Culture studies in international business: paradigmatic shifts
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to unfold the path of how the complexity of culture issues leads to a rising pressure for paradigm changes in the research on culture in international management. In terms of academic debate about culture, the crucial paradigm shift has not yet happened. Research and writing are still dominated by a mechanistic-rational approach which does not quite know to handle cultural phenomena which by nature are mutuable, often transient and invariably context-specific. Rising pressure is observed for paradigm changes through three main trends: integration of West-East dichotomy, coexistence of convergence and divergence; and dynamic vs static perspectives. It is argued that the unresolved debate on the culture construct and its measurement, the epistemological stance by researchers and associated methodological choices in culture studies reinforce these trends pressuring for a paradigm shift.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews the knowledge based on culture studies to establish the contributions of culture studies in international business and the foundation of its knowledge base. The conceptual foundation of culture, its multi-level and multi-dimensionality and critical issues in research epistemology and methodology are analyzed to discuss emerging trends in the process of an imminent paradigm change.
Findings
By unfolding the nature of abstract and high-order definition of culture, the focus is on deciphering the complex construct and multi-level and multi-dimensionality in measurement, which, in turn, interact with the epistemology of culture researchers and the choice of methodology used to carry out culture studies. Eventually the interaction of the three studied elements drives the proposed three paradigmatic changes in the evolving business environment.
Research limitations/implications
The identified trends in existing culture research keep the importance of culture studies in international business management thriving as we point to their relevance for the envisaged paradigm shift.
Practical implications
The three paradoxes discussed challenge researchers who aim to contribute to the knowledge base of culture in international business. In addition, the debate cannot be ignored by international business managers as culture is a key informal institutional driver that influences international business performance.
Originality/value
The review of the knowledge base on culture studies in management contributes to a better understanding of the envisaged paradigmatic shift of the discipline. The debate on the complexity of culture studies is extended to three tendencies for potential paradigmatic change, with implications discussed to suggest future research.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The two authors contribute equally to the manuscript. The authors are indebted to the participants of the EURAM 2013 conference in Istanbul and 2011 International Conference on “Leadership and Management in a Changing World: Lessons from Ancient East and West Philosophy” in Athens for helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper.
Citation
Rohlfer, S. and Zhang, Y. (2016), "Culture studies in international business: paradigmatic shifts", European Business Review, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 39-62. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-07-2015-0070
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited