Data Deficit and Africa-Focused IB Research and Publications

Data deficit has been a key factor constraining the publication of Africa-focused research in top-tier international business (IB) journals. However, data should be abundant enough to drive Africa-focused IB research and publications, considering the continent’s huge daily trade volumes and entrepreneurial activities, as well as its significant role in global geopolitics, which presents opportunities for the emergence of valuable research data. The primary outcome of this paper is a framework for holistically understanding the causes of the research data deficit regarding Africa, the implications of this deficit for IB research and publications, and the potential strategies for addressing the matter.