IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/iburev/v33y2024i1s0969593123001075.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ethics and international business research: Considerations and best practices

Author

Listed:
  • Miller, Stewart R.
  • Moore, Fiona
  • Eden, Lorraine

Abstract

Research integrity matters. It enables researchers to trust each other and their findings, and provides a basis for society’s trust in our research. We explore research integrity using the lens of international business (IB) research, focusing on IB research methods. We narrow the topic further by focusing on ethical issues associated with a single project by a single author. We examine the methodological challenges involved in conducting research in the complex IB environment and propose best practices for both quantitative and qualitative IB research methods. In some ways, this is a “back to basics” message; in other ways, we draw attention to the heightened complexity of the IB environment and the need to invest in rigorous methods and ethical practices in our unending pursuit of truth.

Suggested Citation

  • Miller, Stewart R. & Moore, Fiona & Eden, Lorraine, 2024. "Ethics and international business research: Considerations and best practices," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(1).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:33:y:2024:i:1:s0969593123001075
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2023.102207
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969593123001075
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2023.102207?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bruce Kogut & Harbir Singh, 1988. "The Effect of National Culture on the Choice of Entry Mode," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 19(3), pages 411-432, September.
    2. Mark F Peterson & Jean-Luc Arregle & Xavier Martin, 2012. "Multilevel models in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(5), pages 451-457, June.
    3. Lorraine Eden & Bo Bernhard Nielsen, 2020. "Research methods in international business: The challenge of complexity," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1609-1620, December.
    4. Mahadevan, Jasmin & Moore, Fiona, 2023. "A framework for a more reflexive engagement with ethnography in International Business Studies," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(4).
    5. Tatiana Kostova & Sjoerd Beugelsdijk & W. Richard Scott & Vincent E. Kunst & Chei Hwee Chua & Marc Essen, 2020. "The construct of institutional distance through the lens of different institutional perspectives: Review, analysis, and recommendations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(4), pages 467-497, June.
    6. Sjoerd Beugelsdijk & Arjen Witteloostuijn & Klaus E. Meyer, 2020. "A new approach to data access and research transparency (DART)," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(6), pages 887-905, August.
    7. Pankaj Ghemawat, 2003. "Semiglobalization and international business strategy," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(2), pages 138-152, March.
    8. Xiao, Shufeng & Tian, Xiaocong, 2023. "Performance feedback and location choice of foreign direct investment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4).
    9. Sørensen, Bent E & Kalemli-Özcan, Sebnem & Volosovych, Vadym & Villegas-Sanchez, Carolina & Yesiltas, Sevcan, 2015. "How to construct nationally representative firm level data from the ORBIS global database," CEPR Discussion Papers 10829, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    10. G Tomas M Hult & David J Ketchen & David A Griffith & Carol A Finnegan & Tracy Gonzalez-Padron & Nukhet Harmancioglu & Ying Huang & M Berk Talay & S Tamer Cavusgil, 2008. "Data equivalence in cross-cultural international business research: assessment and guidelines," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(6), pages 1027-1044, September.
    11. Saiyed, Abrar Ali & Wierenga, Marleen & Fernhaber, Stephanie A. & Nummela, Niina, 2023. "From grassroots to international markets: A qualitative study of marginalized entrepreneurs in India," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5).
    12. Peter J. Buckley & Mark Casson, 1991. "The Future of the Multinational Enterprise," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, edition 0, number 978-1-349-21204-0, December.
    13. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    14. Jeremy Hall & Ben R. Martin, 2019. "Towards a Taxonomy of Academic Misconduct: The Case of Business School Research," SPRU Working Paper Series 2019-02, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    15. Catherine Welch & Rebecca Piekkari & Emmanuella Plakoyiannaki & Eriikka Paavilainen-Mantymaki, 2011. "Theorising from case studies: Towards a pluralist future for international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(5), pages 740-762, June.
    16. Kalinic, Igor & Brouthers, Keith D., 2022. "Entrepreneurial orientation, export channel selection, and export performance of SMEs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(1).
    17. Magnani, Giovanna & Gioia, Denny, 2023. "Using the Gioia Methodology in international business and entrepreneurship research," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(2).
    18. Teagarden, Mary B. & Von Glinow, Mary Ann & Mellahi, Kamel, 2018. "Contextualizing international business research: Enhancing rigor and relevance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 303-306.
    19. Colin F. Camerer & Anna Dreber & Felix Holzmeister & Teck-Hua Ho & Jürgen Huber & Magnus Johannesson & Michael Kirchler & Gideon Nave & Brian A. Nosek & Thomas Pfeiffer & Adam Altmejd & Nick Buttrick , 2018. "Evaluating the replicability of social science experiments in Nature and Science between 2010 and 2015," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 2(9), pages 637-644, September.
    20. John H Dunning, 1998. "Location and the Multinational Enterprise: A Neglected Factor?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 29(1), pages 45-66, March.
