06260271 - Dernières avancées de la recherche en management international & IHRM

Advanced research methods are central to the theory and practice of any area of international management. Research in international business can be challenging as it has to combine extremely high standards of research practice with the constraints of empirical work within changing and heterogeneous environments. This course aims to present the latest advances in international management research, from a theoretical, methodological and empirical perspective. It also helps students develop critical thinking through mainstream and alternative research topics.

Estimation of private study (outside of contact hours): 15 hours

DIMENSION OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Social responsibility is a central part of the seminar. It will be addressed at two levels: as a research object and as a consideration when conducting research (ethical considerations). 

TARGETED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

By the end of this seminar, students should be able to: 
1. Master recent theoretical frameworks relating to the sustainable transformation of multinationals (dynamic capabilities, circular economy) and evaluate their relevance 
2. Deconstruct the argumentative structure of a research article
3. Assess the theoretical and empirical contribution of an article
4. Formulate constructive criticism of research work
5. Present a critical analysis of an article in a clear and structured manner

COURSE OUTLINE

1. Introduction : Empowerment of marginalised populations (Noémie Dominguez)
• Dominguez, N., Mercier-Suissa, C., Ottaviano, N., & Cascant, E. (2024). Participatory projects and their impact on immigrants’ integration in France: empowering by doing. Management international, 28(5), 110-121.

2. Competitive advantages and societal transformations (Noémie Dominguez)
• Bouguerra, A., Cakir, M. S., Rajwani, T., Mellahi, K., & Tatoglu, E. (2024). MNEs engagement with environmental sustainability in an emerging economy: Do dynamic capabilities and entrepreneurial orientation matter?. International Business Review, 102298.
• Kemp, A. (2024). Competitive advantage through artificial intelligence: Toward a theory of situated AI. Academy of Management Review, 49(3), 618-635.
• Ramoglou, S., & McMullen, J. S. (2024). “What is an opportunity?”: From theoretical mystification to everyday understanding. Academy of Management Review, 49(2), 273-298.

3. Institutional voids and IB strategies (Noémie Dominguez)
• Andrews, L. R., & Luiz, J. M. (2024). Conceptualizing institutional voids in terms of severity and how the home country affects this understanding. Journal of Business Research, 176, 114605.
• Desai, V. M. (2025). Entering dangerous territory: Why corporate investment is sometimes attracted to institutional voids. International Business Review, 34(2), 102384.
• Jean, R. J. B., Kim, D., Sinkovics, R. R., & Cavusgil, E. (2024). The effect of business model innovation on SMEs’ international performance: The contingent roles of foreign institutional voids and entrepreneurial orientation. Journal of Business Research, 175, 114449.

4. State, Nation branding & the dynamics of cultural contexts (Arthur Nguyen)
• Akaka, M. A., Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2013). The complexity of context: A service ecosystems approach for international marketing. Journal of International Marketing, 21(4), 1-20.
• Nasra, R., & Dacin, M. T. (2010). Institutional arrangements and international entrepreneurship: the state as institutional entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 34(3), 583-609.
• Nguyen, A., & Özçaglar-Toulouse, N. (2021). Nation branding as a market-shaping strategy: A study on South Korean products in Vietnam. Journal of Business Research, 122, 131-144.

5. Decolonizing the IB field (Arthur Nguyen)
• Banerjee, S. B. (2022). Decolonizing management theory: A critical perspective. Journal of Management Studies, 59(4), 1074-1087.
• Banerjee, S. B. (2003). Who sustains whose development? Sustainable development and the reinvention of nature. Organization Studies, 24(1), 143-180
• Koveshnikov, A., Tienari, J., & Piekkari, R. (2019). Gender in international business journals: A review and conceptualization of MNCs as gendered social spaces. Journal of World Business, 54(1), 37-53.

Individual grade
The assessment consists of asking students to prepare a literature review on one of the themes developped in this course 

Other grade(s)
Grading during class
Participation during session & preparatory works of sessions

Weight: 60/40

TEACHING METHODS

This course is based on academic articles. Students are expected to read the articles mentioned in the syllabus prior to each lecture, and engage in debates and discussions about their content. Active participation is required.

From Sessions 1 to 3, students are expected to prepare the following questions (for each article):
1. What are the research questions that the articles aim to address? What gaps exist in the literature that justify this study? 

2. What literature is this study based on? What concepts or theoretical frameworks are used? How do the authors justify their choices in terms of the aims of the article? 

3. For empirical articles:
a. What do you think of the research design? Justification of methodology, choice of study object, sample, measurements, validity of statistical conclusions? External validity?
b. What alternative explanations, if any, could explain the results?

4. How do the authors' results contribute to the existing literature? What are the implications in terms of managerial and/or political practices?

5. Could you give some examples of organisations or initiatives to illustrate this theme?
Sessions 4 and 5 will concentrate on applying critical perspectives in the IB fields. The aim of these sessions is to leverage alternative viewpoints from other academic disciplines, such as political science, business ethics, sociology, or philosophy, to question the dominant perspectives adopted by mainstream works. Students will be asked to read a non-IB article assigned by the lecturer and utilize the theoretical framework in the article to challenge the primary assumptions in the IB works. These sessions will be formatted as roundtable debates.

NATURE OF MATERIALS
Academic articles published over the last 3 years in Q1 and Q2 journals.

PRE-REQUISITES IN TERMS OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

This course being an advanced research course, students must have prior knowledge of research techniques and philosophy. Students must have attended the Fundamentals of Research in IB course, Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods and Epistemology (or equivalent).

RESOURCES AVAILABLE

Students can access to several databases through the digital library to find articles and research methods books.