Collaborative Proposal: The Globalization of Engineering and Its Impact on Economic Development: A Study of Knowledge Transfer by Multinationals to Newly Industrializing Economies

这一合作研究项目考察了跨国企业(MNE)和新兴/新兴工业化经济体(E/NIE)的全球分布式工程，以及这如何影响E/NIE的技术和人力资本能力。拟议的研究解决了这样的问题：什么战略指导跨国公司组织其全球分布的工程活动？母国和东道国工程师之间的互动如何重塑全球分布式工程的组织？文化差异和对文化差异的认知如何影响全球分布的工程项目的战略和内部动力？跨国公司在全球分布的工程活动对当地教育机构有什么影响？更广泛地说，全球分布的工程对E/NIE和MNE母国的正面和负面溢出效应是什么？这些都是重要的问题，因为跨国企业(MNE)越来越多地将关键技术职能定位在本国以外，包括开发新产品和工艺。这一变化对新兴市场/新兴经济体的发展战略和机会具有重大影响。全球分布的工程可以为重大的知识转移提供机会。另一方面，这也可能导致教育/新兴经济体中稀缺的高水平技术人才的流失或浪费。负面结果可能包括“人才流失”或大学提供的技能组合不平衡。相反，在跨国公司母国，高技能工作岗位可能会流失。了解MNE、其母国和E/NIE的积极和消极结果，可以为各方带来更高的回报。该项目解决了NSF的两个优秀标准。它扩展了几个研究方向，侧重于工程学、知识向教育/新兴经济体转移的程度以及对发展的潜在影响。它将扩大来自新兴工业化国家(即在全球经济背景下地理代表性不足的群体)的工程师的参与。来自德国、韩国、日本、墨西哥、印度和美国的国际研究团队的合作为该项目提供了从多个角度识别和解决问题的重要手段。调查涉及对两家跨国公司的仔细审查，每一家在E/NIE都有2-3个地点。数据将包括文献资料来源；对跨国公司总部工程经理和工程师的访谈；对跨国公司母国和E/NIE东道国工程师和工程经理的访谈；以及对E/NIE教育工作者和政府官员的访谈。私人投资机构在当前和过去的研究中发展的合作和联系提供了接触被研究国家的公司和政府官员的高级别机会。国家科学基金会国际部也在为这项研究提供支持。

This collaborative research project examines globally distributed engineering in multinational enterprises (MNEs) and emerging/new industrializing economies (E/NIEs) and how this affects the technological and human capital capabilities of the E/NIEs. The proposed research addresses such questions as: What strategies guide MNEs in organizing their globally distributed engineering activities? How do the interactions between home and host country engineers reshape the organization of globally distributed engineering? How do cultural differences and perceptions of cultural differences affect strategies and internal dynamics of globally distributed engineering projects? What impacts do MNE globally distributed engineering activities have on local educational institutions? What, more generally, are the positive and negative spillovers in E/NIEs and in MNE home countries from globally distributed engineering? These are important questions because multinational enterprises (MNEs) are increasingly locating key technology functions, including the development of new products and processes, outside their home countries. This change has significant implications for development strategies and opportunities in the E/NIEs. Globally distributed engineering can provide the opportunity for significant knowledge transfer. On the other hand, it can also be done in ways that result in a loss or waste of scarce high-level technical talent in the E/NIEs. Negative results could include "brain drain" or an imbalance in the skill mixes universities deliver. Conversely, there could be a loss of highly skilled jobs in the MNE home country. Understanding positive and negative outcomes, for the MNE, its home country, and the E/NIE, can lead to higher payoffs for all parties. This project addresses both NSF merit criteria. It extends several streams of research by focusing on engineering, on the extent of knowledge transfer to E/NIEs, and on the potential impact on development. It will broaden participation of engineers from newly industrializing nations (i.e., geographically underrepresented groups in the context of a global economy). The collaboration of an international research team from Germany, Korea, Japan, Mexico, India, and the U.S. provides this project an important means of identifying and addressing issues from multiple perspectives. The investigation involves close examination of two MNEs, each of which has 2-3 sites in E/NIEs. Data will include documentary sources; interviews of engineering managers and engineers at MNE headquarters; interviews of engineers and engineering managers from both MNE home country and E/NIE host country; and interviews of educators and government officials in the E/NIEs. The collaboration and contacts developed in current and past research by the PIs provide high-level access to firms and government officials in the countries of study. The International Division of the National Science Foundation is also contributing to the support of this research.