• International Area Studies Review
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.425-446
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• 2011

There has been a conventional wisdom that a higher level of autonomy of a foreign subsidiary could lead to a higher level of subsidiary performance. Most MNCs seeking for managing localization efficiently followed this wisdom. But there has been no empirical evidence so far in academic journal that there is a clear positive relationship between subsidiary autonomy and performance. Recently most MNCs are trying to pursue a global strategy for managing foreign sudsidiaries, in which the coordination role of parent company is essential. For the MNCs seeking global strategy the coordination role of the parent and subsidiary autonomy appears to have a trade off relationship. It is uncertain in the situation that the positive relationship between subsidiary autonomy and performance is still effective. Therefore the purpose of the study is to provide an empirical evidence of the the hypothesis that there is a positive relationship between subsidiary autonomy and performance, The study utilized the questionaire survey of Korean subsidiaries of MNCs. The empirical results of the study showed the significant positive relationship between two variables, which is cinsistent to the hypotheses.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.15-25
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• 2015

Purpose - There is a lack of research on how much corporate control is sufficient for effective subsidiary business-related decision making. To address this research gap, this study analyzes the impact of the level of control of a Korean corporation's headquarters on its overseas subsidiary performance. Research design, data, methodology - The study's sample comes from the Overseas Korean Business Directory of KOTRA. A multiple regression analysis empirically confirmed the relationship between the headquarters level of control over the subsidiaries and their performance. Results - The results show that the greater an organization's headquarters control over strategic issues, the greater the subsidiary's non-financial performance. However, quick decision-making through decentralization promotes the rapid selection of successful new products that can provide a competitive advantage. Conclusion - This study shows that the impact of control levels on subsidiary performance depends on the type of control involved. Specifically, while low levels of control over operational issues had a positive (+) influence on subsidiary non-financial performance, high control levels led to improved non-financial performance with regard to strategic issues among the subsidiaries.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.108-127
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• 2021

Purpose - On the basis of knowledge transfer theory, we empirically explored how three types of human resource (HR) innovation knowledge exchange within a Chaebol drive the global subsidiary performance of the headquarters (HQ) of a Chaebol's globally affiliated companies. Design/methodology - Using a sample of 176 Korean HQ firms of the top 53 Chaebols and 1,061 of their foreign manufacturing subsidiaries (n = 1,061), we tested the relationship between the exchange of explorative and exploitative sustainable HR innovation knowledge among HQ firms of Chaebols, their subsequent transfer of technical HR knowledge via technical schemas, and the subsequent impact on the global subsidiary performance. Findings - The Chaebols' decisions about the three strategic knowledge management options (i.e., the degree of exchange of explorative and exploitative technological HR innovation knowledge and the extent of HQ-subsidiary HR knowledge transfer) have highly significant relationships with the global subsidiary performance. The results help explains the conditions under which the explorative versus exchange of exploitative sustainable HR innovation knowledge pays off by showing the moderating role of the degree of HQ-to-subsidiary technical HR knowledge transfer, at least in the case of the Chaebol as one representative type of the emerging-market business groups. Originality/value - As the first of its kind in the field of sustainable HR innovation knowledge management at the business group level, the present study makes a clear contribution in demonstrating how the performance of Chaebols' manufacturing subsidiaries depends greatly on their strategy for management of knowledge, as reflected in the choices they make about sharing both explorative and exploitative sustainable HR innovation knowledge among HQ firms and the subsequent transfer of HQ's sustainable HR innovation knowledge to the foreign subsidiaries.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.195-218
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• 2016

This study seeks to find out the determinants of subsidiary performance. In addition, moderating effect of autonomy on the relationship between subsidiary competence, subsidiary relationship and subsidiary configurational focus, and subsidiary performance. In studying the moderating effect of autonomy on subsidiary performance, the results will give invaluable insights to foreign subsidiaries in Korea to better compete in competitive Korean market. The results of empirical study showed that subsidiary with higher level of interaction with its intra-MNC network has higher level of performance. Thus, active interaction with headquarter and its affiliates will lead to better performance. Subsidiary with higher level of competence has higher level of performance. Thus, subsidiary should attain higher level of competence to better compete in Korea. Subsidiary autonomy has moderating effect on the relationship between configurational focus and performance. Thus, optimal MNC subsidiary configuration and attainment of subsidiary autonomy is needed to secure competitiveness in Korean market.

• Proceedings of the Korea Institute of Fire Science and Engineering Conference
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.197-200
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• 2011

This study aims to inform of current situation related to fire safety performance regulation on bed mattress in domestic and foreign countries, and even to make a slight analysis report on heat release rate of bed mattress based on preliminary KICT study which has comparison data together with several items inside house.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.231-249
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• 2019

Technology transfer from a multinational company to a local subsidiary is essential for successful local market operations. This study aims to analyze the impact of market, cultural and institutional environmental factors on international technology transfer and innovation performance based on the S-C-P paradigm. We collected data from one hundred ninety-five subsidiaries of Korean parent firms located in seventeen countries and used structural equation modeling to test hypotheses. The analysis findings are as follow; First, both market and cultural environment directly affect international technology transfer. However, institutional environment such as protection of intellectual property does not affect international technology transfer. Due to the less risk of technology disclosure involved in technology transfer within the MNE organization can be not relationship between protection of intellectual property in the host country and the foreign subsidiary's transfer of technology. The risk of infringement of intellectual property is relatively low in intra-firm transfer of technology. Second, the technology introduced from the parent company has a positive effect on the innovation performance of local subsidiaries. This implies that multinational companies that have entered unfamiliar overseas markets should be able to effectively transfer the inherent advantages of the parent company to their overseas subsidiaries, and that their ability to adapt to the local environment is important.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.71-97
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• 2003

In this study, the main goal is conduct an empirical research for MNC's(multinational companies) contingency factors and entry modes. Through examining elements of success and limitations of foreign companies in the domestic market, a resulting purpose can be suggested such as developing attractive foreign investment policy. The results in this study are as below. The results from Logistic Regression Analysis there were indications for preference factors for WOS (Wholly Owned Subsidiary). The factors were 'Strategic Motivation', 'Intelligent Property', and 'Market Latent Purchasing Power'. For JV (Joint Venture) there were preferred factors such as 'Degree of Using Product Factors', 'Differential Products Development Ability', and 'Systematic Incentives'. However, this thesis is limited to identifying clear causal relationship between the 'Performance' of foreign investment enterprise which entered WOS or JV and various factors which were suggested in the contingency factors (independent variables).

