Integrative assessment of exporting research articles in business journals during the period 1960-2007

The manuscript reports on an integrative assessment of exporting research published in 821 academic articles during the period 1960-2007. Such an undertaking is deemed necessary due to the voluminous, multifarious, and fragmented nature of knowledge in this crucial field of international business. The study includes an analysis of each article on four major grounds (i.e., research design, scope of research, research methodology, and thematic areas), aiming to obtain a holistic picture of and identify trends in the subject. The content analysis reveals that:(a) the vast majority of exporting studies adopted a cross-sectional, field-oriented, and survey approach, while there was a steady increase of research with a formalized and causal character; (b) research into exporting had gradually shifted outside North America, involved multiple industries, and used exporters as the unit of analysis; (c) recent exporting studies have employed probability sampling designs, larger samples, construct validation procedures, and advanced analytical methods more extensively; and (d) export performance was the most widely examined topic, attracting continuous attention over time. Several conclusions are derived that can contribute to the field's theoretical and practical advancement.