A4 Refereed article in a conference publication
Challenges regarding contextualization in IB studies – The dynamic nature of research context
Subtitle: The dynamic nature of research context
Authors: Eva Alfoldi, Melanie Hassett
Editors: '-
Conference name: Academy of International Business
Publishing place: Aston University
Publication year: 2013
Journal: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Academy of International Business
Book title : 40th Annual Conference, Academy of International Business UK and Ireland Chapter, AIB UKI 2013, Aston University, Birmingham
ISSN: 2078-0435
It has been argued that IB research is too often context-blind, and there is a need to conduct deep contextualization rather than merely study processes and phenomena across contexts. However, research settings and context tend to be very dynamic, which renders real-time field research extremely challenging. The constant organisational changes disrupt not only the daily routines of the employees and managers but may steal the focus of the main research question. The key informants may change and when a gatekeeper is replaced, access may become an issue. In worst cases the company may seize to exist and go bankrupt. Changes and unpredictability in the environment, such as the financial crisis, a merger or an acquisition, a joint venture, may also affect the research design. The main aim of this paper is to analyse the dynamic nature of the research context in real-time field research in IB studies using two examples to illustrate the framework. (won the Emerald Groups' Critical Perspectives on International Business Award for Best Paper)