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Review

International Joint Ventures’ Knowledge Acquisition: Critical Literature Review

by
Mohamed Bouteraa
1,
Elhachemi Tamma
1,2,*,
Mohammed El Hafedh Aichouche
2,
Sadok Achour
3,
Suddin Lada
1,
Rudy Ansar
1,
Lim Ming Fook
1 and
Brahim Chekima
1,*
1
Faculty of Business, Economics and Accountancy, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Malaysia
2
Faculty of Commerce and Management Sciences, University of Echahid Hamma Lakhdar, El-Oued 39000, Algeria
3
Faculty of Economics, Business and Management Sciences, University Mohamed El Bachir El Ibrahimi of Bordj Bou Arreridj, El Anasser 34030, Algeria
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 6364; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086364
Submission received: 15 January 2023 / Revised: 26 February 2023 / Accepted: 6 March 2023 / Published: 7 April 2023
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

:
Over the last decades, many researchers made critical literature reviews and meta-analyses related to technology/knowledge transfer and acquisition majors in different contexts. Due to the paucity of research, this study offers a critical literature review (CLR) on international joint ventures’ knowledge acquisition from foreign partners. This study aims to provide a complete analysis of 23 (out of 93) research publications published in reputable journals and conference proceedings between 1996 and 2020. This review research may be considered a vital resource for academics as it fills in some informational gaps, particularly from an international joint venture perspective. In addition, this paper has presented all previous studies by identifying the main critical factors for knowledge acquisition, namely, the determinants, outcomes, moderator, mediator, and context. The paper provides recommendations for future studies.

1. Introduction

In recent eras, there has been a fast business transformation with geographical diversification, rapid technological progress, and intensification of domestic competition, creating new business challenges. To tackle these new challenges, firms must increase their knowledge assets [1]. Knowledge-based assets are proven to be one of the most crucial assets for businesses [2]. Knowledge is a vital organizational resource capable of boosting production, promoting expansion, and assuring the survival of firms [3]. The development and management of knowledge assets constitute a substantial basis for competitive advantage and have been a key determinant of firm performance [4]. Nevertheless, few companies have the information and expertise to effectively manage complex and changing business settings, such as international marketplaces [1].
In this circumstance, firms that gain the knowledge and expertise of other businesses are more productive and competitive than those less good at knowledge transfer [5]. Knowledge acquisition is an activity in information management that businesses commonly undertake, particularly by people who wish to acquire specialized knowledge in a particular context through focused actions [6]. Knowledge acquisition entails extracting, understanding, and distributing information to enhance current organizational knowledge [7]. Therefore, knowledge acquisition may be described as the process of receiving external information and altering it to utilise it as an organization [7]. However, the level of knowledge and technology in developing and transitional economies is generally low because the means, social institutions, and private organizations that aid in the acquisition of technology or management skills are not as advanced as they are in developed economies, such as the United States and Japan [8]. Therefore, to gain strategic assets such as superior marketing knowledge, product differentiation, patent-protected technology, and managerial skills, firms are motivated to be involved in international alliances and acquisitions with companies from more advanced countries [9,10]. As a result, as stated by [1], building cross-border partnerships and international alliances to acquire knowledge can be a business-attractive strategy.
Previous studies have explored cross-border knowledge acquisition in different contexts, such as inter-firm collaboration, supplier-buyer relationships, equity alliances, joint ventures, supply chain partnerships, as well as joint production and code-sharing [11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20]. Among these various forms of international strategic alliances, international joint ventures are not only appropriate for providing partners with essential knowledge but also continuous learning opportunities [21]. Ref. [22] explained that the formation of IJVs is viewed as a fundamental vehicle to access, learn and absorb capabilities, technology, and tacit knowledge embedded in the partners. Furthermore, the knowledge obtained through parent firms increases the organizational ability of these joint ventures to interpret and respond to their environment, leading to superior performances [1].

