Reverse knowledge transfer in emerging market multinational enterprises: a study of Indian multinationals

The dynamic internationalisation patterns exhibited by multinationals from Emerging Markets have been widely discussed especially in terms of their catching up strategies and how they leverage knowledge in the global arena. In this context, the paper attempts to study the Indian multinationals to understand their knowledge acquisitions from overseas mergers and acquisitions.
Specifically, the effects of the perceived subsidiary capability and the relevance of the target knowledge on the process of reverse knowledge transfer have been
examined. The role of organisational characteristics like absorptive capacity and the technical knowledge infrastructure in aiding reverse knowledge transfer have also been highlighted. Following a survey of Indian multinationals with overseas acquisitions, we find that perceived subsidiary capability and absorptive capacity
positively influences reverse knowledge transfer. The results also highlight the moderating role of knowledge relevance on the effects of the above dete
rminants on reverse knowledge transfer.