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Emerging multinationals, international knowledge flows and economic geography: A research agenda

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  • Dohse, Dirk
  • Hassink, Robert
  • Klaerding, Claudia

Abstract

One of the most significant changes in the global economy today is the strong increase in outgoing foreign direct investment (OFDI) from emerging economies to industrialised countries. Whereas investment in less developed countries is often motivated by the sourcing of natural resources and cheap labour, knowledge and technology-seeking is an increasingly important motive for emerging multinationals investing in developed economies. The current paper is focussed on the role of emerging multinationals as knowledge-transfer agents and pursues three aims: First, to unravel the distinguishing features of emerging multinationals (as compared to 'traditional' multinationals), secondly, to critically discuss the usefulness of conventional theoretical concepts in explaining this new phenomenon and thirdly, to launch a research agenda for near-future research on emerging multinationals, with a particular focus on the economic geography of international knowledge flows.

Suggested Citation

  • Dohse, Dirk & Hassink, Robert & Klaerding, Claudia, 2012. "Emerging multinationals, international knowledge flows and economic geography: A research agenda," Kiel Working Papers 1776, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ifwkwp:1776
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    3. Robert Hassink & Claudia Klaerding, 2012. "The End of the Learning Region as We Knew It; Towards Learning in Space," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(8), pages 1055-1066, June.
    4. Victoria Golikova & Paivi Karhunen & Riitta Kosonen, 2013. "Internationalization of Russian firms as institutional arbitrage: The case of Finland," ERSA conference papers ersa13p1144, European Regional Science Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    emerging multinationals; international knowledge flows; economic geography;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • M16 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - International Business Administration
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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