Para as empresas multinacionais, transferir conhecimento disperso em diferentes localidades ao redor do globo, de modo rápido e eficiente, tem sido, ao mesmo tempo, uma vantagem e uma necessidade constante (KOGUT e ZANDER, 1993). Nos últimos anos, têm se intensificado os debates acerca do tema, em especial na área de gestão internacional. Além disso, há um aumento considerável no número de empresas brasileiras atuando no exterior e uma maior importância das multinacionais de países emergentes (GUILLEN e GARCIACANAL, 2009). No entanto, apesar de terem sido registrados inúmeros avanços, esses dois fenômenos - aumento do número de multinacionais de países emergentes ou em desenvolvimento e a acentuada discussão sobre a transferência de conhecimento em multinacionais - ainda apresentam uma série de questões não respondidas, além de haver uma série de conceitos, taxonomias e modelos sobre os quais se necessita avançar, pois o tema é cada vez mais importante e emergente (FOOS et al. 2010). Nesse sentido, nesta tese, procurase analisar como ocorre o processo de transferência de conhecimento das multinacionais brasileiras para suas unidades localizadas no exterior e vice-versa, através da análise da estratégia internacional e de uma visão multidimensional, que inclui as dimensões organizacional, pessoal e tecnológica, utilizando como aparato teórico a estratégia internacional e a Visão da Firma Baseada em Recursos – VBR. Através de abordagem qualitativa e do método estudo de caso foram pesquisados quatro grupos multinacionais sediados no Brasil e com operações em Portugal - país com quem o Brasil possui uma intensa e histórica relação comercial. Para análise dos dados, foi utilizada a técnica de análise de conteúdo. Ao todo, foram entrevistados 23 executivos ligados às áreas de recursos humanos, sistemas de informação e comercial/internacional, das matrizes e das filiais, e três especialistas foram consultados para a validação do roteiro de entrevistas. Os resultados evidenciam um aumento dos investimentos de multinacionais brasileiras no exterior, sobretudo em países emergentes. Também é possível ressaltar que em Portugal a entrada se deu principalmente via aquisições e Green fields. As filiais nesse país são, sobretudo, contribuidoras especializadas e a integração global vem ocorrendo, ainda que não de forma totalmente efetiva, sendo frequente a troca de conhecimento entre essas unidades e a sede no Brasil. No que tange à dimensão organizacional, observou-se que a geração de inovações é frequente nos grupos pesquisados e se dá, sobretudo, por meio da análise do mercado, amparada fortemente no conhecimento disponível na matriz. O tempo é um fator fundamental e há a visão de que o conhecimento é um recurso estratégico, embora isso não esteja totalmente claro. Na dimensão pessoal, observou-se que o expatriamento de executivos é muito maior do que o impatriamento, e que existe a prática de job rotation e formação de equipes, embora esta última numa frequência não tão grande quanto o esperado. A realização de reuniões é frequente, mas não existe apoio financeiro para a troca de conhecimento. Por fim, na dimensão tecnológica, observou-se a importância das tecnologias de comunicação e informação como forma de redução de custos e de aumento da conectividade. Há uma considerável base de conhecimento nos grupos multinacionais e boas relações com universidades e centros de pesquisa. / For multinational companies the act of transferring knowledge, quickly and efficiently, diffuse in different locations around the globe, has been both an advantage and a constant need (KOGUT; ZANDER, 1993). In recent years, the debate about this theme has been intensified, particularly in the international management field. In addition, there is an increase in the number of Brazilian companies operating abroad and a rise of importance of multinationals from emerging countries (GUILLEN; GARCIA-CANAL, 2009). However, despite having been registered numerous advances, these two phenomena – the increasing number of multinationals from emerging and developing countries and the discussion about the knowledge transfer in multinational companies – still present some unanswered questions. The existence of concepts, taxonomies and a variety of models which demonstrates a need to advance shows how important and emerging the theme is (FOOS et al. 2010). In this sense, this thesis aims to analyze how the process of knowledge transfer from Brazilian’s multinational to their units located abroad and vice versa happens. This will be made through the analysis of international acting and multidimensional view, which includes the organizational, personal and technological dimensions, using the Vision of the Resource- Based Firm - VBR and the international strategy as theoretical apparatus. Based on a qualitative approach, the case study method will be used, analyzing four multinational groups based in Brazil with operations in Portugal, a country which Brazil has an intense and historical trade relationship. Data were analyzed through the technique of content analysis. In