    21. Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra & Ulf Andersson & Mary Yoko Brannen & Bo Bernhard Nielsen & A. Rebecca Reuber, 2016. "From the Editors: Can I trust your findings? Ruling out alternative explanations in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(8), pages 881-897, October.
    22. Chapman, Malcolm & Gajewska-De Mattos, Hanna & Clegg, Jeremy & Jennings Buckley, Peter, 2008. "Close neighbours and distant friends--perceptions of cultural distance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 217-234, June.
    23. Agnieszka Chidlow & Emmanuella Plakoyiannaki & Catherine Welch, 2014. "Translation in cross-language international business research: Beyond equivalence," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(5), pages 562-582, June.
    24. Bo Bernhard Nielsen & Catherine Welch & Agnieszka Chidlow & Stewart Robert Miller & Roberta Aguzzoli & Emma Gardner & Maria Karafyllia & Diletta Pegoraro, 2020. "Fifty years of methodological trends in JIBS: Why future IB research needs more triangulation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1478-1499, December.
    25. J. Myles Shaver, 1998. "Accounting for Endogeneity When Assessing Strategy Performance: Does Entry Mode Choice Affect FDI Survival?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(4), pages 571-585, April.
    26. N L Reynolds & A C Simintiras & A Diamantopoulos, 2003. "Theoretical justification of sampling choices in international marketing research: key issues and guidelines for researchers," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(1), pages 80-89, January.
    27. Sebnem Kalemli-Ozcan & Bent Sorensen & Carolina Villegas-Sanchez & Vadym Volosovych & Sevcan Yesiltas, 2015. "How to Construct Nationally Representative Firm Level Data from the Orbis Global Database: New Facts and Aggregate Implications," NBER Working Papers 21558, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    28. John Hulland & Hans Baumgartner & Keith Marion Smith, 2018. "Marketing survey research best practices: evidence and recommendations from a review of JAMS articles," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 92-108, January.
    29. Lorraine Eden & Stewart R. Miller & Sarfraz Khan & Robert J. Weiner & Dan Li, 2022. "The event study in international business research: Opportunities, challenges, and practical solutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(5), pages 803-817, July.
    30. Herman Aguinis & Wayne F. Cascio & Ravi S. Ramani, 2017. "Science’s reproducibility and replicability crisis: International business is not immune," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(6), pages 653-663, August.
    31. Michael R Mullen, 1995. "Diagnosing Measurement Equivalence in Cross-National Research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(3), pages 573-596, September.
    32. Peltokorpi, Vesa & Zhang, Ling Eleanor, 2020. "Exploring expatriate adjustment through identity perspective," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    33. Delios, Andrew & Welch, Catherine & Nielsen, Bo & Aguinis, Herman & Brewster, Chris, 2023. "Reconsidering, refashioning, and reconceptualizing research methodology in international business," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(6).
    34. Lorraine Eden, 2010. "Letter from the Editor-in-Chief: Scientists behaving badly," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(4), pages 561-566, May.
    35. Joanna Tochman Campbell & Lorraine Eden & Stewart R Miller, 2012. "Multinationals and corporate social responsibility in host countries: Does distance matter?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(1), pages 84-106, January.
    36. David S. A. Guttormsen & Fiona Moore, 2023. "‘Thinking About How We Think’: Using Bourdieu’s Epistemic Reflexivity to Reduce Bias in International Business Research," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 63(4), pages 531-559, August.
    37. Lee, Hea Sun & Pattnaik, Chinmay & Gaur, Ajai S., 2023. "Internationalization of I-business Firms: The role of distance on location choice," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    38. Anthony Goerzen & Christian Geisler Asmussen & Bo Bernhard Nielsen, 2013. "Global cities and multinational enterprise location strategy," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 44(5), pages 427-450, June.
    39. Tim Reeskens & Marc Hooghe, 2008. "Cross-cultural measurement equivalence of generalized trust. Evidence from the European Social Survey (2002 and 2004)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 85(3), pages 515-532, February.
    40. D Eleanor Westney & John Van Maanen, 2011. "The casual ethnography of the executive suite," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(5), pages 602-607, June.
    41. Yeung, Henry Wai-chung, 1995. "Qualitative personal interviews in international business research: Some lessons from a study of Hong Kong Transnational Corporations," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 4(3), pages 313-339, September.
    42. Stewart R Miller & Dan Li & Lorraine Eden & Michael A Hitt, 2008. "Insider trading and the valuation of international strategic alliances in emerging stock markets," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(1), pages 102-117, January.
    43. Westney, D. Eleanor & Piekkari, Rebecca & Koskinen, Kaisa & Tietze, Susanne, 2022. "Crossing borders and boundaries: Translation ecosystems in international business," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5).
    44. Harpaz, Itzhak & Honig, Benson & Coetsier, Pol, 2002. "A cross-cultural longitudinal analysis of the meaning of work and the socialization process of career starters," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 230-244, January.
