Feng Zhang | The Pennsylvania State University (original) (raw)

Publications by Feng Zhang

Research paper thumbnail of EMNC technological competence creation: key mechanisms and innovative performance

International Journal of Emerging Markets

Purpose-Considerable attention has been paid to the motives and process of idiosyncratic internat... more Purpose-Considerable attention has been paid to the motives and process of idiosyncratic internationalization trajectory of Multinational Corporations from emerging economies (EMNCs). Yet, the ability to undertake strategic asset-seeking foreign direct investments (FDIs) is not the same as the ability to achieve subsequent investment success (Buckley, 2018). Since an ultimate goal of strategic asset-seeking FDIs is to tap advanced knowledge in host locations to accelerate EMNC competence creation, and the current study aims to shed light on the question of whether, and if so how, EMNCs have been able to build competences after strategic asset-seeking motivated FDIs. Design/methodology/approach-This study tests the US patent and citation data from 2000 to 2014 of leading innovation-oriented MNCs from China and India, complemented with data from LexisNexis Directory of Corporate Affiliations and Mergent Online databases. Wilcoxon rank sum test is employed to compare EMNCs with control group MNCs from mature industrialized countries to identify key technological competence creation mechanisms of EMNCs. Negative binomial regression technique is then employed to test the relationship between the key mechanisms and EMNC innovative performance in terms of quantity and quality of patented inventions. Findings-In contrast to the extant EMNC literature, the author finds that EMNC parents adopt a hands-on and less of an orchestrating approach. They are playing critical roles in accessing and transferring knowledge from international host locations. The empirical analyses indicate an absence of reverse transfers of knowledge from subsidiaries to the parent. Instead, EMNC parents directly access and absorb explicit knowledge from external sources in subsidiary host locations, which significantly contributes to EMNC innovative performance. Meanwhile, the author finds that the employment of intra-firm and inter-unit inventor teams and associated internal tacit knowledge access and transfer significantly contribute to EMNC innovative performance. Originality/value-This study investigates the post-internationalization performance of EMNCs and contributes to the reconciliation of theoretical debates, as well as the generation of a comprehensive understanding of the MNC. Managerial implications are also discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Founder ethnic composition, early internationalization, and new venture performance

Title Founder ethnic composition, early internationalization, and new venture performance Journal Journal of International Entrepreneurship

Research paper thumbnail of EMNC Technological Knowledge Flow Patterns: An Overview of the U.S. Patents Granted

Multinational Business Review

Research paper thumbnail of The Determinants and Performance of Early-Internationalizing Firms: A Literature Review and Research Agenda

International Business Review

Research paper thumbnail of Geographically Dispersed Technological Capability Building and MNC Innovative Performance: The Role of Intra-firm Flows of Newly Absorbed Knowledge

Journal of International Management

Research paper thumbnail of Combination of Complementary Technological Knowledge to Generate "Hard to Imitate" Technologies

Journal of Information and Knowledge Management

Valuable technological knowledge attracts more imitations. In light of knowledge-level perspectiv... more Valuable technological knowledge attracts more imitations. In light of knowledge-level perspective, this study investigates how¯rms could generate rare and valuable knowledge that is also hard to imitate. By applying specialised complementary assets concept to the technological portfolio of a¯rm, we show that core and background technological knowledge from internal and external sources, respectively , are complementarily combined to create new technologies that delay inter-¯rm knowledge exter-nalities and that generate signi¯cant intra-¯rm knowledge°ows simultaneously. The results suggest that the combination of knowledge in certain technological categories would have signi¯cant appropriability bene¯ts, allowing¯rms to generate valuable and hard to imitate technological knowledge. This¯nding contributes to knowledge management, patent economics, and appropriability literature. Managerial implications for knowledge management are also discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Strategically Accessing External Technological Knowledge: The Case of Foreign Subsidiaries in China

Global Business Review

Adopting a differentiated network view of multinational corporations (MNCs), this study investiga... more Adopting a differentiated network view of multinational corporations (MNCs), this study investigates how recently formed subsidiaries access diversified technological knowledge that allows them to differently contribute to the MNCs' competence building. By employing a firm-specific measure of different technological knowledge categories, we study the competence building of foreign subsidiaries in China in electric and office equipment industry between 1996 and 2005. We find that foreign subsidiaries in China extensively access background technological knowledge to adjust to and benefit from technical changes in supply chain activities. Meanwhile, these subsidiaries actively access marginal technological knowledge to explore potential opportunities. Our results offer the supporting evidence of a differentiated network view of MNCs and contribute to subsidiary evolution literature.

