Data equivalence refers to the extent to which the elements of a research design have the same meaning, and can be applied in the same way, in different cultural contexts. Failure to establish data equivalence in cross-cultural studies may bias empirical results and theoretical inferences. Although several authors have encouraged researchers to ensure high levels of data equivalence, no study has assessed the status of the field in relation to compliance with data equivalence standards. Accordingly, this study examines three aspects of data equivalence (construct equivalence, measurement equivalence, and data collection equivalence) within 167 studies that involve cross-cultural data published in the Journal of International Business Studies, Management International Review, Journal of World Business, Strategic Management Journal and the Academy of Management Journal from 1995 to 2005. The findings indicate that international business researchers report insufficient information in relation to data equivalence issues, thus limiting confidence in the findings of many cross-cultural studies. To enhance future research, a guideline for procedures for researchers to follow and report in establishing data equivalence is offered.

Recent changes in the business environment have prompted marketing scholars to pay particular attention to sustainability as a topic of inquiry. Despite the progress made in the study of sustainability, there is a paucity of research on the topic in premier marketing journals. To address this issue, we focus on marketingrelated journals and assess the intellectual structure of sustainability research in detail. Drawing on social network theory, we perform an extensive co-citation analysis using multidimensional scaling to examine 76,342 citations made in 1,320 sustainability-focused articles from 36 journals over 51 years . This study specifies that the topics of citizenship behavior, stakeholder theory, corporate performance, and the triple bottom line are integral sustainability research areas. In addition, the results indicate five required topics for examining sustainability in the marketing context: external-internal focus, social-environmental emphasis, legal-ethical-discretionary intent, marketing assets, and financial performance. Supported by the capabilities-based resource perspective, the sustainability-focused typology and framework advanced provide directed structure for future research.

Drawing on the marketing orientation and stakeholder literature streams, the authors define the concepts of market orientation (MO) and stakeholder orientation (SO) to explore their potential contribution to marketing. They discuss the potential contribution of each construct along with the similarities and differences that could be significant for marketing strategy. The MO construct focuses on customers and competitors and indirectly on other stakeholder groups. The SO construct does not designate any stakeholder group as more important than another, and the prioritization of stakeholders may change depending on the issue. As such, SO is more contingency based and is a function of contextual aspects surrounding the organization. The SO and MO constructs are not mutually exclusive; there is some overlap between them. The authors suggest further research to explore the most appropriate construct for firms to consider.

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