The use of case studies in economic diplomacy research

Abstract

This chapter is a systematic literature review of case studies focused on economic diplomacy from the field of International Relations and International Political Economy. It examines 19 case studies looking at descriptive characteristics and content. The idea is to contribute to knowledge on the implementation of case study methodology as well as understand how IR and IPE use the methodology to study economic diplomacy. Moreover, it provides a discussion of the concept of economic diplomacy and instructions for case study implementation. The analysis follows three pillars: Focus, Implementation and Reporting. The findings indicate that although there is widespread use of case study in researching economic diplomacy, there is little discussion on the benefits of using the methodology, rather the usage of case studies is taken for granted and often implemented without following systematic procedures. The findings also indicate the need for more research on economic diplomacy and development.