The impact of knowledge transfer on innovation in multinational corporations: exploring the contingent effects

Abstract

This direct research explores the contingencies of the relation between knowledge transfer and new product outcomes in Multinational companies. Indeed, in a MNC context, “the conditions under which such knowledge transfer can serve to induce positive outcomes remain unclear.”(Lee, 2008, p 1) After a deep literature review of knowledge transfer and new product outcomes literature, an exploratory study was conducted to understand which factors can influence the impact of knowledge transfer in new product outcomes, with the purpose to give insights about the way to approach a further study. We propose the following three internal contingencies: network strength, absorptive capacity, customer orientation and an external one: technological turbulence, through a semi structured interview guide conducted with 12 top managers. Globally, the exploratory study has provided confirmation for the variables proposed.