How can we im­prove trans­par­ency and cred­ib­il­ity in hy­po­thes­is-test­ing re­search in In­ter­na­tion­al Busi­ness?

Testing ideas with data is a key part of international business research. But how well does the field follow the guidelines meant to ensure strong and trustworthy results? A new study, Hypothesis-testing research in international business: progress, pitfalls, and a way forward, takes a closer look at how research practices have developed over the past decade.

The authors review articles published between 2012 and 2024 in two leading journals, the Journal of International Business Studies and the Journal of World Business. Their goal is to see whether widely recommended research standards are actually being used in practice. The analysis covers how clearly researchers explain their methods, how transparent they are about their results and whether problematic practices have declined over time.

The good news is that research quality has improved in several important ways. Studies today are generally more careful and more open about how they are conducted. At the same time, the study shows that progress has slowed and that some key practices are still not widely adopted. Important information such as the size and uncertainty of effects is often missing, and checks to test the robustness of results are not always fully reported.

The study also finds that researchers continue to focus mainly on results that confirm their original expectations. There is no clear sign that selective reporting or bias towards positive findings has decreased over time.

Based on these insights, the authors point to concrete ways forward. They encourage clearer and more transparent reporting, stronger evidence to support conclusions and greater willingness to share null or negative results. Together, these steps can help strengthen trust in international business research and ensure that it delivers insights that decision-makers can rely on.