On the Use of Computer-Aided Text Analysis in International Business Research

This paper demonstrates the potential of computer-aided text analysis (CATA) as a technique to operationalize hard-to-measure constructs in international business research, provided that a rigorous set of validity tests is applied. CATA allows performing content analyses on large textual databases by constructing indicators using deductively and inductively derived keywords. We show the critical validity steps that have to be followed to arrive at valid CATA indicators. We illustrate the CATA technique through an application to the concept of global mindset, which has received substantial attention in the international business and strategy literature. We conclude that CATA analysis is a valuable method for international business research, but that its potential can only be unleashed with proper procedures and due attention to construct validity