this sense, 23 executives were interviewed, from the areas of human resources, information systems and commercial / international, from headquarters and subsidiaries, and three experts were consulted for validation of the interview script. The results show the increase in investments of Brazilian multinationals abroad, especially in emerging countries. In Portugal this expansion was mainly by green fields operations and through acquisitions. The subsidiaries in this country are mainly specialist contributors, while global integration is happening, even though not totally effective, with frequent exchange of knowledge between units and headquarters in Brazil. Regarding the organizational dimension, it was observed that the generation of innovations is frequent in the groups analyzed, and it occurs mainly through market analysis, being strongly supported by the knowledge available in headquarter. Time is a key factor and there is a view that knowledge is a strategic resource, although this is not entirely clear. It is noted that in the personal dimension the expatriation of executives is much higher than impatriation, there is the practice of job rotation and teams formation, although the latter at a frequency not as large as expected. Meetings are common, but there is no financial support for the exchange of knowledge. Finally, in the technological dimension we noted the importance of communication and information technologies as a way of reducing costs and increasing connectivity. There is a considerable knowledge base in the multinational groups and good relations with universities and research centers.

O conhecimento é uma ferramenta chave e um recurso para o diferencial competitivo das empresas. Esta dissertação contempla essa realidade considerando a necessidade que as empresas têm de aproveitar e armazenar os conhecimentos gerados no ambiente de chão de fábrica, utilizando para tanto o incentivo à transferência de conhecimentos (TC) entre as equipes desse ambiente. Quando considerada a TC entre equipes, a literatura acadêmica contém diversos estudos que aprofundam este assunto. Porém, essa literatura concentra-se em ambientes de equipes com maior grau de formação, como por exemplo as equipes de engenharia de produtos, e são escassos os trabalhos que contemplam ambientes de menor formação como o das equipes de chão de fábrica. Assim sendo, o objetivo deste trabalho é desenvolver um modelo para o incentivo da TC entre equipes de chão de fábrica baseado na explicação das relações existentes entre os diversos fatores que influenciam a TC. Para tanto, partiu-se da avaliação de um modelo proposto por Frank et al. (2014) para o a ambiente de desenvolvimento de produtos, o qual considera que existem fatores desse ambiente que podem ajudar a incentivar a TC e adaptou-se este modelo à realidade das equipes chão de fábrica. Este trabalho apresenta uma abordagem de pesquisa combinada de aspectos qualitativos (como entrevistas e estudos de caso) e quantitativos (como modelagem e priorização de fatores do modelo). A adaptação do modelo de Frank et al. (2014) à realidade de chão de fábrica baseou-se na avaliação de especialistas na área de gestão do conhecimento. A aplicação do método foi feita em uma empresa cuja realidade de equipes de chão de fábrica é presente. Por meio da utilização destes métodos obtiveram-se os seguintes resultados: (i) a proposição de uma taxonomia que classifica os fatores de influência na TC para realidade de equipes de chão de fábrica em diferentes subsistemas; (ii) a adaptação de um modelo para os relacionamentos entre os fatores, que explica de maneira sistêmica a interação que ocorre entre os mesmos. Do ponto de vista acadêmico, os resultados ajudam a ampliar a visão teórica e pouco abordada sobre a TC no contexto das equipes de chão de fábrica. Do ponto de vista profissional, foco principal do trabalho, os resultados permitem direcionar ações de melhoria da TC entre equipes de chão de fábrica da empresa estudada, mas também permite uma fácil extrapolação para outras realidades no mesmo contexto. / Knowledge is a key tool and resource for the competitive advantage of companies. This work addresses this reality by considering the need that companies have to take advantage and store the knowledge generated in the shop floor environment, using as support knowledge transfer (KT) activities. When considering the TC process between teams, prior research has been concerned mostly with high educational-level teams, such as product engineering teams or quality teams. However, few studies include lower educational-level environments such as the shop floor teams. In these environments, knowledge dynamic can be different, resulting in different needs to foster the KT process. Therefore, the objective of this work is to develop a model for the KT incentive between shop floor teams based on the explanation of the relationship between the various factors that can influence KT in this context. Aiming this, we started from the evaluation of a model proposed by Frank et al. (2014) for product development