Research paper thumbnail of Patenting choices for valuable subsidiary inventions created in an uncertain and fast changing environment

Journal of Asia Business Studies , 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Patent Citations and Value: Through the Lens of a Social Network Approach

International Journal of Management and Network Economics, 2018

Identifying valuable technological inventions in a timely manner for further development and comm... more Identifying valuable technological inventions in a timely manner for further development and commercialisation has important strategic implications for organisations to maximise social welfare and return on investments. Building upon the advantages that social network approach can predict performance in short investigation periods, this study develops a conceptual and novel framework to predict patent value through analysing patent citations network structural indicators. Our proposed approach helps alleviate truncation problems suffered by existing patent evaluation methods. Testable propositions are also offered. This study contributes to patent economics literature and research fields that would benefit from a more accurate measure of valuable technological inventions. The proposed approach also has practical and commercial values to research institutes and industrial firms.

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F., Jiang, G., and Cantwell, J. A. 2015. Subsidiary Exploration and the Innovative Performance of Large Multinational Corporations. International Business Review, 24(2), 224-234

Research paper thumbnail of Jiang, G., Zhang, F., and Huang, S. 2014. The Determinants Of Business Start-Up Activities Across Different Countries: A Systematic Approach. Business and Management Quarterly Review, 5(1), 30-39

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F., Cantwell, J. A., and Jiang, G. 2014. The Competence Creation of Recently Formed Subsidiaries in Networked Multinational Corporations: Comparing Subsidiaries in China and Subsidiaries in Industrialized Countries. Asian Business and Management, 13(1), 5-41.

Research paper thumbnail of Cantwell, J. and Zhang, F. 2013. Do Foreign-Owned Subsidiaries in China Follow a Distinctive Pattern of Technological Knowledge Sourcing? Management and Organization Review, Special Issue on Knowledge Search, Spillovers, and Creation in Emerging Markets, 9(3), 489-512.

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F., Cantwell, J. A. 2013. Regional and Global Technological Knowledge Search Strategies and the Innovative Performance of Large Multinational Corporations. Industry and Innovation, 20(7), 637-660.

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F. and Jiang, G. 2013. Subsidiary Non-Localized Search and MNC Performance: the Role of Subsidiary Intra-firm Knowledge Outflows. International Journal of Technology Intelligence and Planning, 9(3), 212-231

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F. and Jiang, G. 2013. Determining Critical Factors of Location Choice of Cross-border Merger and Acquisition: the Case of Chinese Firms. Business and Management Quarterly Review, 4(2), 1-11.

Research paper thumbnail of Cantwell J. and Zhang, F. 2011. Technological Complexity and the Evolving Structure of MNC Subsidiary Knowledge Accumulation. Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, 38(4), 5-33.

Research paper thumbnail of Dunning, J. and Zhang, F. 2008. Foreign Direct Investment and the Locational Competitiveness of Countries. Transnational Corporations, 17(3): 1-30.

The paper first examines the current state of thinking on the role of resources, capabilities and... more The paper first examines the current state of thinking on the role of resources, capabilities and markets (RCM) and institutions (I) as the main ingredients of the competitiveness of national economies. The paper then empirically investigates how the extent, content and quality of each are associated with the level of foreign direct investment (FDI) to and from the country. Data are primarily drawn from the World Investment Report (UNCTAD) and the Global Competitiveness Report (World Economic Forum). We find that the level of competitiveness does, in general, encourage both inward and outward FDI. Moreover, the I of a country has stronger positive effects on FDI than its RCM. Further investigation shows that the effects of I are particularly strong in countries at the advanced stage of development. The findings of the paper suggest that more detailed future work focusing on countries' institutional advantages promises to yield dividends in terms of insight into the determinants of national competitiveness and FDI.

Research paper thumbnail of Cantwell, J. and Zhang, F. 2012. Knowledge Accession Strategies and the Spatial Organization of R&D. In M. Andersson and B. Johansson (eds.) Firms, Innovation and Growth. Oxford University Press: Oxford.

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F. and Pearce, R. 2012. The Growth and Strategic Orientation of Multinationals’ R&D in China. In Robert Pearce (ed.) China and the Multinationals: International Business and the Entry of China into the Global Economy. Edward Elgar, London.

