TY - JOUR
T1 - Sharing and developing knowledge of organization culture during international assignments
AU - Boyle, Brendan
AU - Nicholas, Stephen
AU - Mitchell, Rebecca
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - This article investigates the sharing and development of knowledge of organization culture during international assignments in multinational enterprises (MNE). Organization culture is presented as a category of knowledge, and the value of this knowledge is discussed in the strategic context of MNE integration and the development of global management competencies. In-depth interview data from 21 cases of international assignments across 13 MNEs are analysed, revealing that assignees play a role in sharing knowledge of organization culture through the process of articulating tacit perspectives held across global units. The data also reveal a role for assignments in the development of comprehension of substantive heterogeneity. This article contributes to our understanding of the developmental aspects of assignments, the utility of assignments as a method for knowledge sharing and the role of international assignments in the integration of MNEs.
AB - This article investigates the sharing and development of knowledge of organization culture during international assignments in multinational enterprises (MNE). Organization culture is presented as a category of knowledge, and the value of this knowledge is discussed in the strategic context of MNE integration and the development of global management competencies. In-depth interview data from 21 cases of international assignments across 13 MNEs are analysed, revealing that assignees play a role in sharing knowledge of organization culture through the process of articulating tacit perspectives held across global units. The data also reveal a role for assignments in the development of comprehension of substantive heterogeneity. This article contributes to our understanding of the developmental aspects of assignments, the utility of assignments as a method for knowledge sharing and the role of international assignments in the integration of MNEs.
KW - Cross-cultural management
KW - international assignments
KW - knowledge
KW - multinational enterprises
KW - organization culture
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84871670166&doi=10.1177%2f1470595812440151&partnerID=40&md5=db5f85a5a959b8e78ab4e79feabab7d3
U2 - 10.1177/1470595812440151
DO - 10.1177/1470595812440151
M3 - Article
VL - 12
SP - 361
EP - 378
JO - International Journal of Cross Cultural Management
JF - International Journal of Cross Cultural Management
SN - 1470-5958
IS - 3
ER -