2. Previous Critical Literature Review and Meta-Analysis on Knowledge Transfer and Acquisition

Many former studies on knowledge transfer and acquisition in a different context have been undertaken, among which are critical literature reviews and meta-analyses which were published to clarify previous studies about the factors, methodologies, and context [23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32]. From these last critical literature reviews and meta-analyses in Table 1, we summarize their framework models in Figure 1. As a result, all these systematic and critical literature reviews and meta-analyses generally discussed knowledge transfer and acquisition in a different context (e.g., inter-firm collaborations, alliances, and buyer-supplier). However, none had written a critical literature review on knowledge acquisition in an international joint venture.

3. Knowledge Acquisition within International Joint Ventures

International joint ventures are excellent among the many sorts of international strategic alliances not only for exchanging essential information with partners but also for giving possibilities for continual education. An international joint venture (IJV) is a legal entity established by at least two businesses, one headquartered abroad. According to [39], equity in international joint ventures refers to forming a new firm entity between two or more partners, with each partner holding an equity share of the total capital or redistributing capital shares of an existing company among partners. Contributions from outsiders (foreign MNCs) may include equipment, technology, materials, and machines. To function efficiently, IJVs get resources and assistance from both sides (including new technology and management knowledge from international partners and government, local business, and labour ties from local partners). In addition, the acquired expertise from parent companies enhances the organizational capacity of these joint ventures to comprehend and adapt to their environment, resulting in improved performance [1].

4. Review Methodology and Data Collection

4.1. Research Approach (Need to Fix the Citation from Google Scholars)

Following recent recommendations that the methodological rigour of literature evaluations in the management and business area should be strengthened (e.g., [40,41,42]), we undertake thorough and meticulous research. First, from a methodological standpoint, a CLR is a repeatable and transparent approach for locating, assessing, and interpreting the existing corpus of research [43]. Furthermore, a critical review is: second, a well-thought-out strategy for analysing the background of a specific body of literature, which seeks to minimize any biases originating from just narrative judgments and uses a defined algorithm, as opposed to a heuristic one, to evaluate the literature [44]. A critical literature review (CLR) provides a thorough audit trail of methodology, judgments, and findings reached by the reviewers, making the study transparent and reproducible [45]. Therefore, producing new ideas and information by synthesizing current academic publications, which may be more relevant and significant than new research, is valid [46]. The technique of this investigation is drawn upon the work of [47]. Ref. [48], the present study’s execution component of the review approach consists of six process phases that address problems with time horizon, database selection, journal selection, article selection, article categorization, and article analysis. The scientific rigour with which these steps are performed is of the utmost significance for a high-quality evaluation [49].

4.2. Time Horizon of Articles Publication

Articles published between 1996 and 2020 by journals categorised as business, economics, and management in nine databases were analysed. The year 1996 has been selected as the starting point for data collecting since, beginning in that year, a number of renowned writers (e.g., [50,51,52,53]) published articles. The year 2020 was chosen as the endpoint since the purpose was to collect all relevant papers and the most recent academic journal articles on this vitally important topic.

4.3. Identification and Selection of Relevant Databases

Due to the multidisciplinary nature of the review’s topic (i.e., knowledge acquisition through an international joint venture), we first conducted a Google Scholar search using the terms “knowledge acquisition” and “international joint venture” before identifying the articles that related to the six electronic reference databases (EBSCO’s Business Source Complete, Elsevier’s Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Sciences, and Wiley Inter-Science). These internet databases are often made accessible by academic institutions [48]. The search engine Google Scholar found other potentially relevant papers. To confirm Google Scholar, a search was conducted in both Google Scholar and EBSCO’s Business Source Complete. Google Scholar had all of the documents specified by EBSCO’s Business Source Complete and additional ones. In addition, there is a note that Google Scholar is more comprehensive than other databases; yet, it still has limitations, such as vague references; therefore, it was decided not to rely on it entirely for the article search (e.g., Google Scholar) [54,55].

