IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/jintbs/v45y2014i5p600-622.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Knowledge transfer in multinational corporations: Productive and counterproductive effects of language-sensitive recruitment

Author

Listed:
  • Vesa Peltokorpi

    (Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Ishikawa, Japan)

  • Eero Vaara

    (1] Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki, Finland[2] EMLYON Business School, France)

Abstract

This paper focuses on the multifaceted role of language and language-sensitive recruitment in knowledge transfer in multinational corporations (MNCs). In particular, we develop a framework that helps to better understand how language-sensitive recruitment is related to competence, networks, identity, and power. We started by conducting a qualitative interview-based study of 101 MNC subsidiaries. This analysis elucidates the productive and counterproductive effects of language-sensitive recruitment on knowledge transfer related to communication competence, networks, identity, and power. To further understand the productive and counterproductive effects, we conducted a quantitative study in 285 MNC subsidiaries. We found an inverted U-shaped relationship between language-sensitive recruitment and knowledge transfer. Together, these two studies provide a better understanding of the multifaceted and at times counterintuitive implications of language-sensitive recruitment on knowledge transfer in MNCs. By elucidating these effects, this paper contributes to the stream of research examining the role of language in MNCs and international business more generally. It further adds to research on MNC knowledge transfer that to date has focused little attention on language. By elaborating on the potential unintended consequences of language-sensitive recruitment, this paper also has implications for international human resource management research.

Suggested Citation

  • Vesa Peltokorpi & Eero Vaara, 2014. "Knowledge transfer in multinational corporations: Productive and counterproductive effects of language-sensitive recruitment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(5), pages 600-622, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:45:y:2014:i:5:p:600-622
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jibs/journal/v45/n5/pdf/jibs20141a.pdf
    File Function: Link to full text PDF
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    File URL: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jibs/journal/v45/n5/full/jibs20141a.html
    File Function: Link to full text HTML
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:45:y:2014:i:5:p:600-622. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.