AUTHOR
Andersson, Dennis

DATE
2000-06-09

DEPARTMENT
Business Administration and Social Sciences / Industrial marketing and e-commerce

SUMMARY
The purpose of this thesis has been to explore and describe hos international firms transfer knowledge between headquarters and subsidiaries.

In a globalised economy where the pace of technological innovation and market entry is increasingly becoming faster in order to stay ahead of competition well managed transfer of knowledge has become vital. Transfer of knowledge can be seen as the systematic exchange of skills and and practices between to parties. My choice of case study Sandvik, very well exemplify's a firm working in such an environment.

A thourough theoretical study has foregone the empirical study giving a theoretical framework which has been followed. This thesis has studied a number of tools and facilitators for transfer of knowledge, those were, tools: intra firm forums , projects and taskforces and international personel transfer. Among facilitators can trust,IT, language, local presence and effective internal control be mentioned. However there are some problems to the effective transfer of knowledge and this thesis has adressed them aswell.

Conclusions drawn from this study is that a "blend of activities" in order to secure fast diffusion of knowledge works best, this due to the fact that the tools are equally important. The role of faciltiators should not be underestimated, the firm with an organisational character where many of them are at work is clearly benefiting from it, with a knowledge leverage above competition. Of the problems causing greatest difficulty the not invented here problem (NIH) and language barriers are among the ones most worth mentioning

It has been a very intresting topic to conduct research in, and I am positive that it will be further adressed in the future.

The thesis is confidential / Uppsatsen är konfidentiell

ISSN 1404-5508 / ISRN LTU-SHU-EX--00/090--SE / NR 2000:090