Mixed Methods Research in Strategic Management

Abstract

Mixed methods research is becoming an increasingly popular approach in several areas, and it has long been called for as an approach for providing a better understanding of research problems. However, there have been no assessments as to whether such research, which may be timely and expensive, has more impact on the field. The main purpose of this article is to determine whether the use of a mixed methods approach is a predictor of article impact. The analysis is based on articles published in the Strategic Management Journal from 1980 to 2006. The findings show that mixed methods articles tend to receive more citations than monomethod articles do. The average citations received per year and the cumulating sum of citations are both higher for articles reporting studies using mixed methods than for monomethod research designs. Furthermore, a content analysis of the mixed methods articles identified shows that there are different types of studies based on several characteristics (purpose, priority, implementation, and design). All types of mixed methods articles tend to have a higher number of citations than the group of monomethod studies.