Beyond national culture and culture-centricism: A reply to Gould and Grein (2009)

Leung, Bhagat, Buchan, Erez, and Gibson provide a review of several advances in research on culture and international business (IB), which is criticized by Gould and Grein as overemphasizing the national culture (NC) approach. This reply clarifies the misinterpretation of Leung et al. by Gould and Grein, and affirms its pluralistic and inclusive position. In response to their critique, we discuss the complex meaning of culture, address the dynamic processes of culture change in a globalizing world, and substantiate the pivotal role of NC in IB research. We encourage diverse perspectives that complement, rather than compete against, each other, and advocate a dual-perspective approach that integrates positivist and interpretative frameworks for theoretical innovation. © 2011 Academy of International Business All rights reserved.