International business (IB) research has made enormous strides in the quarter century since JIBS was inaugurated. This article reflects upon the development of IB research during that period. It first reviews the findings and recommendations of a comprehensive survey of the embryonic field of IB research, conducted twenty-five years ago. Several early trends identified then are discussed: the astonishing acceleration in the pace of IB research; the broadening of research activity across a greater range of functional areas; and an expanding geographic base of research outside of North America, especially in Europe. We then discuss the evolution of IB research since that formative period: growing breadth and diversity; greater methodological sophistication; a move toward research transcending traditional functional boundaries; development of new research areas such as management information systems and international coalitions and alliances; research on the phenomenon of transnational firms as complete systems; and the continued broadening of the geographic base of research. Emerging research areas such as international entrepreneurship and small business, and the greening of business, are identified. The article concludes with calls for more research collaboration across national boundaries, and for greater synthesis of research into broader, more integrative frameworks. The twenty-fifth anniversary issue of the Journal of International Business Studies (JIBS) is an appropriateoccasion on which to reflect on the past quarter century of internationalbusiness research. How did the world of international business research look in that formative period? How far have we actually *RichardW. Wrightis Professorof International Business and Financeon the Facultyof Management,McGill University.His researchfocuses on global competitive strategies, with emphasison the competitivepositioningof Japanesefirms.

Although the field of management has many international dimensions, this article limits the review of recent developments in international management research to eight important areas: (a) human resource management, (b) organizational behavior, (c) production management, (d) information and technology transfer, (e) structure and control, (f) strategy, (g) business-government relations, and (h) forms of involvement.

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This study analyzes the goal configuration of 126 firms, based in Japan, U.K. and U.S., competing in global industries. The results indicate that firm nationality and internationalization do not affect the firm's goal configuration. The breadth of the firm's reward system was found to be related positively to a dispersed goal configuration and, within global and multifocal industry segments, a congruence between goal configuration and industry position was found to be associated positively with performance.