Broad and alien is the field: Dependence and heterogeneity in management research practices in Latin America

Omar Manky, Nattaly López

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle in a journalpeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to explore the ways in which management scholars affiliated with Peruvian universities navigate the tensions between global expectations and local realities in their research practices, drawing on their capitals and habitus. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on Bourdieu’s field theory, the authors analyse 25 in-depth interviews and a unique database of academic publications in the business and management field from 2000 to 2022. The analysis identifies the positions scholars occupy within the Peruvian management field and examines the factors influencing their research practices. Findings The authors find that the Peruvian management field is complex and unequal, where actors have different positions and interests, but are all influenced by a logic of academic dependency on the Global North. The authors identify three main positions held by scholars: transnational dominators, who accumulate greater resources and ignore local debates; dominated adaptors, who unsuccessfully try to imitate the dominant logic; and isolated innovators, who critique the dominant model but lack institutional support to develop alternatives. Originality/value This research presents an analysis of the Peruvian management field, a site often overlooked in international business studies. By examining scholarly practices, the authors reveal how academic inequalities are reproduced by the forces of globalization. The study underscores the urgent need for greater acknowledgement of regionally informed research, advocating for a more inclusive and diverse understanding in the field of management research.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)614-637
Number of pages24
JournalCritical Perspectives on International Business
Volume20
Issue number5
Early online date2 Jul 2024
DOIs
StatePublished - 18 Oct 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Keywords

  • Management research
  • Colonialism
  • Higher education
  • Business school
  • Business schools

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