• Journal of Korea Trade
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.82-98
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• 2020

Purpose - This study aims to overcome the limitations of existing studies, which linearly determine the precedence factors of competency in overseas subsidiaries. The research objectives are as follows. First, what kind of nonlinear effects does the level of control held by Korean headquarters over foreign subsidiaries have in terms of competency in the subsidiaries? Second, what kind of nonlinear effects do the local experiences of overseas subsidiaries have on their competency? Design/methodology - With data on Korean multinational corporations (MNCs), this paper analyzes the effects of control levels of headquarters (HQs) and host-country experiences of foreign subsidiaries regarding competency in overseas subsidiaries. In particular, this study focuses on nonlinear models, differentiating it from previous studies. In order to examine research hypotheses, this study conducted a survey of overseas subsidiaries of Korean corporations. Surveys were conducted through various methods including e-mail, online questionnaires, fax, and telephone calls. Copies of the questionnaire were distributed to a total of 2,246 overseas subsidiaries, and 409 completed responses were collected. Excluding 15 copies that were insufficiently answered, responses from a total of 394 copies were used for analysis. Findings - This study presents the following results. First, there is a U-shaped relationship between levels of HQ control and competency in foreign subsidiaries. This means that higher levels of HQ control negatively impact the competency levels of subsidiaries because strict control undermines autonomy in subsidiaries. However, if the level of HQ control exceeds a certain point, then the transfer of knowledge between HQs and subsidiaries is facilitated. Knowledge transferred from HQs can be used as prior knowledge by foreign subsidiaries to the benefit of all parties. Accordingly, knowledge transfer negates the negative effects of excessive HQ control and positively affects competency in subsidiaries. Second, there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the local (host-country) experiences of subsidiaries and competency in foreign subsidiaries. This means that foreign subsidiaries can overcome the liabilities of foreignness and contribute to capability building by accumulating unique knowledge about their host countries. However, if local experiences accumulate excessively beyond a certain point, then the host country-specific experiences of foreign subsidiaries will offset the benefits discussed above. Excessive local experiences not only increase organizational inertia, but also create a problem of goal incongruence due to information asymmetry between HQs and subsidiaries. Therefore, excessive local experiences have negative effects on competency in foreign subsidiaries. Originality/value - This study suggests the following implications. First, unlike existing studies based mainly on linear models, this study presents important theoretical implications in its focus on nonlinear models and its analysis of the effects of HQ control and local experiences on competency in foreign subsidiaries from perspectives of organizational learning theory and agency theory. Second, in terms of practical implications, the results of this study suggest that optimally raising levels of HQ control and managing the local experiences of subsidiaries without increasing organizational inertia is important for enhancing competency in foreign subsidiaries.

• 지식경영연구
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.231-249
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• 2019

Technology transfer from a multinational company to a local subsidiary is essential for successful local market operations. This study aims to analyze the impact of market, cultural and institutional environmental factors on international technology transfer and innovation performance based on the S-C-P paradigm. We collected data from one hundred ninety-five subsidiaries of Korean parent firms located in seventeen countries and used structural equation modeling to test hypotheses. The analysis findings are as follow; First, both market and cultural environment directly affect international technology transfer. However, institutional environment such as protection of intellectual property does not affect international technology transfer. Due to the less risk of technology disclosure involved in technology transfer within the MNE organization can be not relationship between protection of intellectual property in the host country and the foreign subsidiary's transfer of technology. The risk of infringement of intellectual property is relatively low in intra-firm transfer of technology. Second, the technology introduced from the parent company has a positive effect on the innovation performance of local subsidiaries. This implies that multinational companies that have entered unfamiliar overseas markets should be able to effectively transfer the inherent advantages of the parent company to their overseas subsidiaries, and that their ability to adapt to the local environment is important.

