Developing international business knowledge through an appreciative inquiry learning network: Proposing a methodology for collaborative research

• We argue for collaborative research to develop international business research.
• A collaborative research project within IB is described and discussed.
• Collaborative research offers great potential to capture experiential knowledge.
• Made experiences in order to make collaborative research successful is discussed.

This paper argues for the need for methodological development within international business (IB) research. This need is born out of the dominance of positivistic research within the field which both marginalizes other scientific approaches and jeopardizes practical relevance. The purpose of this paper is to consider collaborative research, almost non-existent within IB research, as a possible way forward. A performed collaborative research project and its methodology is described and lessons learned, challenges and possibilities are discussed. Our conclusion is that collaborative research may bridge the possible gap between scientifically valid and practically relevant results, but that this requires collaboration and interaction to permeate the whole research process, from planning, through execution to post-project activities.