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Frontiers of Business Research in China

ISSN 1673-7326

ISSN 1673-7431(Online)

CN 11-5746/F

Postal Subscription Code 80-977

Front Bus Res Chin    2010, Vol. 4 Issue (3) : 423-450    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11782-010-0105-0
research-article
Do Continuous and Categorical Measures Capture the Same Construct of Diversity? Evidence from China
Liangding Jia1(), Guoguang Wan2(), Jieyu Zhou3(), Qian Lu4()
1. School of Business, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; 2. Business School, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China; 3. School of Business, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; 4. Business School, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
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Abstract

Chinese researchers have long preferred substantive research (i.e., examination of relationships among variables) to construct validation research, while failing to realize that construct validation research is the foundation of substantive research. This paper endeavors to answer a question: Do Rumelt’s (1974) categorical and Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and skill-based continuous measures capture the same construct of diversity in the context of China? We take two steps to investigate the question. First, are continuous measures (SIC & skill-based entropy and Montgomery product count) appropriately differentiated among Rumelt’s categories? Second, are the categories converted from SIC & Skill-based measures convergent to Rumelt’s categorical measures? Results show that the two measures are consistent with each other.

Keywords diversification      continuous measures      categorical measures      Standard Industrial Classification     
Corresponding Author(s): Liangding Jia,Email:jldyxlzs@nju.edu.cn; Guoguang Wan,Email:zjgt2000@gmail.com; Jieyu Zhou,Email:juliezhou416@gmail.com; Qian Lu,Email:lqian119@gmail.com   
Issue Date: 05 September 2010
 Cite this article:   
Liangding Jia,Guoguang Wan,Jieyu Zhou, et al. Do Continuous and Categorical Measures Capture the Same Construct of Diversity? Evidence from China[J]. Front Bus Res Chin, 2010, 4(3): 423-450.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fbr/EN/10.1007/s11782-010-0105-0
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fbr/EN/Y2010/V4/I3/423
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