• 지식경영연구
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.1-13
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• 2013

This study investigates how relational activities within MNC network affect knowledge transfer and performance of subsidiary. We separated the possible relationships between headquarter and overseas subsidiaries by support level, interaction level, and conflict level, and compared the impact on knowledge transfer, and performance. To understand the knowledge sharing, development and performance, we use structural equation modeling to analyze data from subsidiaries in China.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• 제24권8호
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• pp.189-206
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• 2020

Purpose - This paper attempted to verify the process by which a multinational corporation (MNC)'s subsidiary practices entrepreneurship to create effective knowledge (KC) in the local market. We have looked at whether subsidiary entrepreneurship (SENT) has a moderation effect in creating knowledge for the local market when a subsidiary has been given autonomy (AUT) from the headquarters (HQ). We also argue that when a subsidiary creates meaningful knowledge, the effect of the increased status by the HQ within the MNC network position (NP) has an indirect effect on whether knowledge is transferred to other overseas subsidiaries (KTO). Design/methodology - This paper used a structural equation model (SEM) of 282 effective foreign companies invested in Korea. To test the hypothesis about the process of SENT on KTO, descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability, convergent and discriminant validities, and common method bias were analyzed using STATA. In addition, the moderation effect was verified along with SEM. The moderation effect of AUT on SENT and KC was presented graphically by confirming \mathrm{\pm1} standard deviation of AUT for the main effect. Findings - Our findings are as follows. First, while the hypothesis about the direct effect of SENT and KC on KTO was not supported, all other hypotheses were supported. Second, both the AUT and moderating effect and the indirect effect of NP were significant. In the conclusion, these findings are discussed in relation to its various theoretical and practical implications. Originality/value - This study attempted to contribute to the knowledge creation theory of MNC by contemplating how subsidiaries can move away from HQ and grow in the local market. Although there is still a shortage of foreign investment in the Korean market, our practical implications offer guidance for how current subsidiaries can develop more than other overseas subsidiaries.

• 무역학회지
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• 제41권5호
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• pp.325-351
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• 2016

본 연구는 중국에 진출한 한국기업의 자회사가 보유한 흡수능력의 역할과 진입방식의 역할을 중심으로 지식이전, 네트워크(기업네트워크, 정부네트워크)와 경영성과 사이의 관계를 규명하고자 한다. 본 연구에서 흡수능력은 독립변수, 매개변수, 조절변수로 설정하였다. 또한 진입방식은 단독투자와 합작투자로 구분하여 조절변수로 설정하였다. 실증분석을 위한 자료는 대한무역투자진흥공사 '해외진출 한국기업 디렉토리(2014)'에 수록된 설립일 후 3년 이상 된 기업에서 무작위로 선정하였고, 응답률을 높이기 위해 미리 설문조사에 동의한 중국 자회사를 대상으로 팩스와 이메일로 설문지를 배포한 후 138개 기업으로부터 설문지를 회수하였다. 수집된 자료는 AMOS를 활용하여 공분산구조분석으로 흡수능력과 진입방식의 역할에 대해 규명하였다. 실증분석을 실시한 결과 흡수능력은 네트워크(기업네트워크, 정부네트워크)와 같이 독립변수로서 경영성과에 직접적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났고, 오직 기업네트워크와 경영성과 사이에서 부분적 매개적 역할을 하고 있는 것으로 나타났으며, 외생변수와 경영성과 사이에서의 조절적 역할은 유의한 결과를 보이지 않았다. 또한 한국 기업의 대중국 진입방식의 조절적 역할에 대해서는 정부네트워크 및 흡수능력과 경영성과 사이에서 조절적 역할을 하고 있지만 지식이전과 기업네트워크와 경영성과 사이에서는 통계적으로 유의한 결과를 보이지 않았다. 이와 같은 결과는 해외자회사의 경영성과에 영향을 미치는 변수로서 흡수능력은 매개변수나 조절변수로 취급하기보다는 독립변수로 취급될 필요가 있다는 것을 의미하며, 중국시장에 진출할 때는 단독투자보다는 합작투자가 더 높은 경영성과를 나타내고 있으므로 해외시장 진출의 방법 선택에 있어서 시사점을 제공해주고 있다. 그러나 본 연구는 중국에 진출한 한국기업의 자회사만을 대상으로 하였기 때문에 일반화의 한계가 있다. 따라서 향후에는 여러 국가에 진출한 한국기업의 자회사를 대상으로 연구하는 것이 더욱 바람직하다. 또한 중국 자회사의 경영성과에 영향을 미치는 요인이 매우 다양함에도 불구하고 한정적인 변수를 중심으로 연구가 수행되었기 때문에 일반화의 한계가 있는 것으로 사료된다.