These methods are capable of transferring large amounts of information that would otherwise not be possible
through face-to-face interaction. For example, comprehensive training for business and cross-cultural training in a
specific host country before and after the overseas assignment exploits explicit or objective knowledge (Geigle &
Malhotra, 2009). In addition, MNCs vary in their ability to process and replicate new knowledge gained from
external sources. The aforementioned knowledge is labeled as “absorptive capacity” and is defined as the ability
to see value in new external information and to apply it to business strategy (Lee & Wu, 2010).