Reverse Knowledge Transfer: Examples of Three Business Centers in Slovakia

Abstract

For international organizations, business centers are a way to simplify particular tasks. While some of the centers work on many projects for the parent corporation, others are highly specialized in only one. A business center's establishment in the host nation signifies an infusion of direct foreign investment for that nation, bringing with it information, expertise, technology and, know-how. The aim of the article is to identify the reverse transfer of knowledge from business centers in the Slovakia to their parent company. In this article, we investigate three chosen business centers located in Slovakia – a country belonging to the region of Central and Eastern Europe. We use the approach of a case study based on various cases. Then, using the method of comparison, we evaluate and compare the similarities and differences of these centers. Our research has led us to the conclusion that a reverse knowledge transfer can be seen in the examples of business centers in Slovakia that we have chosen; however, this knowledge does not flow back to the parent company in two cases but instead is transferred to other centers of the given company in other countries. In one instance, we fail to notice this information transfer. This is due to the chosen center being a special kind of center for a certain multinational corporation. In one instance, we found a definite reverse transfer of knowledge in the areas of sustainability and resilience from the center to the parent firm.