Knowledge flows in international
business: a JIBS citation analysis
Orly Yeheskel
School of Management and Economics,
The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel Aviv, Israel, and
Oded Shenkar
Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
Abstract
Purpose – As an interdisciplinary, integrative field, international business exchanges knowledge
with other academic areas. The inflow of theories, models, constructs and empirical findings infuses
the field’s theoretical and methodological base, while outflow represents impact on other academic
areas. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the knowledge flows into and from international
business, using journal citation counts as the primary indicator.
Design/methodology/approach – Following Salancik, the paper opted to use an index of
structural influence over the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) impact factor, focusing on the
sub-area of management. It analyzed cross-citations between the Journal of International Business
Studies (JIBS) and a group of the leading management journals over a 13-year period.
Findings – Using cross citations method, JIBS was found to be a net importer, especially from
strategy; however in the most recent period the journal has become a net knowledge exporter.
Research limitations/implications – The present analysis confirms that international business is
at a crossroads. While its outflow level can be explained in a narrow domain and its high import level
can be interpreted to be the result of a more open market than that of its competitors, the fact that its
largest deficit is with a competing area that is itself integrative is not encouraging.
Originality/value – Implications for the network location of the field, its content, impact and
competitive position are outlined in this paper. Suggestions for the future direction and development of
international business are drawn.
Keywords Serials, User studies, International business, Knowledge management
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
International business is a distinct academic area whose domain spans comparative
and cross-border environments and institutions and the business behavior of their
major players, be they firms, individuals, and governments, all anchored in a
knowledge base that is simultaneously global and country specific (Shenkar, 2004).
With the advent of globalization, the identity of international business has become the
subject of heated internal debate (e.g., Toyne and Nigh, 1997), its added value a
contention in the context of growing encroachment into its traditional territory by
functional areas. The perceived contribution of international business is, in turn,
signaled by the flow of knowledge into and from the field.
As an interdisciplinary area, international business relies on multiple academic
fields for much of its theoretical base and as a source of concepts, methodologies, and
empirical findings. The source, extent and nature of those imports is of great
importance since it determines the research questions undertaken by the field, its
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Knowledge flows
in international
business
111
EuroMed Journal of Business
Vol. 4 No. 2, 2009
pp. 111-126
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1450-2194
DOI 10.1108/14502190910976484