ChallengesinStrategyand

OrganizationTheoryResearchMikeW.PengProvost’sDistinguishedProfessorofGlobalStrategyUniversityofTexasatDallasEditor-in-Chief,AsiaPacificJournalofManagement/~mikepengStrategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng1MacroorganizationalresearchStrategyandOT:BoundariesareblurredThebigquestion:Whatdeterminesthesuccessandfailureoffirmsaroundtheworld?(Peng,2004,JIBS)Myexperienceandadvice:BeprogrammaticinyourresearchOfcourse,youwilllearnfromandcollaboratewithyouradvisorasaPhDstudentButyoudon’twanttodoyouradvisor’sresearchStrategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng2Guidelinesontopicselection

(R.Tung,2005,AsiaPacificJournalofManagement)Whatarethesignificantandimportanttrendsthathavebroadimplicationsfortheoryandpracticeinthefuture?Isthetopicsustainableoveranextendedperiodoftimeandnotjustafad?Willthetopicbebroadenoughtogenerateinterestamongasufficientlylargegroupofresearchers?Howmuchresearchattentionhasthetopicreceivedsofar?Whatismycompetitiveadvantageinthisarea?AmItrulypassionateandexcitedaboutthetopic?Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng3Apaper’ssuccessissubstantiallydeterminedattheoutset(S.Rynes,2006,IACMRtalk)Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng4ResearchFormulationMinimumstandards:“That’sinteresting!〞4-6smartpeopletestMaximumgoals:“I’llneverthinkabouttheissuethesamewayagain!〞Publicationbecomesaritualcitation(e.g.,Barney,Child,Jensen,Hofstede,Porter,Williamson...citePeng&Heath96forChina/emergingeconresearchandLyles&Salk96forIJVlearning)Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng5Aprogrammaticresearchstrategy Emergingmarketsstrategies Exportstrategies(dissertation)Conceptual: Peng&Heath(1996AMR) Peng&Ilinitch(1998JIBS) Peng(2003AMR) Peng,Lee,&Wang(2005AMR) Trabold(2002JIBS)–Atestof Meyer&Peng(2005JIBS) Peng&Ilinitch Lee,Peng,&Barney(2007AMR) Peng,Wang,&Jiang(2021JIBS) Qualitative: Peng(1997OS) Peng,Hill,&Wang(2000JMS)Quantitative: Luo&Peng(1999JIBS) Peng&York(2001JIBS) Peng&Luo(2000AMJ) Tan&Peng(2003SMJ) Peng,Zhou,&York(2006JWB) Peng(2004SMJ) --AreplicationofTrabold Tong,Reuer,&Peng(2007AMJ) Peng,Zhang,&Li(2007MOR)Researchbook: Peng(2000Sage) Peng(1998Quorum)Practitioner: Peng(1997CBR;2001AME; 2006HBR) Specialissue: Wright,Filatotchev,Hoskisson, [Source]M.W.Peng,2005, &Peng(2005JMS) FromChinastrategytoglobalTextbook:2006:GlobalStrategystrategy,AsiaPacificJournalof Management,22(2):123-141 Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng6Strategiesinemergingeconomies20-15Figure20.6Organiza-tionalslack(Tan&Peng2003SMJ)Firmgrowth&socialnetworks(Peng&Luo2000AMJ)Organiza-tionallearning(Luo&Peng1999JIBS)Strategicgroups(Peng,Tan,&Tong2004JMS)THEORYPAPERS:Thegrowthofthefirm(Peng&Heath1996AMR)Institutionaltransitionsandstrategicchoices(Peng2003AMR)Aninstitution-basedviewofIBstrategy(Pengetal.2021JIBS)Corporategovernance(Peng2004SMJ)Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng7Geographic&substantive

diversification20-15Figure20.6KeiretsunetworksJapan(Pengetal.2001JIM)InterlocksHongKong(Auetal.2000APJM)Interna-tionalizationThailand(Pengetal.2001APJM)ChaeboldiversificationSouthKorea(Leeetal.2021JWB)THEORYPAPERS:Strategyresearchinemergingeconomies(Wrightetal.2005JMS)Thescopeofthefirmovertime(Peng,Lee,&Wang2005AMR)ResearchinCentralandEasternEurope(Meyer&Peng2005JIBS)Bankruptcylawsandentrepreneurship(Lee,Peng,&Barney2007AMR)CorporategovernanceRussia(Pengetal.2003JWB)Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng8