4.4. Selection of Relevant Journals

To determine the scope of the systematic review, we analysed 45 first articles suggested by experts in the field. As previously indicated, we looked for all papers relevant to knowledge acquisition in international joint venture settings to compile a representative sample of scholarly works. At the same time, databases were leveraged to locate articles. The search covered academic literature with peer evaluations written in English. We chose to omit novels, book chapters, conference proceedings, and other grey literature in favour of peer-reviewed journals, which are considered the most authoritative and influential on the subject [45,56]. In this study, only the inclusion of top-tier peer-reviewed journals with an ABS (association of business schools org) ranking of 4 or 3 was defined as one of the inclusion criteria, given that higher-prestige journals publish more high-quality articles and very prestigious academic journals publish a substantial number of low-quality journal articles [57,58].
In the end, 17 academic publications relating to business and management were chosen for the database search: Strategic Management Journal, Journal of International Business Studies, Management International Review, Journal of Business Research, Journal of International Marketing, International Business Review, Asia Pacific Business Review, Asian Business & Management, Asia Pacific Journal of Management, International Marketing Review, Management Decision, Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of World Business, International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical & Control Systems, International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, and PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology.

4.5. Identification of Relevant Articles

The unit of analysis is knowledge acquisition via multinational joint ventures. As researchers, we are dedicated to preserving neutrality and improving the review process. First, we established keywords as search criteria for academic databases. Some keywords were taken from the existing academic literature, while others resulted from a brainstorming session with the review panel, which included the validation and quality evaluation of keywords to enhance the accuracy and specificity of the present systematic literature study. Next, we conducted keyword searches using the terms *knowledge acquisition* OR *knowledge transfer* OR *knowledge exchange* OR *gained knowledge* OR *knowledge harvest* AND *international joint venture* OR, taking into account the term’s multiple connotations and the fact that academics may have used it in a variety of contexts. The previously specified search strings acted as the selection criteria for the subject to be searched in the title, abstract, and author-supplied keywords. As shown in Figure 2, the database search yielded an initial sample of 93 hits/papers, of which 27 duplicates were removed. Twenty-one inaccessible items were deleted from the phase that reads titles and abstracts. The remaining 45 titles were discovered, reviewed, and rated based on the exclusion and inclusion criteria shown in Table 2.

5. Study Findings

By adhering to the Table 2 criterion, articles focusing on knowledge acquisition in contexts other than international joint ventures were excluded. Articles (n15) that did not match the inclusion criteria were excluded after evaluating the abstracts and conclusions. At this stage, 31 articles were progressed to the following phase; complete copies were retrieved and reviewed in their entirety to determine their eligibility. The local parent firms’ knowledge acquisition from foreign partners in IJVs: (e.g., [59,60,61]); the foreign parent firms’ knowledge acquisition from the local partners in IJVs: (e.g., [62,63]); and based on the perspective adopted by this study, which is the IJVs’ knowledge acquisition from foreign partners (e.g., [51,52,64,65]). As a result, the main focus of this paper is on international joint venture knowledge acquisition from a foreign partner perspective. We examined the purpose of the study, the research methods, the definitions of important phrases, etc., in depth; thus, eight papers were eliminated since they did not address the research questions. However, 23 publications were included in our critical literature assessment after reading the complete text and determining that they met basic relevance and importance criteria. Relevant studies that have not included the chosen keywords but have explored a related issue may be ignored or missed when doing an article search using defined keywords. As a result, certain important references may go unexplored due to the rigorous technique of keyword search. Consequently, we have selected the papers published between 1996 and 2020. These articles were incorporated into the current CLR (Table 3) to guarantee high quality and exhaustiveness.
As one of the inclusion criteria for this study, only the top-tier peer-reviewed journals with an ABS (association of business schools org) ranking of 4 or 3 were defined, as higher-prestige journals publish more high-value articles and very prestigious academic journals publish a significant number of low-value journal articles (McKinnon, 2013; Starbuck, 2005), in Table 4. It has been shown that the journal’s name and number of publications during the period of 24 years (from 1996 to 2020).
From the chosen articles, we have demonstrated critical remarks regarding IJVs’ knowledge acquisition determinants, IJVs’ knowledge acquisition consequences, mediations, moderations, and studies contexts, summarised in Table 5.

