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Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

In international business international technology transfer is an important part. It involves several modes. Product or process technologies can be transferred to a host country within a multinational company. Other modes include sale or licensing of technology. In these cases a company other than the technology owner takes technology to a host country. International technology transfer involves many matters such as transfer mode, government trade policies, risk of losing technology and influence of industry associations. In this chapter I report a longitudinal case study (1950–1980) of the diffusion of new manufacturing technology, suspension preheating, within the U.S. cement industry. Here I employ concepts from the literature on international technology transfer. Based on this analysis I identify what impact international technology transfer literature has on dominant design theory. Here I address in more detail the era of ferment of the most recent technology adoption (that is innovation).The U.S. cement industry was included in the original development of the dominant design model. However, technology adoption or innovation was defined as the first commercial introduction of a product made by a new manufacturing technology or process in the United States. This domestic definition of technology adoption neglects all aspects of international technology transfer mentioned earlier.While comparing the results of these two studies of the U.S. cement industry I found differences in the adoption time of technology and inconsistence in the introduction of the technology in the United States. I found that the length of the era of ferment was 29 years – contrary to the seven years reported in the development of dominant design model. This time difference has naturally impacted on the analysis of diffusion. It seems that the international business and international technology transfer literature have impacted on the dominant design model and theory.

The purpose of this paper is to review international technology transfer issues and contribute to the development of effective technology policies in China.

The construct of this paper is based on comprehensive review of recent literatures in technology transfer and innovation. Detailed discussions follow to give implications in policy making.

Technology transfer policy needs to consider influencing factors from various sources and levels. Government should strive to nurture indigenous innovation capacity, and improve the efficiency of international technology transfer.

The environments and conditions for international technology transfer have changed significantly in the last decade. Due to China's rapid development in recent years, many traditional channels of technology transfer are no longer efficient or effective. This paper brings related research issues up to date by reviewing some latest literatures from the perspectives of innovation and technology development. The findings and implications are meaningful for both industry and policy makers.

This chapter investigates whether traditional design-oriented coordination instruments or more modern management concepts have a stronger influence on the success of forward technology transfers within MNCs.

We conducted an empirical study analyzing the relative influence of (a) traditional coordination instruments (structural, technocratic, and person-oriented) and (b) modern management concepts (epistemic community and absorptive capacity) on the success of forward technology transfers within MNCs.

The study finds evidence that the traditional coordination instruments relate to specific aspects of the success of such transfers. Comparing the different types of coordination instruments, this chapter shows that not only the person-oriented, but also the structural and technocratic coordination instruments relate positively with the achievement of technology transfer goals. The study finds stronger relationships between the traditional coordination instruments and the technology transfer goals than between the modern management concepts and the technology transfer goals.

We believe that these results have important implications for the management of international technology transfers in particular and for the focus of future (international) management research in general. Future MNC research studies need to include traditional coordination instruments, since they continue to strongly influence organizational behavior and outcomes. This would help to make organizational research on MNCs more cumulative and complete.

What roles do trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) play in international technology transfer? Do technologies introduced by multinational firms diffuse to local firms? How does the level of intellectual property rights (IPRs) protection in a country affect its ability to absorb foreign technologies? Using these questions as motivation, this paper surveys the recent trade literature on international technology transfer, paying particular attention to the role of FDI. Several useful conclusions emerge. First, the theoretical literature has shown that trade necessarily encourages growth only if knowledge spillovers are international in scope. Second, existing empirical evidence on the scope of knowledge spillovers (national versus international) is ambiguous. Third, recent empirical plant level studies have called into question earlier studies that argued that FDI has a positive impact on productivity of local firms that compete directly with multinationals. Fourth, there is strong evidence in support of vertical spillovers from FDI: i.e. those firms that either supply multinationals or use goods and services produced by them as intermediate inputs experience productivity gains from such interaction. Fifth, it is well established that the degree of global IPR protection affects the pattern of international trade and convincing evidence that it also influences flows of international technology transfer and FDI has also started to emerge.

This chapter provides a selective survey of the theoretical and empirical literature to date on the relationship between intellectual property rights (IPRs) and measures of innovation and international technology transfer. The chapter discusses the empirical implications of theoretical work, assesses the theoretical work based on the evidence available, and identifies some gaps in the existing literature.

This chapter considers the role of technology transfer intermediaries (TTIs) in the processes of innovation in networks involving universities, research and development centres, and business firms from an international perspective. A diversity of types of TTIs is recognised in terms of their particular interests in the operation of innovation processes and the conditions they impose in transactions involving intellectual property. It will identify the various objectives of sponsoring stakeholders as differentiating the missions and accountabilities and, in turn, determining the focus and roles of different types of TTIs and the interactions and networking between them, both formal and informal.

In discussion, the chapter will propose that the significance of systemic influence on the processes of technology transfer and innovation should be researched at two levels. At the micro-level of personal interactions, examining how systemic influences shape tacit knowledge transfer between and learning by individuals engaged in research and innovation processes. Second, at the level of national cultures, examining the ways in which the cultural context institutionalises patterns of innovation and technology transfer networking.

Economic development of a nation depends on the growth and development of its economic entities such as business organizations. In order for an organization to succeed and grow, it has to maintain a technological edge in this competitive global business environment. This can be accomplished either through technological innovation or through technological acquisition and adaptation. The innovated or acquired technology is then transferred to different units of the organization, located at different geographical locations. These transfer, implementation, and use phenomena are crucial for total organizational success and growth.

Discusses the process of international technology transfer. Defines technology transfer and traces its development through the growth of world trade. Analyses factors encouraging the growth of technology transfer – e.g. international relations conducive to trading – and barriers impeding it – e.g. financial restraints. Discusses ownership, control and licensing. Examines reasons why unrelated companies become licensors and licensees. Cites the example of Honda of Japan licensing the manufacture and marketing rights for a modified version of the Honda Ballade (Triumph Acclaim) to British Leyland. Outlines the attitudes of Brazil, the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China and Japan to technology transfer. Concludes that while technology transfer has flourished, there is still a long way to go in refining it.

The purpose of this paper is to explore project‐level human resource aspects of international technology transfers (ITTs) to private sector manufacturing firms in Sri Lanka.

Data were collected from 35 ITT projects. A self‐administered survey questionnaire was chosen as the main mode for data collection. In addition to descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression were used to analyse data.

Firms have acquired product, process and management‐system technologies from countries having different institutional environments, namely, the USA, Europe, China, Japan and India. It was found that the country from which technology was sourced and the type of technology predict several project‐level human resource aspects explored in this paper.

The acquisition of human resource capabilities provides the central underpinning in ITTs. There is a marked absence of research‐led literature on technology transfers at the project‐level that resulted in less developed countries in Asia.