An Analysis of Global R&D Activities of Japanese MNCs in the US From the Knowledge-Based View

We examined 79 Japanese MNCs´ R&D subsidiaries in the US from the knowledge-based view. We found: 1) subsidiaries´ R&D strategies encouraged some types of knowledge flows, but discouraged other types; 2) autonomous R&D subsidiaries promoted knowledge flows from local environments to the subsidiary; 3) process-oriented incentives promoted technical knowledge flows between a subsidiary and its headquarters; 4) knowledge flows and R&D strategies contributed to a subsidiary´s knowledge accumulation; 5) organizational factors such as autonomy and process-oriented incentives contributed more to a subsidiary´s overall performance than the subsidiary´s R&D strategies did