teams, which considers that there are organizational factors that can help encourage KT. We followed this approach and adapted this model to the reality of the shop floor teams. In order to propose such an adaptation, we combined qualitative aspects (such as interviews and case studies) and quantitative analysis (such as modeling and factors prioritization model). The adaptation of Frank et al (2014) model to the shop floor reality was based on the assessment of experts in knowledge management and was after applied in a practical study of a Brazilian company. By using this approach, the following results were obtained: (i) the proposal of a taxonomy that classifies the KT influencing factors for the reality of the shop floor teams; and (ii) the adaptation of a relationship model for the KT factors aiming its usefulness for shop floor environments. From the academic point of view, the results helped to extend the theoretical and little discussed vision about the KT in the context of shop floor teams. From a professional point of view, the main focus of this work, the results allowed to improve actions of KT between the shop floor teams at the studied company. Such results can be also useful to contribute for other companies.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:26:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sandra Cruz Moreira Pascuti.pdf: 1765224 bytes, checksum: 30d9d3478e76ed2ba0947e7018707c59 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-08-07 / This research is an investigation of the factor that complements the adjustment in the integral transfer of organizational routines, which incorporate tacit knowledge in the replication of a series of activities related to the implementation a service office within the customer physical environment. Literature related to the subject refers to organizational routines, knowledgement and knowledge transfer. These theoretical concepts are specified in this project and allows the elaboration of a script aiming the accomplishment of a qualitative study. The script was based on the model from Szulanski (1996), in which the author analyses the internal barriers to knowledge transfer within a company, pointing three relevant factors: capacity of absorption from the receptor, casual ambiguity and the arduous relationship between the source and the receptor of the knowledge. The relevance of the subject is that the results of this research could serve as support to the managers that search for replica of their organizational structures in other physical environment, as well as a register of how organizational routines can represent successful solutions to specific problems, because they could transfer tacit knowledge components that formal systems would not be able to capture.The selected context to this study was the branch of a Swedish company, a metal cutting tool manufacturer, Sandvik do Brasil, installed in the physical environment of its customer A , a German manufacturer, from the automotive sector based on Santo André, São Paulo. The data were collected through interview, semi structured, and comments from participants, since the unity under analysis is the Sandvik do Brasil structure installed within the A industry. / A problemática desta pesquisa envolve a investigação do fator que complementa a adequação da transferência integral de rotinas organizacionais que embutem uma parcela de conhecimento tácito na replicação de um conjunto de atividades, relacionadas com a implantação de um escritório de serviços no espaço físico do cliente. A literatura pertinente ao tema estudado refere-se a rotinas organizacionais, conhecimento e transferência de conhecimentos. Esses conceitos teóricos são especificados neste projeto e permitem a elaboração de um roteiro visando à realização de um estudo de caráter qualitativo. O roteiro teve como base o modelo proposto por Szulanski (1996), no qual o autor analisa as barreiras internas de transferência de conhecimento dentro da firma, pontuando três fatores relevantes: capacidade de absorção do receptor, ambiguidade causal e árdua relação entre a fonte e o receptor do conhecimento. A importância do tema reside no fato de que os resultados da pesquisa servirão de apoio aos gestores que procuram criar réplicas de suas estruturas organizacionais em outros ambientes físicos, assim como registrar com qual intensidade as rotinas organizacionais podem representar soluções de sucesso para problemas particulares, tendo em vista que podem transferir componentes tácitos de conhecimento que sistemas formais, por sua vez, não conseguiriam capturar. O contexto selecionado para estudo foi a filial da empresa sueca fabricante de ferramentas de corte para usinagem, Sandvik do Brasil, instalada no espaço físico do cliente A , indústria alemã fabricante do setor automobilístico, localizada em Santo André, São Paulo. Os dados foram levantados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas e observações-participantes, levando em conta a unidade de análise, estrutura da Sandvik do Brasil instalada na indústria A .

