Comparative, cross-cultural, and cross-national research A comment on good and bad practice

Purpose - The paper seeks to provide guidance for those who have data from multiple countries and are considering writing a comparative or cross-cultural/national research paper. Design/methodology/approach - The approach taken is an essay format. Findings International comparative marketing research studies are often rejected from the International Marketing Review because authors develop theory for which they have inappropriate data. Research limitations/implications - Research models need to be commensurate with the data available. Models that claim to assess how nation-level variables of interest differentially drive beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors across countries, and yet only test the models using samples from two or three countries are not appropriate. Appropriate solutions for researchers seeking to undertake international comparative research are suggested. Originality/value - The paper provides researchers with insights into successful strategies for publishing international comparative research.