Reverse Transfers of Innovation and National Development: Evidence from Brazilian Subsidiaries

• Main Authors: Maitê Alves Bezerra, Felipe Mendes Borini, Maria Laura Maclennan Ferranty
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad Alberto Hurtado 2015-12-01
• Series: Journal of Technology Management & Innovation
• Subjects: reverse transfer; innovation transfer; product innovation; process innovation; subsidiaries
• Online Access: https://www.jotmi.org/index.php/GT/article/view/1891

The search for innovation has become an important motivation for the internationalization of companies in emerging countries. In that context, this study tests the impact that a nation’s development has on whether subsidiaries transfer innovation of products or that of processes. Survey data collected from 73 subsidiaries of Brazilian companies indicate that companies located in developed markets tend to transfer more product-oriented innovations than do those based in emerging countries. Furthermore, the size and age of a subsidiary has an impact on the transfer process. The larger and younger the subsidiary, the more likely a company is to favor the flow of product innovation into its headquarters. The level of national development was not identified as an influence on the flow of process innovation.