AIB 2012 Conference Proceedings - Academy of International ...

SUNDAY
Corpus Linguistics Tools and Qualitative and Quantitative International Business Research
Brian Hilton, Nottingham University Business School
John McKenny, English Studies Nottingham University
This interdisciplinary paper sets out to explore the use of a Corpus Linguistic tool as a means either to
quantitatively test hypothesis about the development of ideas in International Business or to qualitatively
ground theory on developing perceptions within the genre. In illustration of the former it tests the hypothesis
that the Integration Responsiveness framework has become paradigmaticly embodied in the genre. In
illustration of the latter it shows how the descriptive material this tool lays out can be used to raise questions
for qualitative exploration as potential new or developing ideas within the body of scholarship represented by
articles in JIBS (For more information, please contact: Brian Hilton, Nottingham University Business School,
China: brian.hilton@nottingham.edu.cn)
By Eyesight - A Case of Mixing Methods in Qualitative Business Research
Sabina Jaeger, AUT University
Romuald Rudzki, New Zealand School of Export
The paper tells the story of a research process, a project with the aim to investigate critical export barriers to
growth. Starting off with a quantitative method in the form of a mail survey the necessity for employing further
investigative tools became quickly obvious. Ambiguous survey replies such as "by eyesight" demanded more indepth
investigation in order to understand the meaning of the data collected. Applying different techniques of
data collection achieved the goal to comprehend what the respondents perceived as critical barriers and what
made them decide to export in spite of sometimes adverse conditions. It appeared that the reality and extent of
the barriers were conditional on the respondents' perception of, and attitude towards, the barriers. In
conclusion a mixed method research approach (triangulation) provided superior insights into the complexities of
making the decision for or against export activity than a survey alone. (For more information, please contact:
Sabina Jaeger, AUT University, New Zealand: sabina.jaeger@aut.ac.nz)
AIB 2012 Conference Proceedings
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