Exploring Institutional Realities: The Economic Crisis as a Time for IB to Lead

Abstract

The current economic crisis is a complex social phenomenon, several aspects of which go beyond national borders and also cross traditional academic disciplinary boundaries. While initial academic commentary in media has typically been grounded within finance or economics disciplinary boundaries, the complexity of the phenomenon requires broader investigation. International Business (IB) scholars are known for dedication to the realities of phenomena, for investigation using multiple disciplinary perspectives, and of course, for focusing on phenomenon beyond national borders. All these aspects are needed for proper examination of the crisis. In this article, I draw out a few insights on the unique position of IB scholars that can enable them to take a lead on the emerging academic discourse on the crisis, and also invigorate broader interest in the IB approach to investigating business phenomena.

Keywords: economic crisis, recession, institution, international business, organization theory

JEL Classification: B15, B25, E3, F01, F02, F2, F3, F4, N10, N20, O1