Abstract The purpose of this study is to describe customer-related knowledge utilisation in the collaborative relationships of professional service organisations. Within this specific context, knowledge transfer capabilities are emphasised as an important prerequisite in the utilisation process. Effective organisation-level knowledge utilisation is crucial in collaborative relationships of professional service organisations. In order to formulate a coherent service offering across different areas of expertise, for instance, it is beneficial to transfer customer knowledge between professionals, business units and functions. Knowledge utilisation across different expertise areas may also be an important prerequisite for an organisation's innovativeness and proactiveness in customer cooperation. Customer-related knowledge utilisation and related knowledge transfer processes are in this study approached from a relationship management perspective, and literature from organisation research, resource-based view and knowledge management is used as a theoretical basis. Empirically this study is based on a descriptive case study of two professional service firms in the field of business-to-business education and consultancy services. In the first case, an in-depth analysis of an organisation developing a collaborative relationship in the outsourcing situation is described. In the second case, additional views are given on organisational practices potentially facilitating customer-related knowledge transfer. Empirical results show that internal fragmentation in the professional service organisation seems to be, to a large extent, inherent in this type of organisation, and may cause many problems in customer-related knowledge transfer and thus in effective utilisation of that knowledge. These knowledge transfer inhibitors rise from an organisation's characteristics; its dominant logic, culture, structure and systems. These organisational characteristics are bound to the characteristics of knowledge itself: its tacitness, non-observability and complexity, and can have an inhibiting influence on knowledge transfer. However, in spite of the inherent forces causing internal fragmentation and inhibiting knowledge transfer, moderating practices of a well-planned relationship coordination system, customer knowledge and expertise codification, and cooperative working practices among the experts seem to help to maintain customer knowledge transfer and utilisation, and thus also continuity and value creation in the long-term relationships. This value creation can be seen to be based on accessing and integrating a wide variety of knowledge resources in order to create innovative, flexible and multifaceted service offerings. Value creation can also be based on organisational ability for generative learning in order to change prevailing organisational assumptions and to develop the operations model needed in collaborative relationship.

Context: In this thesis we considered Knowledge Transfer (KT) in Global Software Development (GSD) from both the state of art and state of practice, in order to identify what are the challenges that hamper the success of KT in global software teams, as well as to find out what are the mitigation strategies that can be practiced to overcome these challenges. Objectives: The main objective of this research is to find an in-depth understanding of knowledge transfer challenges and mitigation strategies from both literature studies and industrial experienced employees. It also identifies the similarities and differences of challenges and strategies from literature studies and industrial experienced employees. The overall aim of this work is to provide a list of mitigation strategies to challenges, as guidelines to enable successful knowledge transfer in GSD. Methods: In order to fulfill the aim of the research, we collected the data through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and industrial interviews. Through SLR we found 35 articles relevant to our objectives. The data is extracted from those articles and conclusions are drawn. The relevant data is collected from databases such as Engineering village, ACM Digital Library, Science Direct, Wiley Inter Science, Scopus, ISI Web of Science and IEEE Xplore. We conducted 8 interviews from 8 different multinational companies. For analyzing the data we used grounded theory and qualitative comparative analysis. Results: In total, 72 different challenges and 107 mitigation strategies were identified from both SLR and interview results. In most of the studies, KT challenges in GSD are categorized into 3Cs (Communication, Control and Coordination). We also came up with a different view known as 2PT which conceptualizes the KT challenges and strategies into Personnel, Project and Technology factors. Conclusions: In future, researchers have to focus on the personnel, project and technology factors for implementing an effective KT process. From a practitioner‘s view, the results can be used to identify critical factors for effective KT. The challenges to KT show to what extent these results can be industrially applicable. / Srinivas Nidhra S/O Nidhra. Bikshamaiah H No:8-3-230/C/40, Plot No:351, Yousufguda, Venkatagiri, Hyderabad, Pin:500045 Andhra Pradesh, India. phone: 04023545378 Muralidhar, S/O Y. Rama Rao, Prasad leboratories, Jaggampeta, Andhra Pradesh, India, pin: 533435 phone: +919885995887

