International transfer of climate technologies : which factors influence the firm's choice of transfer channel?

Based on a survey among German climate technology companies, we analyse how characteristics of the technology and organization-specific resources influence the channel chosen for transferring climate technologies to other countries. We employ a multi-step method that combines factor analysis and hierarchical logistic regression. Our results suggest that organizations tend to choose hierarchical modes of transfer with increasing relevance of firm-internal capabilities. The most significant empirical link exists between the complexity of the relevant technology and the observed mode of transfer. A high degree of technological complexity tends to increase the likelihood of internal transfers, which is consistent with the assumption that the transfer of tacit knowledge requires a higher amount of personal communication between donor and recipient.