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Dear AIB Members,

Registration for the AIB UKI Methods workshops at the upcoming AIB UKI Chapter Conference in Glasgow is now open. These workshops are jointly organized with the University of Glasgow. Please note, that the registration is for IN PERSON attendance. To register, please click here. Details can also be found on the conference website https://www.aib-uki.org/methods-workshops.html

1. Necessary Conditions Analysis

Instructor: Dr. Nicole Franziska Richter, Associate Professor of International Business, University of Southern Denmark
Date and time: 12th April 2023, 9am to 5pm

Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) is a novel research methodology that has attracted much attention in the academic community in recent years. NCA follows a necessity logic and can identify necessary conditions in data sets. A necessary condition is a critical factor for an outcome: if the necessary cause is not in place the outcome will not materialize. Hence, the necessary condition can be a bottleneck, critical factor, constraint, disqualifier, etc. In international business, we, for instance, demonstrated that political stability is a necessary condition for inward foreign direct investments into a country. In practice, the right level of a necessary condition must be put and kept in place to avoid guaranteed failure. By adding a different logic and data analysis approach, NCA adds both rigor and relevance to theory, data analysis, and publications. NCA has the potential “to change how researchers approach testing for cause-and-effect relationships” (according to an editor of a top journal).
The workshop will focus on the following main topics:

Introduction to necessity logic and NCA
Foundations of the NCA method, its application and relevance, in particular relating to international business research
The complementary use of NCA, when compared to regression-based methods.
Illustration of the method and its practical application, using an IB dataset and RStudio to enable participants to perform their own NCA.

2. Literature Reviews in the Age of Information Overload

Instructor: Dr. Noemi Sinkovics, Senior Lecturer in International Business, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
Date and time: 13th April 2023, 9.30am to 12.30pm

Prerequisites of publishing include the identification of relevant and interesting research questions, the adequate delineation and framing of research problems, and the quality of the research design and execution. The ability to identify and analyse relevant literature underpins each stage of the research process. However, the exponential growth of publications within and outside of business and management studies can be overwhelming. Researchers need effective and efficient tools to identify, analyse, and synthesize relevant literature. This workshop offers an introduction to tools and techniques that can help researchers make sense of large bodies of literature and design search strategies that lead to manageable samples. With the proliferation of literature reviews in academic journals, the expectation of what qualifies as a meaningful literature review is constantly changing. The workshop will walk participants through some guidelines to help them keep up with the changing demands. During the workshop we will work with different software tools (e.g., EndNote, NVivo, and VosViewer) that can aid the search and analysis process as well as enhance creativity in the initial design process.
The workshop will focus on the following main topics:

Research idea generation and question development. Early theorizing and research project building (VosViewer, NVivo and Endnote software)
Consolidation of research streams, identification of opportunities for further research and interesting research avenues.

3. An Introduction to Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM)

Instructors: Dr. Nicole Franziska Richter, Associate Professor of International Business, University of Southern Denmark, Prof. Dr. Rudolf R. Sinkovics, Professor of International Business, University of Glasgow
Date and time: 13th April 2023, 9.30am to 12.30pm

This focused workshop looks at partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), which has received considerable attention in a variety of business and management disciplines.
The goal of PLS-SEM is the explanation of variances (prediction-oriented character of the methodology) rather than explaining covariances (theory testing via covariance-based SEM). The application of the PLS-SEM method is of particular interest if the premises of covariance-based SEM are violated, and the assumed relations of cause-and-effect are not sufficiently explored. An additional advantage of the PLS-SEM method is the unrestricted incorporation of latent variables in the path model that either draws on reflective or formative measurements models.
The workshop will focus on the following main topics:

What is PLS-SEM, starting to theorise, develop concepts and operationally measure research questions using PLS-SEM
Introduction to state-of-the-art of PLS-SEM using the SmartPLS 4 software: Foundations of PLS-SEM and how to apply it by means of the SmartPLS 4 software.