Paper Title
KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL AND MANUFACTURING FIRMS’ INNOVATION MANAGEMENT: EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF TRANSBOUNDARY INVESTMENT AND ASSIMILATIVE CAPACITY

Abstract
In today's volatile and highly competitive business environment, the importance of knowledge capital and innovation management for multinational manufacturing firms has been widely recognized by both academia and industry. This paper aims to explore the impact of transboundary investment and assimilative capacity on the association between knowledge capital and innovation management in this context. Research Aim: This research aims to examine the relationship between knowledge capital and multinational manufacturing firms' innovation management, while also investigating the mediating role of transboundary investment and assimilative capacity. The study seeks to contribute to the understanding of how these factors influence innovation management in the manufacturing industry. Methodology: To achieve the research aim, a theoretical association model was developed based on existing research. Data was collected from 19 multinational manufacturing firms in Ghana through an online electronic questionnaire survey. The collected data was then analyzed using path analysis, utilizing SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 24.0 software to test the formulated hypotheses. Findings: The study drew varied conclusions from both theoretical inferences and empirical tests. Firstly, it found that knowledge capital has a positive and significant impact on multinational manufacturing firms' innovation management. Firms with advanced knowledge capital are more likely to have better innovation management. Secondly, the study revealed that transboundary investment plays an effective mediating role in the relationship between knowledge physical capital, knowledge interactive capital, and innovation management. However, there was no significant impact between knowledge of empirical capital and innovation management. Lastly, the study established the impact of transboundary investment and assimilative capacity on the association between knowledge capital and innovation management. Theoretical Importance:This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of the relationship between knowledge capital and innovation management in the manufacturing industry. It highlights the importance of knowledge capital in enhancing innovation management and emphasizes the role of transboundary investment and assimilative capacity in mediating this relationship. Data Collection and Analysis Procedures: Data for this study was collected through an online electronic questionnaire survey. The collected data was then analyzed using path analysis, employing SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 24.0 software. These analytical tools were used to test the formulated hypotheses and draw conclusions from the data. Question Addressed: This research addresses three main questions: firstly, whether knowledge capital improves innovation management; secondly, whether transboundary investment mediates the relationship between knowledge capital and innovation management; and thirdly, whether transboundary investment and assimilative capacity impact the association between knowledge capital and innovation management. Conclusion: The findings of this research indicate that knowledge capital is positively associated with multinational manufacturing firms' innovation management. Transboundary investment plays a crucial role in mediating this relationship, while assimilative capacity also influences the association between knowledge capital and innovation management. The study suggests that multinational manufacturing firms should focus on building knowledge capital and implementing transboundary investment to enhance their innovation management.