On this basis, I outline institutional constraints that may suppress indigenous and innovative research and thus inhibit the potential impact of local work. I conclude that Asian scholars ought to be more careful in applying theories developed in other contexts, and they can be more self-confident in exploring locally relevant research issues, and in developing theories that explain Asian phenomena. | Asia Pacific J Manage (2006) 23: 119–137 DOI REVIEW Asian management research needs more self-confidence Klaus E. Meyer C Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2006 Abstract The challenges faced by Asian businesses merit scholarly investigation, both to help local business and to enrich the global scholarly discourse. Such research should be able to make major contributions, for instance by explaining context-specific variables and effects, and by drawing on traditional Asian thought in developing new theories. Yet, recent work, in part due to a lack of self-confidence to analyze the implications of indigenous contexts, seems to have made little progress on this agenda. I first discuss how Asian management research could potentially contribute to global management knowledge. On this basis, I outline institutional constraints that may suppress indigenous and innovative research and thus inhibit the potential impact of local work. I conclude that Asian scholars ought to be more careful in applying theories developed in other contexts, and they can be more self-confident in exploring locally relevant research issues, and in developing theories that explain Asian phenomena. 1. Introduction: rigour vs relevance Asian management research appears trapped between the apparently contradictory objectives of local relevance and international publication. Ultimately, scholars ought to inform teaching in for instance MBA courses, and thus indirectly management practice in Asia. Recent papers in APJM try to stimulate more innovative research designs to bring Asian research into top management journals, while being relevant for local stakeholders in the research (White, 2002; Tsui, 2004; Peng, 2005). Extending this discussion, I argue that locally relevant knowledge requires the recognition of the boundaries of existing management knowledge and a careful contextualization of new research projects. Asian researchers may thus develop indigenous .
