<p>The purpose of this thesis is to develop an understanding of if/how national cultural differences influence communication and transmission channels in cross-border transfer of organizational knowledge. To develop such an understanding a single case study has been conducted on Q-Med AB, a Swedish knowledge intensive biotechnology/medical device company. The case study is based on two theories; Gupta & Govindarajan’s (2000) work of four forces that affect effective knowledge transfer and Project GLOBE’s nine cultural dimensions. Our findings confirm that national cultural differences do influence communication and transmission channels when transferring knowledge cross-borders. More specifically, our case study shows that the cultural differences influencing Q-Med AB’s communication and transmission channels are: Power Distance, Institutional Collectivism, In-Group Collectivism, Assertiveness and Performance Orientation. Also language differences are regarded as an important factor by Q-Med AB. However, the results of this thesis are specific for the company studied. Therefore our study only contributes with insights, regarding the influence of cultural differences on communication and transmission channels when transferring knowledge cross-borders, for other knowledge intensive companies facing global challenges. Our findings and conclusions are summarized in our own theoretical model, which brings together the two internationally well-acknowledged theories mentioned above and the results of our case study.</p> / <p>Syftet med denna uppsats är att skapa en förståelse för om/hur nationella kulturella skillnader påverkar kommunikation och överföringskanaler i gränsöverskridande organisatorisk kunskaps-överföring. För att skapa denna förståelse har vi genomfört en fallstudie på Q-Med AB, ett svenskt kunskapsintensivt bioteknologiskt/medicintekniskt företag. Fallstudien baseras på två teorier; Gupta & Govindarajan:s (2000) studie om fyra faktorer som påverkar effektiv kunskapsöverföring och Project GLOBE:s nio kulturella dimensioner. Våra resultat bekräftar att nationella kulturella skillnader i hög grad påverkar kommunikation och överföringskanaler vid gränsöverskridande kunskapsöverföring. Mer specifikt visar vår fallstudie att de kulturella skillnader som påverkar Q-Med AB:s kommunikation och överföringskanaler är: Power Distance, Institutional Collectivism, In-Group Collectivism, Assertiveness och Performance Orientation. Språkliga skillnader anses också vara viktiga enligt Q-Med AB. Dock är resultaten från denna studie specifika för det undersökta företaget. Därmed bidrar vår uppsats endast med insikter om hur kulturella skillnader påverkar kommunikation och överföringskanaler i gränsöverskridande kunskapsöverföring för andra kunskapsintensiva multinationella företag. Våra slutsatser är sammanställda i vår egen teoretiska modell som kombinerar de två ovan nämnda, internationellt erkända teorier och resultaten från vår fallstudie.</p>

The purpose of this thesis is to develop an understanding of if/how national cultural differences influence communication and transmission channels in cross-border transfer of organizational knowledge. To develop such an understanding a single case study has been conducted on Q-Med AB, a Swedish knowledge intensive biotechnology/medical device company. The case study is based on two theories; Gupta &amp; Govindarajan’s (2000) work of four forces that affect effective knowledge transfer and Project GLOBE’s nine cultural dimensions. Our findings confirm that national cultural differences do influence communication and transmission channels when transferring knowledge cross-borders. More specifically, our case study shows that the cultural differences influencing Q-Med AB’s communication and transmission channels are: Power Distance, Institutional Collectivism, In-Group Collectivism, Assertiveness and Performance Orientation. Also language differences are regarded as an important factor by Q-Med AB. However, the results of this thesis are specific for the company studied. Therefore our study only contributes with insights, regarding the influence of cultural differences on communication and transmission channels when transferring knowledge cross-borders, for other knowledge intensive companies facing global challenges. Our findings and conclusions are summarized in our own theoretical model, which brings together the two internationally well-acknowledged theories mentioned above and the results of our case study. / Syftet med denna uppsats är att skapa en förståelse för om/hur nationella kulturella skillnader påverkar kommunikation och överföringskanaler i gränsöverskridande organisatorisk kunskaps-överföring. För att skapa denna förståelse har vi genomfört en fallstudie på Q-Med AB, ett svenskt kunskapsintensivt bioteknologiskt/medicintekniskt företag. Fallstudien baseras på två teorier; Gupta &amp; Govindarajan:s (2000) studie om fyra faktorer som påverkar effektiv kunskapsöverföring och Project GLOBE:s nio kulturella dimensioner. Våra resultat bekräftar att nationella kulturella skillnader i hög grad påverkar kommunikation och överföringskanaler vid gränsöverskridande kunskapsöverföring. Mer specifikt visar vår fallstudie att de kulturella skillnader som påverkar Q-Med AB:s kommunikation och överföringskanaler är: Power Distance, Institutional Collectivism, In-Group Collectivism, Assertiveness och Performance Orientation. Språkliga skillnader anses också vara viktiga enligt Q-Med AB. Dock är resultaten från denna studie specifika för det undersökta företaget. Därmed bidrar vår uppsats endast med insikter om hur kulturella skillnader påverkar kommunikation och överföringskanaler i gränsöverskridande kunskapsöverföring för andra kunskapsintensiva multinationella företag. Våra slutsatser är sammanställda i vår egen teoretiska modell som kombinerar de två ovan nämnda, internationellt erkända teorier och resultaten från vår fallstudie.