KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER IN INTERNATIONAL POST-ACQUISITION PHASE

Abstract

The thesis analyzes the knowledge transfer in international post-acquisition phase. It aims to examine the relationship between the motives, the integration, the Russian culture and the knowledge transfer. The motives behind an acquisition are believed to have an influence to the desired level of integration between firms. In international acquisitions the cultural context creates challenges to the knowledge transfer. The focus of the thesis is to analyze the acquisition motives, integration’s and the Russian culture’s affect to the knowledge transfer. Based on the current literature; the later issues are examined and formulated into an integrative framework which will give a theoretical perspective to the subject.

The empirical part is conducted through reviewing a case company, which is a typical company from the Finnish food industry and has recently conducted an acquisition in Russia. An illustration is created analyzing the case-company and how everything relates to the knowledge transfer process in this particular context.

The relating factors from the theoretical part are collected and reflected to the respective issues of the case-company’s acquisition. Combining the knowledge from both parts, some new knowledge is accomplished. The objective of the thesis is to increase the understanding of the knowledge transfer in international post-acquisition phase which takes place between Finland and Russia.