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International knowledge brokerage and returnees’ entrepreneurial decisions

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Abstract

Based on the knowledge brokerage literature and the international entrepreneurship literature, we investigate whether returnees’ international knowledge transfer affects their entrepreneurial decisions and the extent to which this relationship is contingent on perceived supportive policies for returnee entrepreneurship and returnees’ difficulties with cross-cultural readjustment in their home countries. Analyzing first-hand survey data, we find a positive relationship between international knowledge transfer and returnees’ decisions to become entrepreneurs. This positive relationship is strengthened by the perception of the home country’s supportive policies for returnee entrepreneurship but is weakened by returnees’ perceived difficulties in readjusting to the local norms and culture in their home countries.

Abstract

A partir de la littérature sur le courtage de connaissances et de la littérature sur l'entrepreneuriat international, nous étudions si le transfert des connaissances internationales des rapatriés affecte leurs décisions entrepreneuriales et dans quelle mesure cette relation est subordonnée aux politiques de soutien pour l’entrepreneuriat des rapatriés perçues et aux difficultés de réajustement interculturel des rapatriés dans leurs pays d'origine. Analysant les données primaires d’une enquête, nous constatons une relation positive entre le transfert de connaissances internationales et les décisions des rapatriés de devenir entrepreneurs. Cette relation positive est renforcée par la perception des politiques de soutien du pays d'accueil pour l’entrepreneuriat des rapatriés, mais elle est affaiblie par les difficultés perçues par les rapatriés dans la réadaptation aux normes locales et à la culture de leurs pays d'origine.

Abstract

Con base en la literatura de intermediación de conocimientos y en la literatura de emprendimiento internacional, investigamos si la transferencia de conocimiento internacional de los repatriados afecta sus decisiones emprendedoras y la medida en la que esta relación depende de las políticas de apoyo percibidas para el emprendimiento de los repatriados y las dificultades de los repatriados en el reajuste transcultural a sus países de origen. Analizando datos de primera mano de una encuesta, encontramos una relación positiva entre la transferencia de conocimiento internacional y la decisión de los repatriados de ser empresarios. Esta relación positiva es fortalecida por la percepción de las políticas de apoyo para el emprendimiento de retornados, pero es debilitada por la percepción de dificultad de los repatriados a reajustarse a las normas y la cultura de su país de origen.

Abstract

Com base na literatura sobre intermediação (brokerage) do conhecimento e a literatura sobre empreendedorismo internacional, nós investigamos se a transferência de conhecimento internacional de repatriados afeta as suas decisões empresariais e até que ponto essa relação depende de políticas de apoio percebidas para o empreendedorismo de repatriados e das dificuldades dos repatriados na readaptação intercultural em seus países de origem. Analisando dados de pesquisa em primeira mão, encontramos uma relação positiva entre a transferência de conhecimento internacional e as decisões dos repatriados para se tornarem empreendedores. Essa relação positiva é reforçada pela percepção de políticas de apoio do país de origem para o empreendedorismo de repatriados, mas é enfraquecida por dificuldades percebidas pelos repatriados na readaptação às normas locais e cultura em seus países de origem.

Abstract

基于知识经纪文献和国际创业文献, 我们调查了海归者的国际知识转移是否影响他们的创业决策, 以及这种关系在多大程度上取决于感知到的海归者创业支持政策和海归者在他们母国的跨文化适应困难。分析一手调查数据, 我们发现国际知识转移和海归者创业决策之间正相关。这一正相关通过海归者对母国创业支持政策的认知而加强, 但是也通过海归者感知到的适应当地规范和他们母国文化的困难而减弱。

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Notes

  1. The definition of returnees given here differs from that of organizational repatriates, as the former includes individuals who left their home countries for the purpose of higher education and training in foreign countries and returned to their home countries after obtaining a higher degree/training or work experience. Organizational repatriates were employees who were sent overseas by MNEs and returned to their home countries and continue to work in the MNEs after their international assignments (Lazarova & Caligiuri, 2001).

  2. Home countries have issued specific policies to attract and support returnee entrepreneurs to facilitate the innovation and entrepreneurship led by returnees with advanced knowledge, which accelerates the growth of the developing home countries. Most of the supportive policies target returnees with certain requirements, such as overseas degrees and work experience. Overall, policy support targets highly skilled returnees and aims at promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the home country.

  3. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, in 2013, approximately 354,000 returnees came back to China from overseas. Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China. http://data.stats.gov.cn/workspace/index?m=hgnd.

  4. The responses on the scales of policy support for returnee entrepreneurship, Readjustment difficulties of returnees and policy support for returnee family are as follows: 1 – Strongly disagree; 2 – Disagree; 3 – Somewhat disagree; 4 – Neutral; 5 – Somewhat agree; 6 – Agree; 7 – Strongly agree.

  5. The seven strategic emerging industries include new generations of the information technology, biology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, new material, new energy auto, energy-saving and environmental protection industries.

  6. China’s State Council issued the “12th Five-Year Plan Outline” and laid out seven strategic emerging industries.

  7. All appendices are included in the “Online Supporting Information”.

  8. We coded the three levels of international knowledge transfer into two dummies, following the scheme in http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/webbooks/reg/chapter5/statareg5.htm.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Editor Professor Paula Caligiuri and three anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments. This article was partially funded by research grants from the National Science Foundation of China (#71472010; # 71172020; #71525004 and #71502180).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lingnan (University) College, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

    Daomi Lin

  2. Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, Beijing, China

    Jiangyong Lu & Xiru Zhang

  3. School of Business and Economics, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, UK

    Xiaohui Liu

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  1. Daomi Lin
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Accepted by Paula Caligiuri, Area Editor, 13 December 2015. This article has been with the authors for three revisions.

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Lin, D., Lu, J., Liu, X. et al. International knowledge brokerage and returnees’ entrepreneurial decisions. J Int Bus Stud 47, 295–318 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2016.1

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