Open AccessTheory building trends in international management research: an archival review of preferred methods
Author(s) -
Hendrik S. Kriek,
Dave Beaty,
Stella M. Nkomo
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
suid-afrikaanse tydskrif vir ekonomiese en bestuurswetenskappe/south african journal of economic and management sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.277
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 2222-3436
pISSN - 1015-8812
DOI - 10.4102/sajems.v12i1.265
Subject(s) - context (archaeology) , qualitative research , maturity (psychological) , field (mathematics) , management science , quantitative research , conceptual framework , sociology , engineering ethics , knowledge management , political science , social science , computer science , engineering , geography , mathematics , archaeology , pure mathematics , law
A number of distinguished scholars believe that for theory development to occur within a field, qualitative research must precede quantitative research in order for the field to progress toward maturity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the international management literature from 1991-2007 to ascertain current levels of use of qualitative, quantitative, conceptual and joint (quantitative and qualitative) research methods in the field. Results indicate scholars employ quantitative methods more than qualitative methods. The implications of these findings for future theory development and the generation of context relevant international management knowledge are discussed