The Evolution of International Business Textbooks

Abstract

As a field of study, international business (IB) has evolved with accelerated tempo in the last four decades. The subject has brought with it an increasing plethora of textbooks. We analyze the contents of major textbooks, both classic and new, to find the extent to which these textbooks cover the various components of the common body of knowledge in IB, as organized around a conceptual model. Using this model, we study some 27 textbooks published between 1976 and 2008, and categorize their content. Our primary objective is to determine the extent to which there is commonality among textbooks. Additionally, we study the evolution over time in the content of the same textbooks from one edition to the next and explore the reasons for these changes. We present the results in graphic and tabular forms, depicting areas where themes may converge or overlap. This study’s conclusions will contribute to a better understanding of the epistemological roots of the field and its evolution over time. Scholars who write textbooks, textbook users, and publishers will benefit from this analysis.