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International business research output and rankings of Asia-Pacific universities: A 40-year time-series analysis

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Abstract

This study measures and ranks the performance of countries and academic institutions based on a 40-year analysis of publications appearing in 14 leading business and management journals. The focus is on the evolution of Asia-Pacific institutions in international business research output during this period. In addition, an examination is performed to identify factors associated with Asia-Pacific institutions that have achieved the highest rankings. This research shows that the Journal of International Business Studies and the Journal of World Business were central in spreading international business research, as well as in supporting research by authors from the Asia-Pacific region. Further, schools such as Harvard, Wharton, and University of South Carolina have maintained the highest ranks in research output throughout the 40-year period, but recent years have witnessed the emergence of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and University of Hong Kong, among others, in those top ranks.

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Notes

  1. The decision to include only the top 14 journals was based on the fact that there was a 29% decrease in the number of citations between the fourteenth and fifteenth most-cited journals.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank David Ahlstrom, Consulting Editor, and two anonymous reviewers for their comments and support in this project. We are also grateful to William (Nate) Heideman and Aaron Johnson, both undergraduate students at Ohio University, who provided support in the collection and coding of the data. This project was further supported by a SEED Grant from the College of Business at Ohio University.

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Correspondence to Rachida Aïssaoui.

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Aïssaoui, R., Geringer, M.J. International business research output and rankings of Asia-Pacific universities: A 40-year time-series analysis. Asia Pac J Manag 35, 993–1023 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-017-9536-x

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