Tacit knowledge problem in multinational corporations: Japanese and US offshore knowledge incubators

Alice Lam

doi:SoM0805

Tacit knowledge problem in multinational corporations: Japanese and US offshore knowledge incubators

Alice Lam

School of Business and Management

Research output: Working paper

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Abstract

This paper examines the ‘cognitive’ and ‘societal’ aspects of the tacit knowledge transfer problem in MNCs. Based on a comparative analysis of the overseas R&D labs of US and Japanese MNCs in the UK, it examines how home-based models of learning influence MNCs’ transnational social spaces for learning and their capabilities to address the tacit knowing problem. It illustrates how the US professional ‘networks of practice’ (NoP) and the Japanese organizational ‘communities of practice’ (CoP) approaches to transnational learning unfold in practice. It also examines how divergence between home and host country institutions governing knowledge production inhibits cross-societal tacit knowing.

Original language	English
Place of Publication	Egham, Surrey
Publisher	School of Management, Royal Holloway University of London
DOIs	https://doi.org/SoM0805
Publication status	Published - 21 Oct 2008

Publication series

Name	School of Management Working Papers
Publisher	School of Management, Royal Holloway University of London

Keywords

comparative thinking
tacit knowledge
knowledge transfer in MNCs
innovation and R&D
organizational learning
communities of practice

Access to Document

SoM0805

Full Text

http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Management/Research/Papers/0805.html

Cite this

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abstract = "This paper examines the {\textquoteleft}cognitive{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}societal{\textquoteright} aspects of the tacit knowledge transfer problem in MNCs. Based on a comparative analysis of the overseas R&D labs of US and Japanese MNCs in the UK, it examines how home-based models of learning influence MNCs{\textquoteright} transnational social spaces for learning and their capabilities to address the tacit knowing problem. It illustrates how the US professional {\textquoteleft}networks of practice{\textquoteright} (NoP) and the Japanese organizational {\textquoteleft}communities of practice{\textquoteright} (CoP) approaches to transnational learning unfold in practice. It also examines how divergence between home and host country institutions governing knowledge production inhibits cross-societal tacit knowing.",

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