Interfirm Alliance Interactions and Knowledge Learning : A Conceptual Research Model

Abstract

Alliance raises many knowledge transfer and interfirm learning issues that have implications for how the alliance partners manage their cooperative learning activities in the alliance system. Many of these implications are grounded in the assumption that partners in the alliances have routines for transferring knowledge, learning, gaining management efficiencies. Thus organisations can support knowledge flow, learning, sharing and even developing with technology and management practices in alliances. This paper introduces a conceptual research model of knowledge transfer within learning IJVs. Based on the review of the literature, this paper identified each category relevant to the research model of knowledge transfer in alliances and proposed several research questions when considering the particular characteristics of knowledge transfer and learning process as an additional way of looking at cooperative relationships. The purpose was to illustrate the importance of interfirm knowledge transfer in IJVs and relevant knowledge transfer barriers and facilitating mechanisms and knowledge transfer stages for alliance partners faced with the new knowledge environments. It justifies the constructs and identifies the interrelationships among these concepts through proposing a framework of interfirm knowledge transfer and organisational learning in IJVs.