Research Methodology in Global Strategy Research

• Published in: Global strategy journal Vol. 7; no. 3; pp. 233 - 240
• Main Authors: Cuervo‐Cazurra, Alvaro, Mudambi, Ram, Pedersen, Torben, Piscitello, Lucia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01-08-2017; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: causality; Economic models; endogeneity; Global economy; global strategy; Research methodology; research methods; Researchers; Strategic management; theory
• ISSN: 2042-5791; 2042-5805
• DOI: 10.1002/gsj.1164

Research summary
We review advances in research methodology used in global strategy research and provide suggestions on how researchers can improve their analyses and arguments. Methodological advances in the extraction of information, such as computer‐aided text analysis, and in the analysis of datasets, such as differences‐in‐differences and propensity score matching, have helped deal with challenges (e.g., endogeneity and causality) that bedeviled earlier studies and resulted in conflicting findings. These methodological advances need to be considered as tools that complement theoretical arguments and well‐explained logics and mechanisms so that researchers can provide better and more relevant recommendations to managers designing the global strategies of their organizations.
Managerial summary
We review advances in research methodology used in global strategy research and provide suggestions for improving researchers’ analyses and arguments. Methodological advances in the extraction of information and in the analysis of datasets have helped researchers deal with challenges that bedeviled earlier studies and resulted in conflicting findings. These advances have provided researchers with the ability to obtain valid, unbiased results with clear and relevant managerial implications. Such methodological advances need to be considered as tools that complement theoretical arguments and well‐explained logics and mechanisms so that researchers can provide better and more relevant recommendations to managers designing the global strategies of their organizations. Copyright © 2017 Strategic Management Society.