Abstract
International business (IB) research focused on practical insights requires analytical techniques that come closer to reality by embracing complexity. In this article, we discuss Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), a configurational technique researchers can leverage to study complex causal patterns in IB phenomena. We briefly review the basics of QCA, provide an example of how it can be applied to study practical IB issues, and outline the first steps for researchers situated at the intersection of IB practice and scholarship. Employing such techniques may make applied IB research even better positioned to make impactful contributions to practice and society.
Highlights
International business (IB) research aiming to advance actionable insights and a realistic understanding of cross-border and comparative phenomena requires the employment of research designs and analytical techniques that, to the extent possible, approximate the reality of doing business across borders or in distinct contexts (Fainshmidt, Witt, Aguilera, & Verbeke, 2020)
The reality is that many IB phenomena are complex, but traditional IB research methods are usually not
As Fainshmidt et al (2020: 455) succinctly note, “The mismatch between the nature of the empirical phenomena studied on the one hand, and hypothesis formulation and empirical methods deployed on the other, explains why many quantitative empirical studies in IB are overly reductionist, relying on hypotheses that assume linear, unifinal, and symmetrical effects.”
Summary
International business (IB) research aiming to advance actionable insights and a realistic understanding of cross-border and comparative phenomena requires the employment of research designs and analytical techniques that, to the extent possible, approximate the reality of doing business across borders or in distinct contexts (Fainshmidt, Witt, Aguilera, & Verbeke, 2020). Most IB research, including that which is applied, relies on variance-based techniques and apparatus (Fainshmidt, Witt, Aguilera, & Verbeke, 2020). To be sure, such techniques are highly useful and can offer valuable practical insights. Judge, Fainshmidt, & Brown III (2014) examine configurations of institutional characteristics, demonstrating several optimal models of capitalism for equitable wealth creation, while an abundance of prior studies typically focused on single, isolated institutional characteristics Both types of studies – configurational and variance-based – contribute to our understating of how institutional context shapes economic outcomes, the former better approximates reality because institutions tend to combine into gestalts. We aim to propel the adoption of fresh methodological approaches for researchers situated at the intersection of IB practice and scholarship
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