This textbook offers a clear, structured, and highly practical guidance on how to conduct rigorous research in international business—from shaping a compelling research question to communicating publishable findings. Designed for undergraduate and master’s students, doctoral students, and early-career researchers, it integrates the “why,” “when,” and “how” of methodological decisions across the full research journey.

Unlike other textbooks that treat quantitative, qualitative, and review approaches in isolation, this book offers a unified framework linking research questions, paradigms, research design, analysis, and contribution. Throughout, it foregrounds the distinctive challenges of international business research, including contextual variation, cross-cultural measurement, multi-level analysis, multi-country data, and responsible research practice in diverse institutional settings.

The book provides accessible, step-by-step guidance on:

• formulating interesting and relevant research questions
• conducting literature reviews
• developing research frameworks
• collecting and using primary and secondary data
• analysing quantitative and qualitative data
• articulating theoretical, practical, and methodological contributions.

It also addresses two topics often missing from methods training: research ethics (from consent and confidentiality to questionable research practices) and research aesthetics—how to write clearly, persuasively, and transparently, including the appropriate use of AI in academic work.

Featuring learning objectives, chapter summaries, flowcharts, checklists, worked examples and reflection questions to support independent study, the book is complemented by online resources for blended and digital learning environments.

Dirk Holtbrügge is Professor of International Management and Dean of International Programs at the School of Business, Economics and Society, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. He is a regular Visiting Professor at universities in China, France, India, Russia, the UK and the USA. He has published nine books, ten edited volumes and more than 90 articles in leading international business journals. He has extensive experience in executive education and works as a consultant for firms in Germany and abroad.