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.277-306
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• 2008

Knowledge1 is considered to be a key element of understanding how organizations gain and sustain competitive advantages. But very few firms are capable of creating the requisite knowledge and thus, firms should acquire and exploit new knowledge through knowledge transfer processes. The empirical part of this study involves examining relationships among adaptability of knowledge and knowledge transfer and marketing performance and testing the moderating roles of absorptive capacity, socialization and local marketing knowledge. This study is organized as follows: (1) Previous literature on knowledge, knowledge transfer and absorptive capacity is summarized, followed by the development of hypotheses derived from the knowledge-based view and absorptive capacity. (2) The hypotheses are tested with data collected from MNCs' subsidiaries performing marketing activities in Korea.Thestudyisclosedwithfindings,implications,andconclusions. Following six research hypotheses are drawn from literature review in related areas: H1: Adaptability of knowledge transferred from the MNCs' headquarters and other subsidiaries is positively associated with knowledge inflows into the receiving subsidiary. H2: The level of marketing knowledge transferred from the MNCs' headquarters and other subsidiaries is positively associated with marketing performance of the receiving subsidiary. H3: Increases in potential absorptive capacity will enhance the relationship between adaptability of knowledge and the level of marketing knowledge transfer. H4: Increases in realized absorptive capacity will enhance the relationship between the level of knowledge transfer and marketing performance of the receiving subsidiary. H5: Increases in socialization activity among the headquarters and subsidiaries will enhance the relationship between adaptability of knowledge and the level of marketing knowledge transfer. H6: Increases in the level of locally developed marketing knowledge will enhance the relationship between the level of knowledge transfer and marketing performance of the receiving subsidiary. The research framework that illustrates the proposed hypotheses is presented in figure 1. The unit of analysis for this study is knowledge transfer from the MNCs' headquarters and other subsidiaries to their subsidiaries operating in South Korea. The population for this study consists of subsidiaries established either as joint ventures or as wholly-owned subsidiaries. A group of 603 foreign firms were drawn from diverse industry organizations and business societies. After personal contact, telephone, fax, and e-mail to request that the respondents complete the questionnaire, 282 valid questionnaires from 133 initial sample companies were collected. The results of the empirical analyses significantly support all of the proposed hypotheses except hypothesis 3. Adaptability of external knowledge promotes knowledge transfer and the relationship is moderated by a firm's potential knowledge absorptive capacity. On the other hand, knowledge transfer improves a firm's marketing performance and a firm's realized knowledge absorptive capacity and local marketing knowledge moderate the relationship. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings in this study are as follows: (1) firms must take seeking, transferring, sharing and exploiting of external knowledge into serious consideration, while simultaneously creating knowledge to support the necessary business operations, remain competitive, and achieve superior performance. (2) Firms should continuously seek to develop their knowledge absorptive capacity (both potential and realized capacity) to absorb, learn and utilize valuable external knowledge. (3) Firms should emphasize not only absorptive capacity, but also development of local knowledge. Firms with strong absorptive capability and local knowledge can learn and transfer more external knowledge, which can be translated into greater levels of competence and performance.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.197-220
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• 2012

This study is to understand those determinants of performance differences of Korean small and medium firm's subsidiaries in Vietnam based on the resource based view. We have visited 21 Korean SME's subsidiaries in Hochiminh city area in Vietnam and interviewed CEO of those subsidiaries for 1-2 hours to make each case. Based on case content analysis, we can get those results that eight management capabilities such as securing competent local managers, clear and smooth communication with local employees, establishing good labor-management relations, raising the rate of factory operation and subcontracting, firm specific quality control system, timely financing, establishing good relationships with local communities, and fostering friendly relations with local public officers are major determinants of performance differences. Also we can know that various factors including local experiences in Vietnam have influenced those management capabilities. To be a high performer in Vietnam, foreign subsidiaries of Korean SMEs have to build and develop major management capabilities continuously.

• 한국디지털정책학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.323-335
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• 2005

Globalization of economy brings both opportunities and threats especially for companies in developing countries such as Korea. Globalization is an opportunity because it may expand the size of market for the company where globalization brings a threat for developing global competitiveness. If the company has already built competitive advantage in its business domain, the company can easily transfer market growth to profit improvement. However, if the company has not developed competitive advantage, globalization of economy will give a serious threat for the survivor of the company. The company might lose its own domestic market share. For the less famous brand of product or company name, international expansion is a challenging strategy. The study evaluated organizational performance of companies that try international expansion by utilizing Miles and Snow's strategy typology. We clustered organizations based on their strategy typology (prospector, analyzer, defender, and reactor) in view of the level of product diversification, new product development instances, level of localization, and autonomy of foreign subsidiary. With the strategy typology, we evaluated international strategy in view of product competitiveness, marketing strategy, human resource strategy, and organizational strategy. The regression result demonstrates that the performance of the company is significantly higher when the company employs prospector strategy. We also found out that product quality and emphasis for developed countries in international expansion are the most important factors for success.