US Research on Asian Business: A Flawed Model

Abstract

Increasingly, publication in the top US business research journals is being accepted as an indicator of excellence in research by management schools around the world. This is problematic for research on Asian business. The US management journals, most highly valued in evaluating academic success, have developed a very narrow focus. These journals are most receptive to articles that rely on theory that was developed in a US context, and thus may not be easily applicable to Asian business. They tend to define rigor in terms of the use of quantitative methods, and thus require the use of variables that are easily quantifiable (and data that is readily available). As a consequence, they limit the sorts of exploratory research that still may be most productive in helping us understand Asian business and management. Ironically, just as non-American institutions are increasingly relying on American management journals in evaluating the research performance of their faculty, there are growing qualms within the United States about the legitimacy of US management research enterprise.