Background The importance of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems is that they redesign organizational processes and structure. The new knowledge embedded in the ERP systems induces substantial changes in the businesses which adopt ERP systems. Furthermore, ERP implementations are socially complex and knowledge-intensive activities as several companies may be involved in a single ERP project and intensive knowledge transfer among these companies is vital for the success of the implementation projects. Purpose To date limited amount of research has been performed in the area of knowledge transfer in ERP implementations. My study answered the following questions: 1. What is the effect of the transfer of knowledge that is associated with ERP implementations? 2. What (if any) knowledge transfer barriers have been identified during the ERP implementation process? 3. What types of activities did the firms initiate to enable the knowledge transfer during the ERP implementation process? Method My research consisted of theoretical and empirical parts. Theoretical part entailed a thorough review of current literature on the ERP systems and knowledge management. Adopting a phenomenological approach I next collected the primary data through interviews and surveys with experts in the ERP implementation projects. Results I have described the area of knowledge transfer within ERP implementation projects and identified connections between ERP implementations and organizational learning. I have also uncovered and analyzed the origins of a number of factors that potentially inhibit or enable the knowledge transfer within implementation projects. I was able to connect the theoretical part of the thesis with empirical data and gained a comprehensive understanding of the phenomena at hand. Major barriers to the knowledge transfer stem from the tacit nature of the knowledge itself and the lack of social relationships within the various stakeholders. Activities organizations engage in are ‘knowledge conversion’ and relationships facilitation within the project team.

The essence of an effective knowledge transfer process for a technical organization cannot be overemphasized. It does not only translate to its advancement but also improves the learning capacity of the staff in the organization. The purpose of this work is to analyze and diagnose the current process of technical knowledge transfer It goes further to proffer a suitable model of design process for the technical instructions (which is one form of knowledge that is present in the organization) so as to improve not only the instructional manual but also the processes involved. The instructional model is a model gotten from the field of instructional technology (a sub-sect of educational technology) which is used to achieve this feat.

No description available.

Empirically, this thesis has focused on nine research and development (R&D) networks set up to promote a professional approach to care and strengthen the collaboration between health care sectors in a Swedish health care setting. The research project was embedded in an action research approach intended to encourage network development by means of a dialogical process. The specific research question was: What are the actors‟ perceptions of knowledge networks and how might we account for the networks‟ evolution, role and ways of working? Bourdieu‟s concepts reproduction and symbolic violence were used as analytical tools and were chosen as a way of answering and explaining the empirical story line. Data was collected by use of a multi-method approach consisting of 39 interviews, observations, document review and reflexive notes. The intention was to elicit data that supported both network development and the theoretical explanation to come. It appeared that the networks concerned had several advantages, such as being a forum for internal dialogue and exchange of experiences. In addition, two main patterns emerged: Firstly, most of the participants within the networks were advocates of a linear top-down model of implementation of evidence-based knowledge into practice. Secondly, they experienced inertia in the transfer process. From the collaborative process undertaken it emerged that their linear top-down model of knowledge transfer seemed to be firmly rooted. Theoretically, the thesis contributes to an understanding of why the process of knowledge transfer was considered by the participants within the networks to be a sluggish process. The thesis also contributes to an explanation of why they adhered to the macro-discourse of evidence-based medicine at the expense of involving practitioners outside the networks in horizontal patterns of exchange. It is argued that the networks had a symbolic value and were also a product of and reproduced the evidence-based discourse and the prevailing structures within their field. This contrasted with the role of networks as arenas for generation of local knowledge in the network literature. A major challenge facing health care sectors is that of how to support practitioners in the incorporation of new practices resulting in actual changes.

