Knowledge transfer in multinationals: The role of inpatriates' boundary spanning
研究跨国公司中内部派驻人员（inpatriates）在母公司与总部之间跨越边界对知识转移的影响，基于269名派驻人员的样本发现，边界跨越促进知识转移努力，且总部吸收能力和指导起调节作用。
Abstract Viewing knowledge as rooted in individuals, this study investigates knowledge transfer in multinational corporations (MNCs) from an individual‐level perspective. Specifically, the author focuses on inpatriates as a particular group of knowledge actors in MNCs and examines the role of inpatriates' boundary spanning between their home unit and the headquarters for transferring their knowledge to headquarters staff. Based on a sample of 269 inpatriates in 10 German MNCs, the author found that inpatriates' boundary spanning is positively related to inpatriates' individual efforts to transfer knowledge and inpatriates' perceptions of HQ staff efforts to acquire subsidiary‐specific knowledge. Both perceived HQ absorptive capacity and mentoring by HQ staff moderate these relationships. This study's findings contribute to our understanding of the theoretical mechanisms through which MNC knowledge flows occur and highlight key requirements for the design of international staffing practices. ©2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.