Technological knowledge is often claimed to be context-bound and sticking to local surroundings. This paper investigates how technological knowledge can be exchanged in international subcontractor relationships, using relationship-oriented organizational practices. Five hypotheses concerning such practices are tested. It is shown that the use of relationshiporiented practices varies with exports and the active development of subcontractors in product and process development activities. Moreover, international development-oriented subcontractors are more likely to use interpersonal exchange, electronic data interchange and formalized contracts than other types of subcontractors. Research implications as well as managerial implications are derived.

技术知识常常被认为是与环境相关的，与当地环境紧密相连。本文利用关系导向的组织实践，探讨如何在国际分包商关系中交换技术知识。测试了关于这种做法的五种假设。研究表明，在产品和过程开发活动中，关系型做法的使用随出口和分包商的积极开发而变化。此外，面向国际发展的分包商比其他类型的分包商更可能使用人际交流、电子数据交换和正式合同。研究的含义以及管理的含义被导出。