This thesis explores knowledge transfer between firms in multinational organisations. The subject of knowledge transfer is undisputedly important because knowledge is the essence of competitive advantage. In addition, multinational organisations are believed to be more effective at facilitating inter-firm knowledge transfer. The theoretical framework of this thesis is based on four constructs of knowledge transfer: motivation to transfer knowledge; richness of communication channels; absorptive capacity and organisational context. The research uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore these constructs. The research confirms the positive relationship between these constructs. Importantly, it highlights three knowledge transfer levels namely: pooling; assimilation; application and integration of knowledge into the multinational organisation. The research shows that knowledge must move through each of these levels if the focus is knowledge creation, these levels not to be treated as isolated but in fact overlapping. The research also found that high levels of espoused motivation are not always supported by proactive knowledge transfer behaviours. It demonstrated that at a certain level of knowledge transfer encouragement becomes less important than other motivational factors. Importantly, the multinational needs to manage knowledge transfer. To do this, the nature of knowledge must be considered and there needs to be an understanding that ad hoc knowledge transfer patterns can inhibit knowledge being transferred to where it may be needed. The research highlights how important it is for multinational inter-firm knowledge transfer to begin with the individual and then move to the organisation. The individual needs to have the necessary attitudes and ability to understand the benefits. Also, they need to understand that knowledge is not transferred through acceptance alone, but needs to be implemented. This means the multinational must provide strategic direction and structure that facilitates the movement of knowledge across the multinational organisation. Knowledge transfer routines must be managed to allow knowledge to move to where it can create unique knowledge because it is this unique knowledge that can be a strategic benefit to the organisation.

The essay aims to generate deeper understanding of leadership competences in a multinational organization in China, i.e. what competences that are required for managing professionals in a cross-cultural context. Previous research within this field of study discuss this topic from the perspective of Western or Chinese expatriate managers, but the authors of this study regard that it is of interest to study Chinese employees in a Western organization in China in order to understand how the global Western culture interacts with the local Chinese culture. The research questions were thus formulated to study what competences that are required in a managerial position in a multinational organization in China according to different organizational actors and documents, and what differences there are in the meaning of the various descriptions. The study has been conducted with a qualitative approach and the results indicate that To Manage, To Have Expertise and To Communicate are the most important competences needed in the managerial role. The results also indicate that the different sources are very similar in the description of cross-cultural leadership competence, which can be understood as the influence of a strong organizational culture. Finally, one can see that the younger employees differ slightly in expectations of leadership, which can be understood as leadership not being formed only by national culture but also by generational culture. In other words, the results from the study show that the meaning of cross-cultural leadership competence in this specific context is not merely restricted to the necessity of understanding national culture when exercising leadership; it is also about generational differences in culture.

This thesis explores knowledge transfer between firms in multinational organisations. The subject of knowledge transfer is undisputedly important because knowledge is the essence of competitive advantage. In addition, multinational organisations are believed to be more effective at facilitating inter-firm knowledge transfer. The theoretical framework of this thesis is based on four constructs of knowledge transfer: motivation to transfer knowledge; richness of communication channels; absorptive capacity and organisational context. The research uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore these constructs. The research confirms the positive relationship between these constructs. Importantly, it highlights three knowledge transfer levels namely: pooling; assimilation; application and integration of knowledge into the multinational organisation. The research shows that knowledge must move through each of these levels if the focus is knowledge creation, these levels not to be treated as isolated but in fact overlapping. The research also found that high levels of espoused motivation are not always supported by proactive knowledge transfer behaviours. It demonstrated that at a certain level of knowledge transfer encouragement becomes less important than other motivational factors. Importantly, the multinational needs to manage knowledge transfer. To do this, the nature of knowledge must be considered and there needs to be an understanding that ad hoc knowledge transfer patterns can inhibit knowledge being transferred to where it may be needed. The research highlights how important it is for multinational inter-firm knowledge transfer to begin with the individual and then move to the organisation. The individual needs to have the necessary attitudes and ability to understand the benefits. Also, they need to understand that knowledge is not transferred through acceptance alone, but needs to be implemented. This means the multinational must provide strategic direction and structure that facilitates the movement of knowledge across the multinational organisation. Knowledge transfer routines must be managed to allow knowledge to move to where it can create unique knowledge because it is this unique knowledge that can be a strategic benefit to the organisation.

