Transferring apprenticeship training from Germany to the U.S.: An examination of institutionalization processes in relation to governance form

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The objective of this research project is to develop a theory of the relationship between different governance forms and institutionalization processes in the context of the internationalization of business activities. This will be accomplished on the basis of a comparative case study of practice transfer initiatives. More specifically, I intend to compare and contrast three cases of initiatives by German companies to transfer dual apprenticeship training practices to their foreign subsidiaries located in the United States. Existing literature suggests that this kind of transfer is very difficult and requires a very high degree of institutional change processes in the host country. With a systematic comparison of transfer initiatives, which are coordinated relying on different governance modes - hierarchy, network, and cluster -, I wish to examine to what extent these initiatives are different in terms of activities and processes involved. In this context, I will test my working hypothesis according to which transfer initiatives that are coordinated in networks will have more far-reaching and sustainable implications for the local institutional environment than those, which are organized using hierarchy and clusters, respectively. This research project promises to contribute to existing literature in the fields of international business and organization theory. In particular, it will develop a theorized relationship between institutionalization processes in dependence on governance forms.