When Technology Travels: A Case in Translation

This chapter explores the dynamics of technology transfer between Airbus and CTRM through the introduction of a VR training tool. It argues that technology does not simply move intact across borders but must be reinterpreted within local contexts of practice. While Airbus engineers viewed the VR simulator as a rational solution to skill gaps, CTRM technicians approached it through tacit routines, embodied knowledge and cultural values of hierarchy and respect. The chapter situates these encounters within the broader literature on technology transfer and sociotechnical systems, showing how misalignments in training, communication and organizational culture reshaped the tool’s use. Drawing on ethnographic observations, it highlights the role of cultural mediation in bridging assumptions across national and institutional boundaries. The analysis reframes technology transfer as a process of cultural translation, where success depends not only on technical design but also on shared meanings negotiated on the factory floor.