Neglected elements: What we should cover more of in international business research

Ilgaz Arikan () and Oded Shenkar ()
Additional contact information
Ilgaz Arikan: Kent State University
Oded Shenkar: The Ohio State University

Journal of International Business Studies, 2022, vol. 53, issue 7, No 8, 1484-1507

Abstract: Abstract The international business (IB) field is maturing and developing conceptual frameworks, dedicated applications, and precise tools. In the course of this progression, the field has started to break away from its disciplinary roots, establishing parsimonious models using finely tuned but confined approaches. While fruitful in solidifying the sovereignty of the field, this progression comes at the expense of detecting and building on major undercurrents that define the rich IB context. We return here to the foundations of IB research to identify neglected elements and offer suggestions as to why they should and how they can be incorporated to deepen and strengthen the field’s reach and impact. We discuss the neglected elements in five clusters, namely audiences and actors (intended readers and key players), locations (research sites), environmental layers (contextual tiers), history (prior paths), and interactions (among players and elements). We highlight how those clusters taken together on their conceptual underpinnings and empirical proxies will support IB research, first by way of producing a virtuous cycle of theory-to-issue research to open the perennial “black box”; and second by enabling eclectic, interdisciplinary research and retrospective investigation using a multifaceted lens.

Keywords: MNEs; international political economy; history in international business; conflict and animosity; incorporating country variables; geography (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41267-021-00472-9 Abstract (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:53:y:2022:i:7:d:10.1057_s41267-021-00472-9

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... nt/journal/41267/PS2

DOI: 10.1057/s41267-021-00472-9

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of International Business Studies is currently edited by John Cantwell

More articles in Journal of International Business Studies from Palgrave Macmillan, Academy of International Business
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().