FROMCHINA

STRATEGYTO

GLOBAL

STRATEGYM.W.Peng(2005)AsiaPacificJournalofManagement(vol.22:123-141)Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng9Frontiersofstrategy/OTresearchTherelationshipovertimeandaroundtheworldStayawayfromsimplelinearrelationshipStrategicchoicesduringinstitutionaltransitionsExampleofarecentstreamWhatdeterminesthescopeofthefirmovertime?(Peng,Lee,&Wang,2005AMR)Whatdeterminesthescopeofthefirmovertimeandaroundtheworld?AnAsiaPacificperspective(Peng&Delios,2006APJM)Fromdiversificationpremiumtodiversificationdiscountduringinstitutionaltransitions(Lee,Peng,&Lee,2021JWB)Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng10China/Asiaresearchersneedmoreself-confidenceSelf-confidence:Meyer(2006APJM)DebateinAPJM(2007/4,25thanniversary)Au,Yang&Terjesen,Puffer&McCarthyRamaswamyMeyer(rejoinder,2007)ManifestationsTopicselectionMeasurements“Ajournal〞designationStrategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng11DataissuesQualitative:Peng(1997OS)Quantitative/survey:Luo&Peng(1999JIBS);Peng&Luo(2000AMJ);Peng,Buck,&Filatotchev(2003JWB);Peng,Tan,&Tong(2004JMS)Quantitative/archival:Peng(2004SMJassigned);Peng,Zhang,&Li(2007MOR);Tong,Reuer,&Peng(2007AMJ)Combiningsurveyandarchivalsources:Tan&Peng(2003SMJassigned)Nodataareperfect,allcanbechallengedbyreviewers—youneedtodefendyourdataStrategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng12Publishingresearchisdifficultforalmosteveryone….(S.Rynes,2006,IACMRtalk)Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng13Mike’s1-slidechecklistShortenyourtitle(it’snotanabstract!)Doyoureallyneedyoursubtitle?FinishtheIntroductionsectionin2pagesMakesuretoraisequestions(using?)inIntroStartyourMethodsnolaterthanp15NOnewideasandcitesinFindings(justyourfindings)MakesureyouusethewordCONTRIBUTIONSHavea1-paraConclusion(Don’tendwithLimitations)Theshorteryourpaper,thebetter!Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng14ResearchimplementationAwell-craftedarticleTellsagoodstory:Beginning,middle,andendDrawsthereaderintotheplotShowsapicture(worth1,000words?)Standardformat,althoughboring,simplifiesourtask(andlife!)Qualitativestudiesmayappeartoberelativelyeasiertoconduct,butarealothardertowriteStrategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng15Thebeginning(I)Shortenyourtitle:Easytoremember(andcite!)PengandHeath(1996AMR):Thegrowthofthefirminplannedeconomiesintransitions:Organizations,institutions,andstrategicchoices(15words)Peng(2003AMR):Institutionaltransitionsandstrategicchoices(5words)Raisequestions,preferablyinthe1stsentencePeng(2003AMR):Howdoorganizationsmakestrategicchoicesduringthetimeoffundamentalandcomprehensiveinstitutionaltransitions?Peng(2004SMJ):Dooutsidedirectorsoncorporateboardsmakeadifferenceinfirmperformance?RaiseaquestioninthetitlePeng,Lee,&Wang(2005AMR):Whatdeterminesthescopeofthefirmovertime?AfocusoninstitutionalrelatednessStrategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng16Thebeginning(II)Setforththeplotline“Thispaperisabout…〞“Thistopicisimportantbecause…〞Drawthereadertothinkyourway“Accordingtoinstitutionaltheory…〞FinishtheIntroductionsectionin2pagesReviewersareimpatient:“Pleasebeexplicit!