Reach for the stars: knowledge sharing in international organizations

The creative combination of diverse knowledge nurtures the generation of discontinuous product innovations. In international companies, however, such knowledge is globally dispersed. Consequently, management requires appropriate mechanisms to foster international knowledge sharing. Based on a multiple case study, this paper is built up on the premise, though, that successful knowledge management should not only take into account the spatial location of knowledge, but also the number of actors involved. Current literature does not provide sufficient solutions taking into account both dimensions simultaneously when developing consistent strategies for international knowledge sharing. This paper addresses this gap and develops a dynamic model enabling companies to identify an adapted strategy depending on their organizational setting. The resulting typology provides orientation for management on how to coordinate knowledge over space and therefore also how to foster the generation of discontinuous innovations.