HOW CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS AFFECT OFFSHORE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Purpose To present a model that shows that ‘culture ’ is more then one factor and that these factors play different roles in the process of knowledge transfer. This model also shows how cultural elements influence each other and can cause obstacles during knowledge transfer. Design/methodology/approach We present a conceptual argument for investigating the influence of different aspects of culture during the process of knowledge transfer in IT offshore relations. Findings Preliminary research shows that different cultural elements have different effects on the process of knowledge transfer, and should not necessarily be combined as one factor. Research limitations/implications Currently in progress, we have only conducted a preliminary round of interviews, but so far our findings are consistent with our model. Practical implications With a better model of cultural elements, managers could improve the performance of crosscultural projects, especially in ITO. Originality/value This paper identifies those elements of cultural orientations that affect the processes of knowledge transfer, based on field interviews. Furthermore it suggests a correlation between cultural elements and cultural obstacles