Emerging market multinationals, international knowledge flows and innovation
by Peter Gammeltoft; Bersant Hobdari
International Journal of Technology Management (IJTM), Vol. 74, No. 1/2/3/4, 2017

Abstract: International knowledge flows and innovation are becoming ever more important to the competitiveness of multinational corporations. Emerging market multinationals (EMNCs) in specific are deploying increasingly activist measures to harness foreign sources of knowledge and innovation as a strategy to build up their firm-specific resources and capabilities. In the following, we argue that EMNCs' strategic asset-seeking investments constitute a particularly interesting class of investments, as it presents important challenges to international business theory, firm strategy and public policy. We argue that outward investment to acquire strategic assets abroad at the scale we observe today is a recent addition to the instrument set deployed by emerging economies for development. We proceed to discuss how this type of investments does not sit well with mainstream international business theory and propose ways in which this disagreement can be reconciled through recognition of other EMNC advantages, particularly abilities to leverage country-specific assets, and possession and development of dynamic capabilities. Finally, we identify a set of core themes in the recent literature on strategic asset-seeking investments and relate them to the contributions in the current special issue. We conclude with outlining an agenda of future research.

Online publication date: Wed, 12-Apr-2017

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Technology Management (IJTM):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

    Username:        Password:         

Forgotten your password?


Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com