6. Discussion

Knowledge acquisition has emerged as a critical element for businesses to remain innovative and competitive in today’s international business climate. The acquisition of new information becomes crucial to a company’s performance as demand mounts on them to innovate and adjust to shifting market circumstances. Creating international joint ventures with businesses from more developed nations is one way enterprises obtain this knowledge. In this study, the significance of knowledge acquisition to businesses was examined, as well as how establishing foreign joint ventures might be a valuable acquisition technique. In the framework of an international joint venture, the study offered multiple viewpoints on knowledge acquisition, emphasising the foreign partner perspective. In addition, this essay has clarified the value of knowledge acquisition to businesses and the ways in which creating global joint ventures may be a successful acquisition strategy. The study has emphasized the numerous elements that affect learning and the results that may arise. Companies may more effectively develop and manage their global joint ventures to increase their chances of success by being aware of these elements and their results. The study has shown that acquiring knowledge is a complex process that depends on several variables in emerging and developing countries. The partner’s capacity for absorption, cultural differences, the degree of trust and collaboration between partners, and the transferability of information are a few examples of these characteristics.
In the current critical review, the studies on knowledge acquisition in the setting of international joint ventures were handled from three distinct angles the researchers discovered through a literature survey. The first viewpoint focuses on how local parent companies acquire knowledge from foreign partners through IJVs (e.g., [59,60,61,66,67]). This viewpoint emphasizes how the local parent company might learn from its foreign partner to improve its own skills and competitiveness. The second viewpoint is how the foreign parent company learns from the local partners in IJVs (e.g., [62,63]). To better understand the local market and create effective strategies, this viewpoint investigates how the foreign parent company may benefit from the knowledge and experience of the local partner. The third approach, which focuses on the IJVs’ knowledge acquisition from foreign partners (e.g., [1,39,50,51,52,53,64,65,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82]), was finally adopted by the researchers. This viewpoint considers how the joint venture company may utilize the new information acquired from its foreign partner to improve its innovative performance, competitive advantage, and overall success.
This study thoroughly examined the factors affecting international joint ventures’ knowledge acquisition from foreign partners, including their determinants, outcomes, mediators, and moderators. The elements affecting a joint venture’s capacity to learn new knowledge from its foreign partner are the knowledge acquisition determinants. A number of studies have explored the factors that determine knowledge acquisition from organizational capabilities and social perspectives. In particular, research in Vietnam, South Korea, and Hungary between 1996 and 2019 has identified absorptive capacity (e.g., [50,52,64,68,80]) and social capital (e.g., [51,72] as key determinants of knowledge acquisition. Studies have shown that organizations with high absorptive capacity are better able to learn from external sources, while those with substantial social capital are more likely to engage in knowledge-sharing and collaboration. However, more recent studies have investigated additional factors related to transfer mechanisms (e.g., [78,79]) and knowledge management practices (e.g., [65]). These studies have provided new insights into the complex knowledge acquisition process in organizational settings, considering a broader range of factors.
The outcomes of knowledge acquisition refer to the benefits the joint venture can derive from acquiring new knowledge from its foreign partner. In most of the reviewed studies in this CLR, the IJV’s outcomes were focused on international joint venture innovativeness, competitiveness, and increased performance (e.g., [77,79]). Mediators are the processes or mechanisms that explain how the determinants of knowledge acquisition influence the outcomes. This CLR shows that previous studies identified various mediators, including international joint venture innovativeness, competitiveness [77,79]; channel management capability [76]; mutual trust and reciprocal commitment [39]; the use of communication channels, foreign parents’ willingness, and frequency of interactions [53]. Finally, moderators are the factors that influence the relationship between determinants, mediators, and outcomes. The study found that moderators can include factors such as compatibility between partners [82]; IJV age [1,69]; conflict ownership [52]. Overall, this study offers a thorough grasp of the factors that influence how much knowledge an international joint venture obtains from foreign partners, including their determinants, outcomes, mediators, and moderators. This expertise may aid managers in creating and overseeing their joint ventures more effectively, enhancing their capacity to acquire information and, eventually, strengthening their competitive advantage and business performance.