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2015-11-25T20:42:24Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Claudia Sofia Frias Pinto.pdf: 873576 bytes, checksum: 70bf6a30f4759f2761a1504fddb9fdca (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-11-25T20:42:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Claudia Sofia Frias Pinto.pdf: 873576 bytes, checksum: 70bf6a30f4759f2761a1504fddb9fdca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-06-15 / In this study I analyze the influence of national culture in project performance. Specifically, I examine if national culture influences project performance and which cultural dimensions affect project performance. Methodologically, I conducted an empirical study, based in a final sample of 271 project managers and project occurred in 39 different countries. The results showed that cultural dimensions, power distance and future orientation have a negative impact in project performance, and gender egalitarianism has a positive impact in project performance. This study has a theoretical and practical contribution. This study is intended, for one hand, to contribute to the advance of literature in project management and on the other, help project managers preparing for cultural diversity, increasingly common in the projects. / Neste estudo analisei a influência da cultura nacional no desempenho dos projetos. Especificamente, examinei se a cultura nacional influencia o desempenho dos projetos e que dimensões culturais afetam o desempenho dos projetos. Metodologicamente, realizei um estudo empírico, com uma amostra final de 271 gestores de projetos, e projetos ocorridos em 39 países diferentes. Os resultados mostraram que as dimensões culturais, distância ao poder e orientação futura têm um impacto negativo no desempenho dos projetos, e que o igualitarismo de gêneros tem um impacto positivo no desempenho dos projetos. Este estudo tem uma contribuição teórica e prática. Com este estudo pretendo, por um lado, contribuir para o avanço da literatura em Gestão de projetos e, por outro, ajudar os gestores de projetos a se prepararem para a diversidade cultural, cada vez mais frequente nos projetos.

Submitted by Juliana Mansur (juliana.kopp@fgv.br) on 2016-02-22T13:14:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_JULIANA MANSUR_VERSÃO DIGITAL.pdf: 1961862 bytes, checksum: c1bd07a7bcc2dfd3f04c3b85b4581a3a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Janete de Oliveira Feitosa (janete.feitosa@fgv.br) on 2016-02-25T14:29:12Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_JULIANA MANSUR_VERSÃO DIGITAL.pdf: 1961862 bytes, checksum: c1bd07a7bcc2dfd3f04c3b85b4581a3a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2016-02-29T11:47:15Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_JULIANA MANSUR_VERSÃO DIGITAL.pdf: 1961862 bytes, checksum: c1bd07a7bcc2dfd3f04c3b85b4581a3a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-29T11:47:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_JULIANA MANSUR_VERSÃO DIGITAL.pdf: 1961862 bytes, checksum: c1bd07a7bcc2dfd3f04c3b85b4581a3a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-03 / Although cross-cultural leadership research has thrived in international business literature, little attention has been devoted to understanding the effectiveness of non-western theories beyond their original contexts. The purpose of this study is to examine the cross-cultural endorsement of paternalistic leadership, an emerging non-western leadership theory, using data from GLOBE project. Using multigroup confirmatory factor analyses we found measurement equivalence of a scale derived from GLOBE’s data, which enabled us to compare the endorsement of paternalistic leadership dimensions across 10 cultural clusters and 55 societies. Our study revealed that there are significant differences in the importance societies give to each dimension, suggesting that paternalism as leadership style is not universally nor homogeneously endorsed. Furthermore, results suggest that different patterns of endorsement of each of these dimensions give rise to idiosyncratic shades of paternalistic leadership across societies. Implications for theory and future research on international business are discussed. / Paternalistic leadership is a flourishing area in leadership literature, traditionally assumed to be culture bounded. However, empirical evidences have suggested that rather than national cultures, the conditions under which paternalistic leaders are effective can be related to the fit between the style of a leader and that of his or her followers. In the present research, we focus on paternalistic leadership and contrast it with empowering leadership, as two opposite ways on how leaders influence followers, to explore the individual conditions under which both styles can be effective. Adopting a follower-centered approach, we base our arguments on person-supervisor (P-S) fit theory and regulatory focus theory to propose that leadership effectiveness may be contingent to followers’ own values and motivational needs. We expected paternalistic leadership behaviors (e.g, authority, benevolence, support) to supply motivational needs for predominantly prevention-focused followers, and empowering leadership behaviors (e.g. empowerment, encouragement and autonomy) to supply motivational needs for predominantly promotion-focused followers. Using data collected from two experimental studies and a business simulation, we found support for these ideas, showing that fit increased followers’ perception of attitudinal and behavioral outcomes, such as in-role and creative performance.