Let me Google that for you: Capturing globalization using Google Trends

81 Pages Posted: 23 Nov 2021

See all articles by Harald Puhr

Harald Puhr

University of Innsbruck - Faculty of Business and Management

Jakob Müllner

Vienna University of Economics and Business - Institute for International Business

Date Written: November 22, 2021

Abstract

In this research note, we propose Google Trends as a uniquely versatile and overlooked resource for research on globalization. Search volumes on Google indicate individuals’ information gathering and attention allocation. The research note employs these search volumes to build a recognition-based measure for internationalization of research subjects. First, we test the reliability of the Google Trends measures as substitute for traditional measures of firm internationalization. Google Trends offers highly reliable and finely grained data that provide a market-side complement to accounting-based measures of firm internationalization. Subsequently, we discuss conceptual and theoretical properties of measures for internationalization based on Google Trends. Finally, we outline novel and innovative applications of the proposed internationalization measures to research subjects beyond the firm-context.

Keywords: Measuring Internationalization, Google Trends, Degree of Internationalization, Volume of Internationalization, Firm Internationalization

JEL Classification: F23,F6,M16

Suggested Citation

Puhr, Harald and Müllner, Jakob, Let me Google that for you: Capturing globalization using Google Trends (November 22, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3969013 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3969013

Harald Puhr (Contact Author)

University of Innsbruck - Faculty of Business and Management ( email )

Innsbruck
Austria

Jakob Müllner

Vienna University of Economics and Business - Institute for International Business

Welthandelsplatz 1
Building D1
Vienna, 1020
Austria

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