Knowledge management in international strategic alliances

The case study of Hotai Motor

Abstract

Previous research has analyzed the importance of knowledge transfer and adaptation in dealing with cross-border business in a firm’s international alliance strategy using qualitative and quantitative methods. However, how firms manage knowledge to overcome the challenge caused by market changes from the perspective of dynamic capability in qualitative method has remained.

Therefore, the purpose of this article is to discuss how Hotai Motor (knowledge receiver) established a car retailing alliance business with the help of Toyota (knowledge sender) in Taiwan. Moreover, this article reveals what roles Hotai Motor played when the local market changed dramatically, and business growth decelerated significantly.

In conclusion, this article found that Hotai Motor implemented dynamic knowledge adaptation to tackle knowledge incompatibility to improve the competitive advantages. Besides, this article revealed the differences between knowledge adaptation process and dynamic knowledge adaptation process.