The effect of employing knowledge workers from technologically advanced countries: The knowledge spillover caused by the mobility of knowledge workers in electronic industries in Asia

Abstract

This paper is an extension of work originally presented in 2017 6th International Conference on Industrial Technology and Management (ICITM). This research focuses on the mobilization of human resources in the Asian electrical industry and analyzes the impact of engineers' international mobility on the innovation of enterprises in the host countries. I examine the characteristics of engineers who moved from Japan to China and South Korea to explore which types of engineers successful firms in China and South Korea select from rival companies in Japan. In addition, this study focuses on the role of the inventors' networks to investigate the significance of researcher mobility and knowledge spillover as mechanisms that facilitate the flow of tacit knowledge. This study reveals that during the process of innovation, informal networks play an important role in the mobility of engineers. The findings suggest that successful firms require people with analytical skills and problem-solving capacity, not "star inventors.".