7. Conclusions

Knowledge is an indispensable organizational resource capable of increasing productivity, fostering growth, and ensuring the survival of business enterprises. The development and management of knowledge assets constitute a substantial basis for competitive advantage and have been a key determinant of firm performance. This paper presents a critical literature review on international joint ventures’ knowledge acquisition from foreign partners. This paper started with a general introduction to knowledge acquisition, particularly in a cross-border context. The article also displayed the previous systematic literature reviews that show the factors affecting inter-firm knowledge transfer and acquisition in other contexts (e.g., alliances, inter-firm collaboration, and buyer-supplier). Next, the paper focused on knowledge acquisition in the international joint venture context, mainly by concentrating on the international joint venture’s knowledge acquisition perspective.
The study displayed the previous studies’ factors, outcomes, mediators, and moderators that influenced the amount of expertise a foreign partner brings to an international joint venture. According to the research, “determinants of knowledge acquisition” are the elements that affect a joint venture’s ability to acquire new expertise from its foreign partner. Social capital and absorptive ability have been identified as the two most influential aspects of knowledge acquisition. In addition, the study underlined how obtaining knowledge improves inventiveness, competitiveness, and overall success. The CLR found that mediators, such as the innovativeness, competitiveness, mutual trust, and communication channels of international joint ventures, may help explain how the factors of knowledge acquisition influence the outcomes.
Meanwhile, moderators can influence the relationship between determinants, mediators, and outcomes. Examples of moderators include compatibility between partners and ownership of conflicts. This CLR provides a comprehensive understanding of the elements that affect the quantity of knowledge an international joint venture may gain from its foreign partners. Overall, organisations may increase their chances of success in forming and managing international joint ventures by considering the elements that drive learning and the possible outcomes.

8. Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research

As a limitation, this review relies mainly on Emerald, Springer, Taylor & Francis, Wiley, Sage, Scopus, and Science Direct to collect the research publications. Consequently, these repositories may not contain all the valuable published research on the determinants and outcomes of international joint venture knowledge acquisition. This study can be expanded to include papers from more databases and publishers. In addition, a thorough Google Scholar search may reveal more relevant related publications and others that provide greater value and dimensions to the research outcomes. The current study also contains two recommendations for future research.
First, the appearance of the COVID-19 virus has wreaked havoc on the global economy, society, and human population. The virus swiftly spread throughout the globe, culminating in a worldwide pandemic that compelled several governments to institute harsh lockdowns and social distancing measures in an effort to prevent the infection’s spread. Due to these restrictions, several enterprises have been forced to close their doors or function at a reduced capacity. This has caused widespread job losses, a decline in economic activity, and a significant slowdown in international commerce. As the epidemic spreads, it is difficult to foresee its long-term effects on science, technology, and innovation.
Nevertheless, the significance of digital infrastructure in allowing businesses and organizations to maintain operations during the epidemic is undeniable. Digital tools and platforms are vital for preserving communication, cooperation, and productivity now that so many people work remotely. In international joint venture scenarios, developing digital infrastructure may also assist firms in learning knowledge from foreign partners. Digital platforms can promote virtual cooperation and information sharing across international organizations in a world where physical travel and face-to-face encounters are constrained. This can be especially significant in international joint ventures, where firms from various nations share their knowledge and skills. Considering this, the COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the significance of digital infrastructure in allowing businesses and organizations to maintain operations during a worldwide disaster. Future research should go deeper into this issue to better understand the link between developing digital infrastructure and acquiring knowledge.
Second, as the COVID-19 pandemic taught us, environmental unpredictability is a critical issue that must be considered. It is advised that future research investigate the effect of environmental uncertainty on knowledge acquisition in IJVs during times of crisis to offer IJVs vital insights for navigating volatile situations and improving their knowledge acquisition processes. In addition, it is suggested to use a mixed-methods strategy that combines qualitative and quantitative data-gathering techniques to give a more nuanced understanding of the influence of environmental uncertainty on the acquisition of information in IJVs. Quantitative approaches, like surveys, can provide a more generalized knowledge of the impact of environmental uncertainty. Still, qualitative methods, such as interviews, can offer more insights into how IJVs adjust to environmental uncertainty.
Third, currently, artificial intelligence (AI) is used with information technology (IT) to make sure that an organization is getting the most out of what these technologies have to offer [83]. The characteristics of artificial intelligence technologies enable workers to access crucial data in a fraction of a second and improve real-time decision-making. In addition, it allows businesses to track processes and records more efficiently. In addition, artificial intelligence may be used to generate and extract information from massive volumes of organized and unstructured data, as well as to forecast future trends in the industry [84]. IT tools and systems, such as data storage, crowdsourcing applications, decision support systems, document management systems, and data gathering engines, are used to enhance knowledge-management processes by supporting access to knowledge, creating, organizing, and showing that a significant knowledge and information within the organization to improve organizational performance [84].
The impact of AI and IT on knowledge acquisition can be inferred from [85], which describes how AI and IT enable organizational learning through metadata decision support systems, planning and control, expert systems, resource planning systems, and lessons learned systems. In addition, several social activities promote knowledge management, including on-the-job training, learning via observation, staff rotations, and monitoring knowledge transfer. As a result, AI and IT have been utilized extensively to improve the performance of most modern enterprises by enhancing their information gathering. Al Mansoori [83] and Zbuchea [85] advise that we investigate the impact of AI and IT concepts and techniques on the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition in contemporary organizations.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, E.T. and M.B.; methodology, M.B., E.T., M.E.H.A., S.A. and B.C.; validation, S.A., S.L., R.A. and L.M.F.; formal analysis; M.B., E.T. and B.C.; resources, M.E.H.A., S.L., R.A. and L.M.F.; writing—original draft preparation, M.B. and E.T.; writing—review and editing, M.B., E.T., M.E.H.A., S.A., S.L., R.A., L.M.F. and B.C.; funding acquisition, B.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

