What’s the P(roblem)? The State of Hypothesis-Testing Research in International Business

Over the past decade, researchers in the field of International Business (IB) and other areas of management science have suggested that the prevalent statistical methods based on null-hypothesis systematic testing (NHST) and related practices should be significantly revised or even abandoned. In this article, I examine problematic approaches in original papers published in the Journal of International Business Studies (JIBS), the leading IB journal, between 2012 and 2022. My analysis indicates a high probability of HARKing, file-drawing, and p-hacking. Furthermore, my data shows that the problems seem to have become more severe. There are only few positive trends. I discuss the main factors driving these trends and highlight systemic problems that require collective action. I address some of these challenges and propose potential solutions, thereby contributing to the list of JIBS publications that promote good scientific values and reporting standards