Research paper thumbnail of EMNC technological competence creation: key mechanisms and innovative performance

International Journal of Emerging Markets

Purpose-Considerable attention has been paid to the motives and process of idiosyncratic internat... more Purpose-Considerable attention has been paid to the motives and process of idiosyncratic internationalization trajectory of Multinational Corporations from emerging economies (EMNCs). Yet, the ability to undertake strategic asset-seeking foreign direct investments (FDIs) is not the same as the ability to achieve subsequent investment success (Buckley, 2018). Since an ultimate goal of strategic asset-seeking FDIs is to tap advanced knowledge in host locations to accelerate EMNC competence creation, and the current study aims to shed light on the question of whether, and if so how, EMNCs have been able to build competences after strategic asset-seeking motivated FDIs. Design/methodology/approach-This study tests the US patent and citation data from 2000 to 2014 of leading innovation-oriented MNCs from China and India, complemented with data from LexisNexis Directory of Corporate Affiliations and Mergent Online databases. Wilcoxon rank sum test is employed to compare EMNCs with control group MNCs from mature industrialized countries to identify key technological competence creation mechanisms of EMNCs. Negative binomial regression technique is then employed to test the relationship between the key mechanisms and EMNC innovative performance in terms of quantity and quality of patented inventions. Findings-In contrast to the extant EMNC literature, the author finds that EMNC parents adopt a hands-on and less of an orchestrating approach. They are playing critical roles in accessing and transferring knowledge from international host locations. The empirical analyses indicate an absence of reverse transfers of knowledge from subsidiaries to the parent. Instead, EMNC parents directly access and absorb explicit knowledge from external sources in subsidiary host locations, which significantly contributes to EMNC innovative performance. Meanwhile, the author finds that the employment of intra-firm and inter-unit inventor teams and associated internal tacit knowledge access and transfer significantly contribute to EMNC innovative performance. Originality/value-This study investigates the post-internationalization performance of EMNCs and contributes to the reconciliation of theoretical debates, as well as the generation of a comprehensive understanding of the MNC. Managerial implications are also discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Founder ethnic composition, early internationalization, and new venture performance

Title Founder ethnic composition, early internationalization, and new venture performance Journal Journal of International Entrepreneurship

Research paper thumbnail of EMNC Technological Knowledge Flow Patterns: An Overview of the U.S. Patents Granted

Multinational Business Review

Research paper thumbnail of The Determinants and Performance of Early-Internationalizing Firms: A Literature Review and Research Agenda

International Business Review

Research paper thumbnail of Geographically Dispersed Technological Capability Building and MNC Innovative Performance: The Role of Intra-firm Flows of Newly Absorbed Knowledge

Journal of International Management

Research paper thumbnail of Combination of Complementary Technological Knowledge to Generate "Hard to Imitate" Technologies

Journal of Information and Knowledge Management

Valuable technological knowledge attracts more imitations. In light of knowledge-level perspectiv... more Valuable technological knowledge attracts more imitations. In light of knowledge-level perspective, this study investigates how¯rms could generate rare and valuable knowledge that is also hard to imitate. By applying specialised complementary assets concept to the technological portfolio of a¯rm, we show that core and background technological knowledge from internal and external sources, respectively , are complementarily combined to create new technologies that delay inter-¯rm knowledge exter-nalities and that generate signi¯cant intra-¯rm knowledge°ows simultaneously. The results suggest that the combination of knowledge in certain technological categories would have signi¯cant appropriability bene¯ts, allowing¯rms to generate valuable and hard to imitate technological knowledge. This¯nding contributes to knowledge management, patent economics, and appropriability literature. Managerial implications for knowledge management are also discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Strategically Accessing External Technological Knowledge: The Case of Foreign Subsidiaries in China

Global Business Review

Adopting a differentiated network view of multinational corporations (MNCs), this study investiga... more Adopting a differentiated network view of multinational corporations (MNCs), this study investigates how recently formed subsidiaries access diversified technological knowledge that allows them to differently contribute to the MNCs' competence building. By employing a firm-specific measure of different technological knowledge categories, we study the competence building of foreign subsidiaries in China in electric and office equipment industry between 1996 and 2005. We find that foreign subsidiaries in China extensively access background technological knowledge to adjust to and benefit from technical changes in supply chain activities. Meanwhile, these subsidiaries actively access marginal technological knowledge to explore potential opportunities. Our results offer the supporting evidence of a differentiated network view of MNCs and contribute to subsidiary evolution literature.