The APC is funded by Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Sustainability 15 06364 g001 550
Figure 1. Sets of factors and perspectives that determine cross-border knowledge transfer and acquisition (created by the author based on previous critical literature reviews).
Figure 1. Sets of factors and perspectives that determine cross-border knowledge transfer and acquisition (created by the author based on previous critical literature reviews).
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Sustainability 15 06364 g002 550
Figure 2. A flowchart illustrating the literature process.
Figure 2. A flowchart illustrating the literature process.
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Table
Table 1. Previous literature review.
Table 1. Previous literature review.
Author (Year)TitleFocus
[33]Technology transfer: toward mapping the field, a review, and research directionsTechnology transfer
[34]Technology transfer and public policy: a review of research and theoryDomestic technology transfer from universities and government laboratories
[35]Aiding the technology manager: a conceptual model for intra-firm technology transferIntra-firm technology transfer
[36]Transfer of technologies: a cross-disciplinary taxonomyTechnology transfer
[31]Inter-and intra-organizational knowledge transfer: a meta-analytic review and assessment of its antecedents and consequencesInter-and intra-organizational knowledge transfer
[27]Inter-organizational knowledge transfer: Current themes and future prospectsInter-organizational knowledge transfer
[24]Research on knowledge transfer in organizations: a morphologyknowledge transfer
[28]Knowledge communication and translation-a knowledge transfer modela knowledge transfer
[37]Co-citation analysis of the scientific literature on innovation research traditionsDiffusion of innovations and technology transfer
[29]Antecedents and consequences of inter-organizational knowledge transfer: Emerging themes and openings for further researchinter-organizational knowledge transfer
[30]Knowledge management in strategic alliances: a review of empirical evidenceKnowledge management
[23]Subsidiary knowledge flows in multinational corporations: Research accomplishments, gaps, and opportunitiesknowledge flows
[38]A literature review with citation analysis of technology transferTechnology transfer
[32]The evolving state-of-the-art in technology transfer research: Revisiting the contingent effectiveness modeltechnology transfer
[25]Technology, innovation, and knowledge: The importance of ideas and international connectivityTechnology, innovation, and knowledge
[26]Inter-organisational technology/knowledge transfer: a framework from critical literature reviewTechnology and knowledge transfer
Table
Table 2. Inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Table 2. Inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Inclusion CriteriaRationale for Inclusion or Exclusion
All countries and regionsInclude all countries and regions
All types of strategic
partnerships		Includes just international joint venture
All sectorsAll sectors were included
Journal rankingArticles with a ranking of 4 or 3 as defined by the ABS (ABS 2010—Association of Business Schools Academic Journal Quality Guide March 2010)
Level of analysisWe were only concerned with the macro level, organisation, thus excluding the international joint ventures.
PerspectiveAll studies on knowledge acquisition at the international joint venture
All sectors are includedWe only included the journal articles
Publication in peer-reviewed academic journalsWe included peer-reviewed journals that publish high-quality academic research
Either qualitative or quantitative papers, empirical studies, theoretical studiesWe focused on capturing all evidence, both empirical and theoretical since different approaches have contributed to the research area
Time horizonFrom 1996 to 2020
Table
Table 3. The different perspectives of knowledge acquisition through international joint venture.
Table 3. The different perspectives of knowledge acquisition through international joint venture.
PerspectivesAuthors
Local parent firms’ knowledge acquisition from foreign partners in IJVs[59,60,61,66,67]
The foreign parent firms’ knowledge acquisition from the local partners in IJVs[62,63]
The IJVs’ knowledge acquisition from foreign partners[1,39,50,51,52,53,64,65,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82]
Table
Table 4. The name of the journal and number of publications from 1996 to 2020.
Table 4. The name of the journal and number of publications from 1996 to 2020.
Journal199620002001200320042005200620082009201020112012201320152016201820192020
Journal of International Business Studies100010000000 00 00
Strategic Management Journal010000000000 00 00
Jour of Adv Research in Dynamical & Control Systems000000000000000010
Management International Review000100000000 00 00
Journal of International Marketing000010000000 00 00
Journal of Business Research000001000000 01 00
International Business Review000000101010110100
Asian Business & Management000000010000000 00
Asia Pacific Business Review000000001000000 00
Asia Pacific Journal of Management000000001100000 00
Management Decision00000000101000 00
International Marketing Review000000001000000 00
Industrial Marketing Management000000000000000100
Journal of World Business000000000000000100
International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology0000000000 0000001
International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change000000000000000001
PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology000000000000000001
Table
Table 5. IJV’s Knowledge Acquisition Determinants, IJV’s Knowledge Acquisition Outcomes, Mediations, Moderations.
Table 5. IJV’s Knowledge Acquisition Determinants, IJV’s Knowledge Acquisition Outcomes, Mediations, Moderations.
AuthorContextDeterminantsMain FocusOutcomesModerationMediation
[52]HungaryCapacity to Learn
  • Current Capabilities
  • Flexibility
  • Creativity