    45. Jin, Zhongqi & Lynch, Richard & Attia, Samaa & Chansarkar, Bal & Gülsoy, Tanses & Lapoule, Paul & Liu, Xueyuan & Newburry, William & Nooraini, Mohamad Sheriff & Parente, Ronaldo & Purani, Keyoor & Ung, 2015. "The relationship between consumer ethnocentrism, cosmopolitanism and product country image among younger generation consumers: The moderating role of country development status," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 380-393.
    46. Camerer, Colin & Dreber, Anna & Forsell, Eskil & Ho, Teck-Hua & Huber, Jurgen & Johannesson, Magnus & Kirchler, Michael & Almenberg, Johan & Altmejd, Adam & Chan, Taizan & Heikensten, Emma & Holzmeist, 2016. "Evaluating replicability of laboratory experiments in Economics," MPRA Paper 75461, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    47. Chidlow, Agnieszka & Ghauri, Pervez N. & Yeniyurt, Sengun & Cavusgil, S. Tamer, 2015. "Establishing rigor in mail-survey procedures in international business research," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 26-35.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bo Bernhard Nielsen & Catherine Welch & Agnieszka Chidlow & Stewart Robert Miller & Roberta Aguzzoli & Emma Gardner & Maria Karafyllia & Diletta Pegoraro, 2020. "Fifty years of methodological trends in JIBS: Why future IB research needs more triangulation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1478-1499, December.
    2. Gary Knight & Agnieszka Chidlow & Dana Minbaeva, 2022. "Methodological fit for empirical research in international business: A contingency framework," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(1), pages 39-52, February.
    3. David S. A. Guttormsen & Fiona Moore, 2023. "‘Thinking About How We Think’: Using Bourdieu’s Epistemic Reflexivity to Reduce Bias in International Business Research," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 63(4), pages 531-559, August.
    4. Lorraine Eden & Bo Bernhard Nielsen, 2020. "Research methods in international business: The challenge of complexity," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1609-1620, December.
    5. Blevins, Dane P. & Moschieri, Caterina & Pinkham, Brian C. & Ragozzino, Roberto, 2016. "Institutional changes within the European Union: How global cities and regional integration affect MNE entry decisions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 319-330.
    6. Herman Aguinis & Kelly P. Gabriel, 2022. "International business studies: Are we really so uniquely complex?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(9), pages 2023-2036, December.
    7. Jane W. Lu & Hao Ma & Xuanli Xie, 2022. "Foreignness research in international business: Major streams and future directions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(3), pages 449-480, April.
    8. Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra & Ulf Andersson & Mary Yoko Brannen & Bo Bernhard Nielsen & A. Rebecca Reuber, 2016. "From the Editors: Can I trust your findings? Ruling out alternative explanations in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(8), pages 881-897, October.
    9. Nicole F. Richter & Sven Hauff & Christian M. Ringle & Siegfried P. Gudergan, 2022. "The Use of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling and Complementary Methods in International Management Research," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 62(4), pages 449-470, August.
    10. Nguyen, Duc Cuong & Tull, John, 2022. "Context and contextualization: The extended case method in qualitative international business research," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(5).
    11. Jelena Cerar & Phillip C. Nell & B. Sebastian Reiche, 2021. "The declining share of primary data and the neglect of the individual level in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(7), pages 1365-1374, September.
    12. Herman Aguinis & Ravi S Ramani & Wayne F Cascio, 2020. "Methodological practices in international business research: An after-action review of challenges and solutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1593-1608, December.
    13. Nielsen, Bo Bernhard & Raswant, Arpit, 2018. "The selection, use, and reporting of control variables in international business research: A review and recommendations," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(6), pages 958-968.
    14. Richter, Nicole Franziska & Hauff, Sven, 2022. "Necessary conditions in international business research–Advancing the field with a new perspective on causality and data analysis," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(5).
    15. Fortwengel, Johann & Gutierrez Huerter O, Gabriela & Kostova, Tatiana, 2023. "Three decades of research on practice transfer in multinational firms: Past contributions and future opportunities," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(3).
    16. Liu, Yuli & Ge, Yuejing & Hu, Zhiding & Wang, Shufang, 2018. "Culture and capital flows—Exploring the spatial differentiation of China's OFDI," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 27-45.
    17. Catherine Welch & Eriikka Paavilainen-Mäntymäki & Rebecca Piekkari & Emmanuella Plakoyiannaki, 2022. "Reconciling theory and context: How the case study can set a new agenda for international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(1), pages 4-26, February.
    18. Schmidt, Heiko M. & Santamaria-Alvarez, Sandra Milena, 2022. "Routines in International Business: A semi-systematic review of the concept," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(2).
    19. McWilliam, Sarah E. & Kim, Jung Kwan & Mudambi, Ram & Nielsen, Bo Bernhard, 2020. "Global value chain governance: Intersections with international business," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(4).
    20. Herman Aguinis & Donald Bergh & José F. Molina-Azorin, 2023. "Methodological challenges and insights for future international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(2), pages 219-232, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:33:y:2024:i:1:s0969593123001075. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/133/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.