Research paper thumbnail of Patenting choices for valuable subsidiary inventions created in an uncertain and fast changing environment

Journal of Asia Business Studies , 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Patent Citations and Value: Through the Lens of a Social Network Approach

International Journal of Management and Network Economics, 2018

Identifying valuable technological inventions in a timely manner for further development and comm... more Identifying valuable technological inventions in a timely manner for further development and commercialisation has important strategic implications for organisations to maximise social welfare and return on investments. Building upon the advantages that social network approach can predict performance in short investigation periods, this study develops a conceptual and novel framework to predict patent value through analysing patent citations network structural indicators. Our proposed approach helps alleviate truncation problems suffered by existing patent evaluation methods. Testable propositions are also offered. This study contributes to patent economics literature and research fields that would benefit from a more accurate measure of valuable technological inventions. The proposed approach also has practical and commercial values to research institutes and industrial firms.

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F., Jiang, G., and Cantwell, J. A. 2015. Subsidiary Exploration and the Innovative Performance of Large Multinational Corporations. International Business Review, 24(2), 224-234

Research paper thumbnail of Jiang, G., Zhang, F., and Huang, S. 2014. The Determinants Of Business Start-Up Activities Across Different Countries: A Systematic Approach. Business and Management Quarterly Review, 5(1), 30-39

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F., Cantwell, J. A., and Jiang, G. 2014. The Competence Creation of Recently Formed Subsidiaries in Networked Multinational Corporations: Comparing Subsidiaries in China and Subsidiaries in Industrialized Countries. Asian Business and Management, 13(1), 5-41.

Research paper thumbnail of Cantwell, J. and Zhang, F. 2013. Do Foreign-Owned Subsidiaries in China Follow a Distinctive Pattern of Technological Knowledge Sourcing? Management and Organization Review, Special Issue on Knowledge Search, Spillovers, and Creation in Emerging Markets, 9(3), 489-512.

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F., Cantwell, J. A. 2013. Regional and Global Technological Knowledge Search Strategies and the Innovative Performance of Large Multinational Corporations. Industry and Innovation, 20(7), 637-660.

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F. and Jiang, G. 2013. Subsidiary Non-Localized Search and MNC Performance: the Role of Subsidiary Intra-firm Knowledge Outflows. International Journal of Technology Intelligence and Planning, 9(3), 212-231

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F. and Jiang, G. 2013. Determining Critical Factors of Location Choice of Cross-border Merger and Acquisition: the Case of Chinese Firms. Business and Management Quarterly Review, 4(2), 1-11.

Research paper thumbnail of Cantwell J. and Zhang, F. 2011. Technological Complexity and the Evolving Structure of MNC Subsidiary Knowledge Accumulation. Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, 38(4), 5-33.

Research paper thumbnail of Dunning, J. and Zhang, F. 2008. Foreign Direct Investment and the Locational Competitiveness of Countries. Transnational Corporations, 17(3): 1-30.

The paper first examines the current state of thinking on the role of resources, capabilities and... more The paper first examines the current state of thinking on the role of resources, capabilities and markets (RCM) and institutions (I) as the main ingredients of the competitiveness of national economies. The paper then empirically investigates how the extent, content and quality of each are associated with the level of foreign direct investment (FDI) to and from the country. Data are primarily drawn from the World Investment Report (UNCTAD) and the Global Competitiveness Report (World Economic Forum). We find that the level of competitiveness does, in general, encourage both inward and outward FDI. Moreover, the I of a country has stronger positive effects on FDI than its RCM. Further investigation shows that the effects of I are particularly strong in countries at the advanced stage of development. The findings of the paper suggest that more detailed future work focusing on countries' institutional advantages promises to yield dividends in terms of insight into the determinants of national competitiveness and FDI.

Research paper thumbnail of Cantwell, J. and Zhang, F. 2012. Knowledge Accession Strategies and the Spatial Organization of R&D. In M. Andersson and B. Johansson (eds.) Firms, Innovation and Growth. Oxford University Press: Oxford.

Research paper thumbnail of Zhang, F. and Pearce, R. 2012. The Growth and Strategic Orientation of Multinationals’ R&D in China. In Robert Pearce (ed.) China and the Multinationals: International Business and the Entry of China into the Global Economy. Edward Elgar, London.