Articulated Goals
Active Involvement of Foreign Parent
  • Agendas for Knowledge Transfer
  • Division of Labour

Training		Knowledge from Foreign ParentIJV’s Performance
  • General
  • Business
  • Competency-Based, Human Resource Management
Conflict
Ownership
[80]VietnamIntegrity
Trust between Parents
Social Controls
Formal Controls
Capacity to Learn
Assistance by Foreign Parents
Articulated Objectives for IJV
Relatedness		Knowledge AcquisitionIJV’s Performance
[68]HungaryAbsorptive capacity
  • Ability to Understand External Knowledge
  • Trust Between IJV’s Parents
  • Cultural Compatibility with Foreign Parents
  • Prior Knowledge from Foreign Parents
  • Relatedness of IJV and Foreign Parents’ Businesses
  • Ability to Assimilate External Knowledge
  • IJV Flexibility and Adaptability
  • Management Support by Foreign Parents
  • Training by Foreign Parents
  • Formal Goals for IJV
  • Specialization of IJV’s Parents
Knowledge Learned from Foreign Parents IJV’s Performance
[51]HungaryParent-IJV the tie strength
Trust
Shared systems		Knowledge Acquisition
  • Explicit Knowledge
  • Tacit Knowledge
IJV’s Performance
[69]VietnamForeign parent commitment
Local parent commitment
Goal clarity
Intensity of Conflict
Frequency of conflict
Moderating Variable/Age		Knowledge AcquisitionIJV’s PerformanceFirm age
[50]VietnamAbsorptive Capacity
Ability to recognize the value of new external knowledge
  • Business relatedness
  • Investment in training
Ability to assimilate new external knowledge
  • Employees’ ability to learn
  • Cultural distance
Ability to apply new external knowledge
  • Joint participation
  • Written goals, plans
Knowledge Acquisition
  • Explicit Knowledge
  • Tacit Knowledge
IJV’s Performance
[72]KoreaTrust between parents
Cultural distance between parents
Support from a foreign parent
  • Active managerial involvement
  • Participation of foreign expatriate experts
  • Extent of training
  • Intent to share a foreign technique
Knowledge AcquisitionIJV’s Performance
[70]KoreaFirm size
Compatible organizational culture between parents
Compatible organizational goals between parents
Compatible business background between parents		IJV’s marketing knowledge acquisition
[71]KoreaCharacteristics of knowledge acquirers
  • Human capital
  • Learning intent
  • International experience
Compatible relationship
  • Trust
  • Organizational culture
  • Organizational goals
  • Business relatedness
Support by knowledge transferors
  • Active managerial engagement by foreign partner
  • Participation of foreign expatriates
  • Extent of training
Knowledge Acquisition
[64]VietnamThe gap between the two types of internal resources
Learning Capacity of IJV
Foreign Ownership of IJV		Knowledge Acquisition
  • Acquisition of Property-based Resources
  • Acquisition of Knowledge-based Resources
  • Acquisition of Market-based Resources
