Mapping the Methodological Landscape: A Critical Review of Qualitative Approaches to Business Research in Emerging Economies

Abstract

Qualitative business research in emerging economies has expanded significantly over the past decade, yet its methodological foundations remain fragmented and often misaligned with the cultural, institutional, and epistemological realities of these contexts. Existing reviews focus either on substantive findings or on generic qualitative methods and methodological principles, without addressing the contextual realities specific to emerging economies which this review directly fills. A structured critical literature review was conducted using Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO Business Source Complete, and Google Scholar, yielding a final sample of 40 peer reviewed studies published between 2011 and 2025, supplemented by seminal methodological works. Studies were analysed through an original five dimension framework addressing contextual imperatives, dominant methodological approaches, cross cultural challenges, quality and rigour, and methodological innovation. Findings reveal a persistent tension between established Western methodological frameworks and the need for context sensitive approaches that reflect local ways of knowing. Case study designs and semi structured interviews dominated the literature, yet methodological justification and adherence to recognised quality standards were often weak. Member checking was analytically consequential in only 20 percent of the studies reviewed which is a concrete benchmark not previously reported in the literature. Three critical gaps are identified and consolidated for the first time including the absence of validated indigenous quality criteria, limited South South methodological exchange, and the systematic exclusion of digitally marginalised populations from technology enhanced research. The review makes four original contributions including a systematic evidence based mapping of methodological tensions, identification of three previously unconsolidated gaps, an empirical benchmark on member checking practice, and a contextually grounded decision framework for qualitative method selection in emerging economy settings. These contributions advance the academic debate on research methodology for business and management studies by providing an evidence base rather than advocacy for methodological pluralism, culturally grounded quality frameworks, and digitally inclusive research design.