Reverse knowledge transfer from central europe to western europe: Selected case studies

Abstract

Reverse knowledge transfer refers to the knowledge flow from the subsidiary to the parent company. This paper analyzes whether subsidiaries located in a former transitional country (Slovakia) transfer original knowledge to their parent companies in so-called developed Western Europe, and focuses on key drivers, communication channels, and contribution of such knowledge flow. Qualitative research with four multinational companies was conducted to identify reverse knowledge transfer cases and to analyze if the Slovak subsidiaries have the potential to contribute to the corporate knowledge and increase the performance of corporations in various functional areas.