Abstract
Technology transfer in international collaborations is difficult but can occur in both local and foreign-owned firms in emerging economies. Building on differences in absorptive capacity between these two kinds of firms, we identify the role of human resource development (HRD) and knowledge management (KM) as key factors for successful knowledge transfer. Drawing on a crisp set qualitative comparative analysis of a sample of 30 of the largest local and foreign-owned construction firms in Ghana, we investigate how knowledge acquisition and sharing between collaborating partners can facilitate technology transfer. We find that successful technology transfer in these two kinds of firms depend on different combinations of HRD and KM factors and knowledge networks. We contribute to the literature on technology transfer in emerging economies by shedding light on the underlying processes that foster a firm’s ability to absorb and share knowledge in international collaborations in ways that generate competitive advantage.