Knowledge transfer in collaborations between foreign and indigenous firms in the Nigerian oil industry: the role of partners’ motivational characteristics

Previous empirical studies on determinants of inter-firm knowledge transfer have been largely focused on knowledge transfer between symmetrical partners, where there are relatively similar levels of knowledge sophistication and complementary knowledge transfer motives. Determinants of knowledge transfer between partners in asymmetric “market-exploitation” alliances, where there are large differences in capabilities, and in motives, of the collaborating partners, have been understudied.

This paper presents a qualitative case-study-research of knowledge transfer in such collaborations in the Nigerian oil industry. Four cases of inter-firm collaborative arrangements between foreign and local indigenous firms in the industry were studied and analysed.

Based on the results of the case-study research, this paper highlights the dominant role of partners’ motivational characteristics, as against, their cognitive characteristics in knowledge transfer process of asymmetric market-exploitation alliances. It develops set of theoretical propositions to expand understanding of the key determinants of learning/knowledge transfer.