Debunking the Myths and Exploring the Opportunities of Contributing to the International Business Literature Dr. David A. Griffith The Eli Broad Graduate School of Management Michigan State University Internationalizing Doctoral Education in Business: A Ph.D. Seminar July 30, 2004

Agenda 3 Common Myths A World of Opportunities

Myth #1: Adding and subtracting international constructs to existing models is a contribution –Adding international variables, (e.g., cultural distance, economic similarity, etc.) makes a contribution Myth foundation: –A significant amount of IB work includes international variables –Misunderstanding the true contribution of a work Myth #1

“Although, in principle, it is possible to make an important theoretical contribution by simply adding or subtracting factors from an existing model, this process seldom satisfies reviewers. The additions or deletions typically proposed are not of sufficient magnitude to substantially alter the core logic of the existing model. One way to demonstrate the value of a proposed change in a list of factors is to identify how this change effects the accepted relationships between variables. Just a list of variables does not constitute a theory, so the addition of a new variable should not be mistaken as a theoretical contribution. Relationships, not lists, are the domain of theory.” David Whetten, Editor, Academy of Management Review 1989

Myth#2: Changing contexts is a contribution –Venue itself makes a contribution New country or cross-cultural extension New context (e.g., import vs. export) –Finding a difference or no difference is important in and of itself Myth foundation: –A significant amount of cross-cultural work is published –Misunderstanding the true contribution of a work Myth #2

David Stewart, Editor, Journal of Marketing, 2002 “Venue is seldom sufficient rationale for publishing a paper. Just because a particular phenomenon has not been examined in a particular venue (such as a specific industry or country) is not a good reason to do a study. This is a problem with much of the research in an international or internet context.”

Myth #3: Unique data is publishable in top journals simply because it is hard to obtain –People are interested in country X, thus if I have data from country X is it publishable Myth foundation: –People have published work in the past (even the recent past) that appears to be driven solely by the uniqueness of the data –Unique data can increase the interest in a manuscript Myth #3

Develop theoretically innovative models that address important international business problems Consider the rigors of international research and the biases of reviewers/editors when designing studies Explore your models in appropriate and interesting contexts, not simply contexts of convenience Implications

“The man to watch, the man to put your money on, is not the man who wants to make a “survey” or a “more detailed study” but the man with the notebook, the man with the alternative hypotheses and the crucial experiments, the man who knows how to answer your Question of disproof and is already working on it.” John R. Platt, University of Chicago, 1963

Growing need for IB scholars –Increasing internationalization of University curriculums –Increasing interest and importance of IB within University programs –University realization of specialty of IB International business literature is still in its growth stage –In all actuality we know very little about International Business –Growing need to develop and refine IB theories –Growing respect of IB research with greater focus on rigor A World of Opportunities

Questions? Thank You