Avec une mondialisation omniprésente, les études sur l’aspect interculturel des organisations deviennent de plus en plus d’actualité et fascinent les chercheurs comme les praticiens. Notre étude suit donc cette voie et porte sur la construction du sens de l’expérience interculturelle au sein d’une entreprise multinationale. Nous avons cherché à comprendre, d’un point de vue interprétatif, comment les acteurs construisent le sens des caractères multinationaux et interculturels de l’entreprise, à travers leurs expériences au sein d’une multinationale québécoise. La recherche existante discute les aspects culturels et communicatifs tels que le contexte, la langue et le flux de message, identifiés par E.T. Hall (Hall, 1976, 1990) comme centraux dans la problématique générale de la communication interculturelle. Nous avons cependant abordé ces mêmes aspects depuis la perspective de la théorie du sensemaking (Weick, 1995) en nous centrant sur les points de vue des acteurs et de leurs expériences. Sur la base d’entrevues en profondeur, la recherche montre que, bien qu’il soit fortement valorisé par tous les interviewés, l’aspect interculturel n’a pas été profondément intégré dans les pratiques communicatives de tous les jours, comme nous aurions pu le croire. Néanmoins, cet aspect exerce une influence réelle et considérable pour certains employés, comme les gestionnaires des ressources humaines et des relations publiques, due essentiellement à la nature même de leurs fonctions. Les résultats suggèrent également que l’aspect interculturel est vécu de manière fort différente selon l’identité qui est attachée à l’organisation. Cette dernière est en effet parfois considérée comme (1) une organisation « locale », c’est-à-dire en référence à son origine québécoise, comme (2) une organisation multinationale, en référence aux interactions entre les parties de l’organisation dispersées dans le monde entier, et enfin (3) comme une firme étrangère du point de vue des acteurs des pays hôtes. Dans les trois cas les enjeux interculturels pour les acteurs varient considérablement tout comme, en conséquence, le sens qui est accordé à cet aspect de l’organisation. Mots-clés : Expérience interculturelle, organisation multinationale, théorie du sensemaking, communication interculturelle. / As globalization expands, the intercultural dimensions of organizations and organizational communication draw more and more scholars and practitioners’ attention. Along these lines, this study describes how managers of a multinational organization make sense of their intercultural experiences in everyday work life and their views on the intercultural aspect of the company, using an interpretive perspective. Current research identifies a number of themes as central to intercultural communication: context, message flux and language (Hall, 1976, 1990). This study revisits these constructs from the standpoint of the theory of sensemaking developed by Karl E. Weick (1995), on the basis of which managers’ accounts of their daily experiences of intercultural communication are examined. From interview data, the study shows how the issue of interculturality, although regarded as important and as a valuable asset of the organization, is not consequential for the daily communication practices of most managers in the case under study. It is however quite influential for HR and PR management because of the very nature of their activities. Results also suggest that the intercultural dimension of a multinational organization is experienced in slightly different ways depending on the framing of the organization’s identity. From the standpoint of its region or country of origin, the organization is framed as “local” and domestic. From the perspective of its many relations with its divisions around the world, the organization’s identity tends to be framed as “multinational” and, finally, from the standpoint of the host country, the organization’s identity is framed as “foreign”. These framings are consequential for the definitions and meanings of intercultural communication managers make out of the intercultural dimension of the organization. Keywords: intercultural experiences, intercultural communication, sensemaking, multinational organization.

No description available.

In terms of ethnic background, the labor market of the twenty-first century may be more culturally diverse than ever. At the same time, cultural, racial and ethnic bias are frequently reflected in organizational hierarchy. Power disparities affect interactions between people of different cultures since persons from ethnic minorities are typically shut out of high-ranking positions in Western nations. The homogeneity of most management demonstrates the various gaps in the widespread perception of cultural, ethnic and racial bias. Additionally, given the ambiguity surrounding the connection between organizational structures and racial bias, D&I deployment in organizations can occasionally be dispersed. The aim of this study is to raise awareness of how employees' ethnicity influences career advancement in a multinational organizational culture. In addition to providing insights into issues facing the culture, this tries to pinpoint perceived disparities that are brought on by existing institutions and cultures. The analytical unit is a subsidiary of a multinational company with its headquarters in Sweden. Semi-structured interviews, also known as qualitative research interviews, were conducted. The study focused on employees at lower levels of the hierarchy and had a global scope. The findings revealed that when it came to questions about nationality and career advancement, non-Western employees were typically aware of cultural, ethnic, or racial bias and could reflect on complex issues within these topics, in contrast to Western employees who were not as familiar with these topics. While this study has provided insight into the perspectives of employees and members of ethnic minorities on career advancement, there are still a great deal of unexplored fields. Based on the study's findings, employers and employees are better equipped to understand the concepts, detect examples, and build the necessary skills and instruments to overcome ethnic bias through awareness-raising and training, social dialogue, and diversity research. / När det gäller etnisk bakgrund kan det tjugoförsta århundradets arbetsmarknad vara mer kulturellt varierat än någonsin. Samtidigt återspeglas kulturella, rasmässiga och etniska fördomar ofta i organisatorisk hierarki. Maktskillnader påverkar interaktioner mellan människor från olika kulturer eftersom personer från etniska minoriteter vanligtvis stängs ute från högt uppsatta positioner i västerländska länder. Homogeniteten hos de flesta företagsledningar visar de olika klyftorna i den utbredda uppfattningen om kulturell, etnisk och rasistisk fördom. Dessutom, med tanke på oklarheten kring sambandet mellan organisationsstrukturer och etniska fördomar, kan tillämpningen av D&I-initiativ i organisationer ibland vara oklar.  Syftet med denna studie är att öka medvetenheten om hur anställdas etnicitet påverkar karriärutvecklingen i en multinationell organisationskultur. Förutom att ge insikter i frågor som kulturen står inför, försöker detta att lokalisera upplevda skillnader som orsakas av befintliga institutioner och kulturer. Studien utförs på en enhet till ett multinationellt företag med huvudkontor i Sverige. Semistrukturerade intervjuer, även kallade kvalitativa forskningsintervjuer, genomfördes. Studien fokuserade på anställda på lägre nivåer i hierarkin och hade en global räckvidd. Resultaten visade att när det gällde frågor om nationalitet och karriärutveckling, var icke-västerländska anställda vanligtvis medvetna om kulturella, etniska eller rasistiska fördomar och kunde reflektera över komplexa frågor inom dessa ämnen, i motsats till västerländska anställda som inte var lika bekanta med dessa ämnen. Även om denna studie har gett insikt i perspektiven för anställda och medlemmar av etniska minoriteter gällande karriärutveckling, finns det fortfarande en hel del outforskade områden. Baserat på studiens resultat är arbetsgivare och anställda bättre rustade att förstå begreppen, upptäcka exempel och bygga de nödvändiga färdigheterna och instrumenten för att arbeta emot etniska fördomar genom utbildning, social dialog och forskning om mångfald.