Current and Future Research Methods in Strategic Management

Early work in strategic management emphasized single case studies, followed by research on corporate diversification strategy, firm heterogeneity, strategic groups, and generic business strategies. Intermediate work added the foci of environmental determinants and strategic choice, often using secondary data from large, multi-industry firm samples. Recently, the most prominent new theoretical paradigm is the resource-based view of the firm, using smaller sample studies. Future research is likely to integrate and contrast multiple theories and to develop more fine-grained and complex models. Quantitative research will emphasize longitudinal data, dynamic analysis, and greater focus on specific strategic decisions/actions. Future research will use more specialized tools such as panel data analysis, dynamic models of partial adjustment, logistic and Poisson regression analyses, event history analysis, network analysis, and structural equation modeling. Nontraditional research designs will also gain popularity, such as combined qualitative/quantitative data approaches and comparison of outliers.