Sustainable Competitive Advantage of IJV
[74]KoreaMNEs’ capability to transfer knowledgeIJVs Technology Acquisition
[73]KoreaIntensity of efforts
Possession of relevant knowledge
Reciprocal support by parent firms
  • Active assistance of foreign parents in technological management
  • Participation of foreign expatriate experts
Knowledge Acquisition
[75]KoreaExchange climate attributes
  • Inter-firm conflict resolution
  • Inter-firm cooperation
  • Inter-firm communication
Contextual factor
  • National culture distance
  • Economic level
Tacit KnowledgeIJV’s Performance
[81]KoreaRelational Capital
  • Trust
  • Communication
  • Commitment
Knowledge TransferIJV’s Performance
[1]KoreaRelational capital
Exchange interaction
Knowledge Intensity
Cultural Distance
IJV Size		Tacit Knowledge
Explicit Knowledge		IJV’s PerformanceIJV age
[82]KoreaDisseminative Abilities
  • Selection and codification abilities
  • Use of appropriate communication
Explicit Knowledge
Tacit Knowledge		IJV’s InnovationCompatibility between partners
[53] Codification and articulation abilityKnowledge Acquisition Foreign parents’ willingness
Frequency of interactions
The use of communication channels
[76]China Knowledge AcquisitionIJV’s PerformanceAbsorptive capacity
Market dynamism		Channel management capability
[39]China Exchange InformationIJV’s PerformanceEnvironmental uncertaintyMutual trust
Reciprocal commitment
[79]Algeria Transfer MechanismsKnowledge AcquisitionIJV’s Performance IJV’s Competitiveness
[78]AlgeriaAbsorptive Capacity,
Transfer Mechanisms,
Knowledge Management Practices		Knowledge AcquisitionIJV’s Competitiveness
[77]Algeria Knowledge AcquisitionIJV’s Performance IJV’s Innovativeness
IJV’s Competitiveness
[65]AlgeriaTransfer Mechanisms,
Knowledge Management Practices		Knowledge AcquisitionIJV’s Innovativeness
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Bouteraa, M.; Tamma, E.; Aichouche, M.E.H.; Achour, S.; Lada, S.; Ansar, R.; Fook, L.M.; Chekima, B. International Joint Ventures’ Knowledge Acquisition: Critical Literature Review. Sustainability 2023, 15, 6364. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086364

AMA Style

Bouteraa M, Tamma E, Aichouche MEH, Achour S, Lada S, Ansar R, Fook LM, Chekima B. International Joint Ventures’ Knowledge Acquisition: Critical Literature Review. Sustainability. 2023; 15(8):6364. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086364

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bouteraa, Mohamed, Elhachemi Tamma, Mohammed El Hafedh Aichouche, Sadok Achour, Suddin Lada, Rudy Ansar, Lim Ming Fook, and Brahim Chekima. 2023. "International Joint Ventures’ Knowledge Acquisition: Critical Literature Review" Sustainability 15, no. 8: 6364. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086364

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