Taking the mess back to business: studying international business from behind

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the role of the qualitative researcher in international business (IB) studies and the need for a local perspective to better comprehend the complexity and consequences of international economic activity.

Design/methodology/approach

Argues that the internationalization process is constructed at the doorstep where local and international actors meet and should thus be studied from both angles. The article provides some empirical examples and anecdotes from research in China to underpin the argumentation. The questions are discussed in the voices of “the Geographer” and “the Explorer” – characters borrowed from Saint‐Exupery's novel The Little Prince.

Findings

Research on IB is overly oriented towards the activities of international actors. More knowledge on how local actors evaluate and act upon international initiatives and the relations between entrants and locals may provide better understanding of realities and dynamics of actors in both camps.

Practical implications

Researchers of IB should go beyond the traditional sources of information (i.e. Multinational Corporation managers) and also consult actors on the far side of IB. By entering deeper into the field of study the researcher may be able to gain profound insight, but s/he may also become a more active ingredient in the realities being studied.

Originality/value

To discuss these issues through metaphorical characters like the Geographer and the Explorer, and, on top of this, construct an interview is of course a rather unorthodox solution. However, considering the methodological issues being discussed and the messy approach advocated the author found this solution appropriate.

Citation

Hopsdal Hansen, G. (2008), "Taking the mess back to business: studying international business from behind", Critical Perspectives on International Business, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 42-54. https://doi.org/10.1108/17422040810849758