Innovation Offshoring, Institutional Context and Innovation Performance: A Meta-Analysis
Journal
Journal of Management Studies
ISSN
0022-2380
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2019-01-01
Author(s)
Abstract
Innovation offshoring (IO) has become a widespread management practice. Yet, evidence on the performance implications is inconsistent, and scattered across disciplines and contexts. We argue that the benefits firms can derive from IO depend on the institutional environment at home. Drawing on recent work on institutional theory in international business, we explore institutions that facilitate reverse knowledge transfer and/or institutional arbitrage with respect to innovation-related activities. The results of our meta-analysis that synthesizes evidence from 48 samples show that IO is related positively to innovation performance. As predicted, this relationship is moderated by differences in the institutional environments across countries. Specifically, when national innovation systems are weak at home, IO appears to enable institutional arbitrage strategy whereas Confucian cultures enable more effective reverse knowledge transfer. However, contrary to our expectations, the beneficial effects of IO appear to have diminished over time.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Blackwell Publishing Limited
Volume
56
Number
1
Start page
203
End page
233
Subject(s)
Contact Email Address
isabella.hatak@unisg.ch
Eprints ID
255134
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Name
Innovation Offshoring Manuscript.pdf
Size
342.03 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
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