Abstract
This study investigates the China‐located subsidiaries of foreign‐owned multinational corporations (MNCs) for patterns of intra‐firm and interorganizational technological knowledge accumulation. We analyze US patents attributed to those subsidiaries between 1996 and 2005 and argue that MNCs have recently tended toward open network structures, enabling subsidiaries in emerging markets to develop technological capabilities by searching for diversified inter‐organizational knowledge sources beyond geographically local contexts to compensate for local limitations and deficiencies. Findings show that subsidiaries in China have gradually developed their technological capabilities through non‐localized searches beyond their organizational, technological, and geographical boundaries. The study contributes to the literature on MNC organizational restructuring, subsidiary evolution, and subsidiary‐level non‐localized knowledge searches. The findings also have important implications for knowledge spillovers, MNC knowledge management, and government policies.
摘要
本文研究外资跨国公司在中国通过内部及外部途径进行科技知识积累的模式。经过分析这些企业在美国专利局1996到2005年间的专利数据,我们认为跨国公司近年来向开放型网络结构的转变使这些公司在发展中国家的分公司能够克服内部及外部环境的不足,从而有机会发展科技能力。我们的研究结果表明跨国公司在中国的分公司通过非本地式知识积累已经逐渐开始具备科技能力。非本地式知识积累包括跨越地域的,跨越组织界限的,跨越科技界限的知识积累。因此,本文在以下领域有所贡献:跨国公司结构转型,分公司进化论,分公司非本地式知识积累。我们的研究结果在知识外溢,跨国公司知识管理和政府政策方面也有实际意义。