〞Don’twastepreciousspaceon“Section2isabout>>>,section3isabout>>>〞—nobodyreadsthatUsethelastparagraphinyourIntrotosay:“Thisarticledepartsfrom(orcontributesto)theliteratureinthreeways.One>>>two>>>three>>>〞Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng17Themiddle(I)LiteraturereviewShort,focused--noneedtocite1,000articlesYourfocus:Puzzles?Contradictions?Gaps?MethodologyBearinmindofreplicationneedsbyothersFulldisclosureofimperfectapproachisbetterthannodisclosurePlacethemosttechnical(boring)stufftotheappendixStrategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng18Themiddle(II)ResultsOnlytalkaboutresultsNonewcitesorideaspleaseBeexplicit:Werehypothesessupportedornot?Interpret;don’tjustrepeatthetables“ShowninTable1,Xissignificant.〞“ShowninTable1,Xissignificant,thussupportingourH1.〞GoodideatohaveasummarytableforresultsStrategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng19TheendDiscussionStateyourcontributionsexplicitly“Threecontributionsemerge.First…Second…Third…〞Don’tsay“weaknesses;〞say“limitationsandfutureresearchdirections〞ConclusionSowhat?Howdoestheworldlookdifferentnow?Nomorethanoneparagraph:Tieeverythingtogether“Learningdoesleadtohigherperformance—albeitnotnecessarilyinalinearfashion〞(Luo&Peng99JIBS)Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng20Thereviewer’sperspective(I)IhaveservedontheeditorialboardsofAMJ,AMR,JIBS,andSMJ,andguesteditedaJMSSpecialIssueEditor-in-ChiefofAsiaPacificJournalofManagementIsthestoryinteresting?Avoid“deadend〞topicsIsthetheorysound?Topic-ordata-drivenversustheory-drivenresearchBuildingonprevioustheory?Overlookingmajoraspectsofpreviouswork(suchasmywork)?Citingauthors(suchasthereviewer!)correctly?Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng21Thereviewer’sperspective(II)Isthemethodreasonable?Doesitmatchyourresearchobjectives?Doesoperationalizationreasonablyreflecttheconceptualessenceofyourconstructs?Areyoutryingtohidesomething?Isthewritinggood?Logicalflowofmacro-structureConsistentwordsthroughoutthepaper(e.g.,don’tmixup“org.culture〞and“climate〞)Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng22Theauthor’stacticsAnticipatethereviewers’concernsAnticipatewhoyourreviewersmightbeVeryhard;canneverbeprovenYourreferencesprovideaclue(foreditors)Meetjournalstyles(asset-specificityinvestment)Tightediting(Haveyoutriedresearchnotes?)Avoidamateurstyles:Beprofessionalandcool“Ourresultsareincredible(shocking)...〞OffertoreviewforthejournalStrategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng23SurvivingthereviewprocessThickskinisrequired:Everybodygetsrejections@90%rejectionrates,my40+articleswouldhavebeensubmitted400times(baptismbyfire?)I’mnow3timesbetterthanaverage,whichmeansmysubmissionsarestillbeingkilled70%ofthetimes!RealizereviewersandeditorsarerationalAtleastinmostcases:EverybodycanhaveabaddayOurintellectualmarketforideasisnotperfect,butisrational,reasonable,andthebestintheworldCasestudyofTong,Reuer,&Peng@AMJ(2007)Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng24DealingwithreviewersThoroughlyaddresseverypointraisedIncludingdisagreements,don’thidethem!Whatreviewershate:#1:Done!#2:Done!#3:Yes–theywon’trememberWhatreviewersappreciate:Point-by-point[Review#1]>>>>(completelyretypeorcutandpaste)[Ourresponse#1]>>>[Review#2]>>>[Ourresponse#2]>>>Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng25WhatIhavefound(I)...Theuniversityisasubsidizedwriters’club…Ormultiple,never-endingOlympicgames.HavetocareaboutmajorgamesLeverageyourcorecompetenciesOursisasociallyconstructed,virtualcommunityaroundtheworldSowhat?SendyourworktorelevantpeopleASAPMyglobalnetworkisasourceofmyenergy,replenishment,andinspiration(andcitations!)Strategy/OTresearch?MikeW.Peng26WhatIhavefound(II)...Writingisjustlikecooking!Weareallcooks.Wecannotcookupdata,butwecancookuppresentabl