Abstract One of the roles of Technology Parks is to stimulate and manage knowledge transfer. Studies have been conducted on large Technology Parks, but studies on small ones are rare. However, small Technology Parks are of interest as innovation promoters, and thus regional developers. This study explores how knowledge is transferred to the product development processes of firms, and how the local innovation system influences the transfer. First the existing research is examined to understand what kind of factors affect knowledge transfer in the product development processes of firms from and through a local innovation system with incomplete services. The framework resulting from the study consists of innovation enabler analyses, and process analyses. The enablers are the Technology Park and local innovation systems, and social capital. The processes are the product development processes, and interorganisational networking. Furthermore, an empirical study was conducted on how knowledge is transferred in the product development processes of firms in two Technology Parks namely, Digipolis in Kemi in the North of Finland and Electropolis in Kalix in the North of Sweden. A qualitative embedded multiple case study was chosen as the research approach. The study consists of two levels: the product development processes of the firms, the Technology Parks as single cases and cross case analyses; and the. The latter were based on one single case, a cross case within each Technology Park, and a cross-Technology Park cross case levels. The results indicate that the characteristics of the firms have a higher influence on knowledge transfer processes than the local innovation systems, and higher education combined with an attraction strategy draws subsidiaries with minimal local links and knowledge transfer. Strong ties within local social networks favour knowledge transfer, but they have to be fostered. / Tiivistelmä Yksi teknologiakylien tehtävistä on stimuloida ja hallita tietämyksen siirtoa. Suurten teknologiakylien osalta tutkimuksia on tehty, mutta pienistä hyvin vähän. Niillä on merkitystä innovaatioiden edistäjinä ja siten ne ovat aluekehittäjiä. Tämä tutkimus selvittää, miten tietämystä siirretään yritysten tuotekehitysprosesseihin ja, miten paikallinen innovaatiojärjestelmä vaikuttaa siirtoon. Ensin tarkastellaan aiempaa tutkimusta tavoitteena luoda ymmärrys, mitkä tekijät vaikuttavat tietämyksen ohjautumiseen yritysten tuotekehitysprosesseihin paikallisesta heikommin resursoidusta innovaatiojärjestelmät. Johdettu viitekehys sisältää innovaation mahdollistajien ja prosessien analyysin. Mahdollistajia ovat teknologiakylä ja paikallinen innovaatiojärjestelmä sekä sosiaalinen pääoma. Prosessit ovat tuotekehitysprosessi ja organisaatioiden välinen verkottumisprosessi. Seuraavaksi suoritettiin kokeellinen tutkimus siitä, miten tietämys siirretään tuotekehitysprosesseihin kahdessa teknologiakylässä: Digipoliksessa Kemissä Pohjois-Suomessa ja Elektropoliksessa Kalixissa Pohjois-Ruotsissa. Tutkimusmenetelmäksi valittiin laadullinen tapaustutkimus. Siinä on kaksi tasoa: teknologiakylät tapauksittain ja tapauksien välillä analysoituna sekä yritysten tuotekehitysprosessit, jotka analysoitiin tapauksittain, tapausten kesken teknologiakylittäin ja tapausten kesken teknologiakylien kesken. Tulokset ehdottavat, että yritystyyppi vaikuttaa tietämyksen siirtoon enemmän kuin paikallinen innovaatiojärjestelmä. Korkea-asteen koulutus yhdistettynä atraktiostrategiaan houkuttaa teknologiakylään sivutoimipisteitä, jotka toteuttavat hyvin vähän paikallisia yhteyksiä ja tietämyksen siirtoa. Vahvat siteet paikallisissa sosiaalisissa verkostoissa edistävät tietämyksen siirtoa, mutta verkostoja tulee ylläpitää.