Collaboration in international technology transfer: the role of knowledge boundaries and boundary objects

da Silva, Luiz Eduardo and Karabag, Solmaz Filiz and Berggren, Christian (2017): Collaboration in international technology transfer: the role of knowledge boundaries and boundary objects.

Abstract

Firms increasingly use choose collaborative arrangements to get access to the most recent and advanced technologies instead of trying to develop them in-home. Several emerging economies use such arrangements particularly in the defence industry as a vehicle for technology transfer to the local industry. The effectiveness of technology transfer, however, is affected by many factors. This paper analyzes international technology transfer as a challenge of inter-firm collaboration and a challenge of cross-boundary knowledge management, and highlights the role of boundary objects to mitigate problems of knowledge boundaries such transfers. Building on a comparative case study of two international technology transfer projects, the paper contributes to the understanding of how collaboration problems can affect the transfer of knowledge across knowledge boundaries and how the use of appropriate boundary objects may improve collaboration management and the knowledge transfer.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: technology transfer; international collaboration; knowledge management; knowledge boundaries; boundary objects
• Subjects: L - Industrial Organization > L2 - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior > L20 - General; L - Industrial Organization > L6 - Industry Studies: Manufacturing > L64 - Other Machinery ; Business Equipment ; Armaments; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O2 - Development Planning and Policy > O25 - Industrial Policy; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O3 - Innovation ; Research and Development ; Technological Change ; Intellectual Property Rights > O30 - General; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O3 - Innovation ; Research and Development ; Technological Change ; Intellectual Property Rights > O32 - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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