Title: Innovation of international business support: a research agenda for commercial diplomacy

Authors: Robin Visser; Huub J.M. Ruël

Addresses: Faculty of Business and Law, Graduate School of Business, Deakin University, 70 Elgar Road, Burwood VIC 3125, Australia ' Domain Business, Media and Law, Centre for Strategic Entrepreneurship, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 10090, 8000 GB Zwolle, the Netherlands

Abstract: Commercial diplomacy plays a crucial role in the interplay between international business and international relations, yet research regarding it is limited and focuses on a macro-level international relations perspective whereas more integrative meso- and micro-level research is needed. This article presents a short overview of the current stance of literature on commercial diplomacy and identifies: 1) the international business-government relationship; 2) the organisation of commercial diplomacy; 3) value creation as promising areas for future research. This research identifies how mainstream concepts from international business are relevant to commercial diplomacy and provides guidelines towards the use of explanatory multi-method research with three units of analysis (government, business and individual actors) featuring both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.

Keywords: commercial diplomacy; international businesses; business-government relationships; international relations; value creation; international business support; research agendas; innovation; literature review; explanatory multimethod research; cross-sectional studies; longitudinal studies.

DOI: 10.1504/IJDIPE.2014.064802

International Journal of Diplomacy and Economy, 2014 Vol.2 No.3, pp.238 - 257

Received: 16 Dec 2013
Accepted: 02 Apr 2014
Published online: 30 Sep 2014 *

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