ‘modern’ MNC," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 1-16.
    14. Elia, Stefano & Kafouros, Mario & Buckley, Peter J., 2020. "The role of internationalization in enhancing the innovation performance of Chinese EMNEs: A geographic relational approach," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(4).
    15. Ha, Yoo Jung & Giroud, Axèle, 2015. "Competence-creating subsidiaries and FDI technology spillovers," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 605-614.
    16. Jin, Byungchae, 2019. "Country-level technological disparities, market feedback, and scientists’ choice of technologies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 385-400.
    17. Achcaoucaou, Fariza & Miravitlles, Paloma & León-Darder, Fidel, 2014. "Knowledge sharing and subsidiary R&D mandate development: A matter of dual embeddedness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 76-90.
    18. Reilly, Marty & Scott, Pamela Sharkey & Tippmann, Esther & Mangematin, Vincent, 2023. "Sustaining competence creation in the multinational enterprise: The role of piloting in subsidiaries," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    19. Wolfgang Sofka & Christoph Grimpe & Fuad Hasanov & Reda Cherif, 2022. "Additionality or opportunism: Do host-country R&D subsidies impact innovation in foreign MNC subsidiaries?," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(3), pages 296-327, September.
    20. George O. White & Orhun Guldiken & Thomas A. Hemphill & Wu He & Mehdi Sharifi Khoobdeh, 2016. "Trends in International Strategic Management Research From 2000 to 2013: Text Mining and Bibliometric Analyses," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 35-65, February.
    21. Hsu, Sean Tsu-Hsiang & Iriyama, Akie & Prescott, John E., 2016. "Lost in Translation or Lost in Your Neighbor's Yard: The Moderating Role of Leverage and Protection Mechanisms for the MNC Subsidiary Technology Sourcing–Performance Relationship," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 84-99.
    22. Lee, Jeoung Yul & Jiménez, Alfredo & Bhandari, Krishna Raj, 2020. "Subsidiary roles and dual knowledge flows between MNE subsidiaries and headquarters: The moderating effects of organizational governance types," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 188-200.
    23. Qu, Zhe & Huang, Can & Zhang, Mingqian & Zhao, Yanyun, 2013. "R&D offshoring, technology learning and R&D efforts of host country firms in emerging economies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 502-516.
    24. Håkanson, Lars & Kappen, Philip, 2016. "Live and let die: A survival analysis of foreign R&D units in Swedish MNEs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 1185-1196.
    25. Viacheslav Iurkov & Gabriel R G Benito, 2018. "Domestic alliance networks and regional strategies of MNEs: A structural embeddedness perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(8), pages 1033-1059, October.

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