Knowledge transfer processes in international construction joint venture projects in Thailand

In recent years, companies around the world are trying to expand internationally through collaborative agreements. ‘International Joint Ventures’ (IJVs) are a specific type of strategic alliance between contractors from developed and developing countries. The use of IJVs between multinational organisations is considered to be a successful strategy in order to benefit from international market opportunities in the globalised world. Moreover, ‘International Construction Joint Ventures’ (ICJVs) have become of significant interest as the global construction market continues to be integrated into the more competitive business environment. IJVs can be a mechanism for transferring knowledge between partners and a way of improving the knowledge and skills of the local partner(s). However, there is currently a gap in the existing literature on the key enabling and inhibiting factors that influence knowledge transfer processes in ICJV projects. Furthermore, despite the growing number of studies relating to ICJV projects, there is limited research conducted with regard to developing countries and especially in Thailand. Therefore, a better understanding of how knowledge in ICJV projects is transferred and adopted in Thailand is required. The purpose of this study is to identify and evaluate the processes of transferring knowledge in ICJV projects in Thailand. Previous research indicated that social network analysis (SNA) provides benefits to enable an understanding of how to enhance Knowledge Transfer (KT) processes in the projects. As a result, SNA was used to correlate KT practices in ICJV Projects in Thailand. A literature review led to the development of a conceptual framework that characterises the key concepts in the areas of knowledge transfer and social networks. A multiple case study approach was adopted to facilitate the investigation within the context of the ICJV projects. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data was utilised in this study. The data was analysed using a combination of descriptive statistics, Qualitative Content Analysis, SNA using UCINET and NetDraw Software Package, and the use of NVivo Software Package. The data analysis led to the identification of the key enabling and inhibiting factors in the areas of ICJV performance and success, knowledge facilitators, type of knowledge, and knowledge transfer methods and mechanisms all influence knowledge transfer processes. ICJVs performance and success factors determine the effectiveness and efficiency of successful knowledge transfer. The type of knowledge impact on knowledge transfers success. KT methods and mechanisms have been found to be critically essential in transferring the partners’ crucial knowledge. Knowledge facilitators were considered to be important in effective and efficient knowledge transfer. These findings were used to revise the conceptual framework. The knowledge transfer framework is the most important output of this study, which provides important contributions to examine and understand knowledge transfer in the context of ICJV projects. The framework can not only be applied in practice, but it can also be used by other researchers for further research in KT processes in different contexts. It is expected that these findings would serve as a valuable reference for ICJV projects for use by construction organisations in their KT processes to strengthen their competitive advantage.