Regaining the Edge for International Business Research

Abstract

The key to international business is that it approaches empirical phenomena at a variety of levels of analysis, using a variety of theoretical frameworks. The most important levels of analysis are the individual manager, the firm, the industry, and the environment. In each category there is vast heterogeneity. Figure 2.1 illustrates this interaction between issues and theories. It has levels of analysis on the vertical axis and the basic social sciences on the horizontal axis as systems of thinking about the phenomena. It would also be possible to replace fundamental disciplines by the primary management disciplines (marketing, finance, strategy, etc.).