Reverse Knowledge Transfer in Multinational Companies: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The mainstream literature has focused on knowledge transfer from parent companies to subsidiaries, while paying less attention to knowledge created at the subsidiary level. But there is a growing trend to knowledge co-creation, and the responsibility of knowledge creation has shifted form headquarters to the corporation as a whole and irs subsidiaries. Using a thorough systematic review over a 15-year period in top-tier journals, this thematic analysis finds interesting literature gaps to be filled and proposes a theoretical framework that conceptualizes the reverse knowledge transfer as a complex process; moreover, we offer a detailed view on the phenomenon of reverse knowledge transfer, seeking to contribute to a better understanginf of it and providing a basis to assist corporate managers in global strategic planning and knowledge managemet and scholars in future academic reserach in the field