Scientific method and retailing research: A retrospective

James R. Brown and Rajiv P. Dant

Journal of Retailing, 2008, vol. 84, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: In this paper, we review the 164 articles published in the Journal of Retailing over the 2002–2007 time-span, the period reviewed by Grewal and Levy in their recent article entitled “Retailing Research: Past, Present and Future” [Grewal, Dhruv and Michael Levy (2007), “Passing the Baton, Journal of Retailing 2001 to 2007,”Journal of Retailing, 83 (4) (in this issue)] for their content. Two study characteristics are reviewed for each publication: (1) approach adopted for methodology (classified into eight categories of Student Surveys, Consumer Surveys, Secondary Data, Laboratory Studies, Industry Surveys, Qualitative Methods, modeling, and other) and (2) inferential tools employed by the scholars. The latter are sub-grouped into six categories of regression, ANOVA/MANOVA, structural equation modeling (SEM), analytical modeling, qualitative analysis, and other. Patterns of the usage of these approaches and techniques are tracked over the years and across content areas. We find that researchers in a particular Substantive Content Area tend to focus on particular methodological approaches and inferential tools. We argue that much is to be gained by shaking up these historical patterns.

Keywords: Retailing; Student Survey; Consumer Survey; Secondary Data; Laboratory Study; Industry Survey; Qualitative Methods; Analytical Modeling; Regression; ANOVA/MANOVA; SEM; Review article (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (24)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jouret:v:84:y:2008:i:1:p:1-13

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretai.2008.03.001

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