A Bibliometric Study of John Dunning’s Contribution to International Business Research

ABSTRACT This article offers a review of John Dunning’s contribution to international business (IB) research, so as to assess the impact of Dunning and of the Eclectic paradigm on this discipline. The contribution of Dunning and of the Eclectic paradigm - usually referred to as OLI - are a core reference to current international business research, namely for studying location decisions, foreign investment, entry modes and internationalization, and for the multinational enterprise theory. First, we review the conceptual foundations of Dunning’s academic contribution. Second, methodologically, we carry out a bibliometric study of articles published in 14 respected academic business magazines over a period of 31 years, between 1980 and 2010. A sample of 697 published articles that refer to Dunning’s work supports the analysis of citations and co-citations matrixes and of relevant themes, allowing us to verify the influence of Dunning’s work on the international business and Management disciplines. This study allowed us to identify the network of connections between Dunning’s Eclectic paradigm and a variety of international business theories, concepts and authors, as well as with the main subjects studied in the discipline. We observed the connections to the transaction costs theory, resource-based view, industrial organization and evolutionary theory. This study also contributes to scholars’ better understanding of the development of the discipline and of the structure of knowledge within connections between theories and authors. Through their contributions, scholars such as John Dunning leave their imprint on the way in which disciplines and knowledge evolve. Dunning’s work, in the Eclectic paradigm, systematized three conditions that guide the internationalization of companies - and is now a reference for entrepreneurial activities, scholars and research.

摘要 本文对约翰·邓宁（John Dunning）对国际商务（IB）研究的贡献进行综述，旨在评估邓宁及其折衷范式（Eclectic Paradigm）对该学科的影响。邓宁及其折衷范式（常简称为OLI）的研究成果，乃是当前国际商务研究的核心参考依据，尤其适用于区位决策、外商投资、进入模式与国际化进程等议题的研究，以及跨国企业理论领域。
首先，本文梳理了邓宁学术贡献的概念基础；其次，在方法论层面，本文针对1980年至2010年这31年间发表于14份权威商务学术期刊的论文开展文献计量学研究。本研究选取697篇提及邓宁学术成果的发表论文作为样本，用于分析引文矩阵与共引矩阵以及相关研究主题，借此验证邓宁的研究对国际商务与管理学两大学科的影响。
本研究得以梳理出邓宁折衷范式与各类国际商务理论、概念及学者之间的关联网络，同时也厘清了该范式与本学科核心研究主题之间的联系。研究发现，该范式与交易成本理论、资源基础观、产业组织理论及演化理论均存在关联。本研究亦有助于学者更深入地理解本学科的发展脉络，以及理论与学者间关联网络下的知识结构。诸如约翰·邓宁这般的学者，通过其学术贡献，为学科与知识的演进路径留下了深刻烙印。邓宁在折衷范式中系统梳理了指导企业国际化进程的三大条件，如今已成为创业实践、学术研究及相关领域的重要参考依据。