Tracing the Path of International Business Research

Abstract

Past studies have attempted to identify the domains of international business over specific periods of time. Most have used data sets for short time periods, providing a snapshot of the field for the period under review. This chapter reviews the research in the area of international business for the past five decades, with the objective of understanding the path that research has taken during that period in terms of research content, relevance, and methodology. While this understanding supports a proposal for a research agenda for the future, from the perspective of both content and methods in international business research, the impact of the pandemic may require a re-look at the trends that have been presented. The chapter addresses some of the potential changes in the trends in the research agenda that could occur due to the pandemic.