Technology Transfers and Knowledge Management in Developing Economies: Case Study of an Indonesian Manufacturer

摘要

International technology transfers are crucial for developing economies since they may operate as one of the key drivers in the economies' development path. Previous studies have acknowleged some channels of technology transfers for developing economies. Nevertheless, the precise mechanisms of how the technology transfers would occur and take effect in each of the recipient economies and their domestc companies are still to be explored. Furthermore, understanding domestc companies knowledge management is important since it would determine the absorptve capacity of the company toward advanced foreign technologies. This study uses a case of technologically intermediate-level Indonesian manufacturer to show evidence of international technology transfers and their impacts on the development of indigenous technological capabilites of the domestc company, as well as to examine the company's knowledge management. This study confrmed some benefts of international technology transfers for the domestc company, especially through the major mechanisms of technical license assistances, capital goods imports, turnkey projects, technical consultancies, backward-vertcal flows of foreign direct investment, and partcipation in overseas markets. However, the impacts toward the domestc company's technological capabilites were generally at intermediate level. This implies that the domestc company needs to spend more investments on in-house R&D actvites and to improve its knowledge management systems.