Knowledge integration in multinational enterprises: The role of inventors crossing national and organizational boundaries

Adopting a microfoundations approach to the analysis of intra-multinational enterprise (MNE) knowledge integration, we focus on mobile inventors and their boundary-spanning experience. Using inventor-patent data US-based MNEs, show that intra-organizational cross-border mobility inter-organizational have respectively positive negative effect integration. Cross-border within MNE enables temporary co-location in different units, facilitating dissemination MNE. Conversely, “job-hopping” may remain organizational outsiders, which hinders ability foster intra-MNE