Highly skilled (re-)migrants in multinational enterprises: Facilitators of cross-border knowledge transfers

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine how externally recruited, highly skilled (re-)migrants facilitate cross-border knowledge transfers in multinational enterprises (MNEs). To achieve this goal, an actor-centred research perspective will be adopted, which allows for a detailed examination of both individual employees involved in MNEs cross-border knowledge transfers as well as organizational strategies to facilitate and structure knowledge transfers. Empirically, the article is based on the example of highly skilled (re-)migrants of Turkish origin, who obtained a university degree in Germany, then (re-)migrated to Turkey and work in subsidiaries of German MNEs. The empirical results show that highly skilled (re-)migrants of Turkish origin are strategically used to work at interface positions between German and Turkish business units. Based on their professional expertise, dual societal embeddedness and profound language skills, highly skilled (re-)migrants facilitate cross-border knowledge transfers by building social proximity and bridging institutional distances. Overall, the article contributes to the micro-foundation of cross-border knowledge transfers in MNEs.