Managers’ perceptions on trust and knowledge transfer: Evidence from Greek ISAs in South East Europe

Abstract

Nowadays, cooperation through the formation of International Strategic Alliances (ISAs) has become a key strategy for many firms that expand internationally. Trust among foreign partners and knowledge transfer are identified in the literature as crucial factors for satisfactory ISA performance. This paper extends previous research (Rotsios et al., 2018, 2019) on these two important parameters. Based on aspects from the Social Exchange Theory and the Resource Based View, we explore a) the perceived level of Greek managers’ trust towards their foreign partners, and b) the perceived level of the knowledge that Greek companies have acquired from their participation in ISAs. A quantitative approach is adopted, and through a questionnaire survey, a sample of 171 Greek ISAs operating in the region of South East Europe is examined. This study contributes to International Business (IB) literature and sheds light on trust and knowledge transfer in ISAs in an underresearched region. Furthermore, this research enhances the understanding on issues related to trust among ISA partners and knowledge transfer in ISAs. In addition, it contributes to the limited number of regional IB studies. Finally, the empirical findings are discussed and managerial implications are presented, while areas for further research are also proposed.