Expatriate knowledge transfer phenomena in defense corporations

• Main Author: Weber, Thomas Anthony
• Language: EN
• Published: Indiana Institute of Technology 2016
• Subjects: Management|Communication|Sociology
• Online Access: http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10239973

<p> Expatriate knowledge transfer is often disrupted, which creates a loss of learning for the sending organization. Lack of knowledge transfer also causes a loss of competitive advantage for corporations. This study investigates barriers to knowledge transfer for expatriates in a US-based defense company. This research examines knowledge transfer through the lived experiences of expatriates, focusing on the characteristics of &ldquo;ability to transfer&rdquo; and &ldquo;motivation to transfer&rdquo; and their representation as &ldquo;noise&rdquo; in the communication system. This research uses qualitative methods to explore whether barriers to knowledge transfer exist within a corporation. This phenomenological case study provides a way to understand the social interaction between expatriates and their organization from the expatriates&rsquo; perspective. This research contributes to the understanding of the phenomenon around knowledge transfer. The data collected from the expatriates showed many different themes, but the most prevalent was their reliance on their social networks. The most common barrier for knowledge transfer dealt with supervisory interactions and the lack of formal knowledge documentation processes. There were also many other barriers noted by the expatriates, but these barriers were overcome through an expatriate&rsquo;s focus on personal responsibility.</p>