Applied Methods and Methodology in Cross Cultural Research (EIASM)

Time & place: 13.-17.5.2019, University of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland

Learning goal and objectives

Due to globalization and higher international trade volumes there is an increasing trend in management research to conduct cross-cultural, cross-national and cross-disciplinary studies. Methods and methodology for comparative studies, however, require special knowledge and special skills. Researchers involved in cross-cultural research projects need to be familiar with the cross-cultural research methods and even be able to create novel methods and techniques in order to increase the validity, reliability, and trustworthiness of cross-cultural research. The empirical design becomes even more complicated, when studies are conducted in transitional and developing economies.

The course provides knowledge in:

  • designing theory based cross-cultural/ international studies
  • conducting cross-cultural research
  • quantitative and qualitative cross-cultural comparative methodology
  • doing cross-cultural collaborative research
  • doing research in transitional and developing economies
  • doing research outside your own home country

After the course the participants are familiar with relevant methodological literature on cross-cultural methods. They are able to use the literature as a guideline for their own methodological choices. The participants will understand the difficulties but also the opportunities of conducting cross-cultural research. The participants will receive knowledge, understanding and preparedness to independently develop skills in conducing empirical cross-cultural research.

Instruction and examination

In order to pass the course you are required to

  • read literature for each session (provided by instructors)
  • be active during the sessions
  • send in for all participants one page research proposal with emphasis on methods ONE week before the start of the course
  • prepare 3 ppt slides for your brief research proposal presentation in the beginning of the course, include a figure summarizing your project
  • hand in a revised research proposal focusing on cross-cultural methods one month after the course that reflects ALL the course literature (articles, books, and slides) as well as other information given during the course (ca. 15 pages)
  • in order to get credits you need to pass all the above parts of the course

Credits: 6 ECTS

Grading: 1-5

Prerequisites: Doctoral students and post doctoral researchers who are conducting or are aiming to conduct comparative cross-national/cultural or international research. The participants should be doctoral students or faculty members of universities of KATAJA or cooperation partners of KATAJA.

Admittance: Max. 25

Instructors: Professor Hartmut H. Holzmueller, TU Dortmund University, Germany: Culture theory, multi-centric team management, experiences from cross-cultural research, qualitative/ explorative research methodology

Professor Edwin Nijssen, Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands: Research designs, use of borrowed scales, experiences from cross-cultural research

Professor Thomas Salzberger, Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, Austria: Measurement theory, emic and etic methodology, quantitative/ confirmative cross-cultural research

Course coordinator and contact information: Jorma Larimo (   jla@uva.fi) & Tiina Leposky (   tiina.leposky@uva.fi)