International Joint Ventures as Boundary Spanners: Technological Knowledge Transfer in an Emerging Economy

We investigate how international joint ventures ( IJV s) established in emerging economies help their local suppliers with technological knowledge transfer. Data from 50 Pakistani‐owned T ier 1 suppliers, three of the major assemblers, and policy makers in the M inistry of I ndustries and P roduction in P akistan is collected. Findings suggest that, in the context of the P akistani emerging economy, IJV s can also play a critical role as the boundary spanners of knowledge transfer. Local suppliers are linked with their global suppliers' networks through associational learning. Social capital between the IJV s and the local component suppliers and the IJV s' willingness to initiate a knowledge transfer dialogue among local and global T ier 1 suppliers are critically important factors that enable this transfer.