Sustainable Development of Multinational Companies in Asia: Reverse Transfer of Diversity Management Knowledge to Headquarters

Abstract

AbstractFor the sustainable development of multinational companies, one of the crucial issues for headquarters (HQ) is to value and integrate the knowledge acquired by expatriates during their international assignments. This chapter aims to investigate the Reverse Knowledge Transfer (RKT) of diversity management practices in multinational companies (MNCs). More specifically, we explore the factors that may hinder expatriates’ willingness and engagement in the RKT. With the data collected in French subsidiaries in Singapore, by capturing how French expatriates perceive and practice diversity management while working in the French subsidiaries in Singapore, and what organizational supports have been put in place to ease the RKT, the findings reveal the expatriates’ silence and the reasons behind the weak transfer of their diversity management knowledge to HQ. The results highlight the importance for both HQ and expatriates to pay attention to the reverse transfer of diversity management knowledge. Concrete policies and practices that foster RKT are outlined at the end of the chapter.KeywordsDiversity managementExpatriateFrench subsidiariesReverser knowledge transfer (RKT)SingaporeSustainable development