The Studies on Born Global Companies - a Review of Research Methods

Since the 1990s a dynamic stream of research in the field of born global companies (in short: BG) could be observed. Initially the main subject of this research were the establishing premises and foreign market strategies of BG, whereas at present the focus has shifted to the later stages of the born globals' development. The aim of this paper is the review of methods adopted in the international research on born globals as well as presenting the methodology used by the authors in the research of Polish BG. In international research the case study method, including the use of in-depth interviews, is widely used by many authors. This approach is sometimes joined with the application of quantitative methods. In the presented study the primary data has been obtained through individual interviews. Transcripts of the interviews have undergone a procedure of content analysis, within which a system of categories has been developed, allowing the assessment of the meaning and relationships between the particular concepts.