The material presented in this paper suggests there is no single recipe, or one best way, for carrying out cross-national comparisons. Just as inputs and products of cross-national projects are many and varied, so are the methods. In th e same way that cross-national studies reveal how similar and different processes may lead to similar findings about social phenomena (universal trends and convergence), or how similar or different processes may produce different results (cultural diversity and divergence), the inputs and outcomes of the cross-national research process may also converge or diverge. Perhaps cross-national methods can be most accurately depicted as representing a meal from an a ` la carte menu, where individual researchers select according to their tastes and expertise, the time and funding they have available, and the results they are seeking to achieve. The less experienced or less well resourced researchers, eating alone or in small groups, may want to limit their meal to two courses, while the weight watcher will exercise caution in selecting a properly balanced diet and pay careful attention to the ingredients. The more confident, adventurous and better resourced international team of researchers may opt for a full fixed menu, able to accommodate individual tastes, preferences, diets and constraints. The restaurant will be selected for its reliability and value for money. Each member of the team will bring to the meal a different range of experiences and expectations, and also culturally determined table manners. Subsequent reports on the event will reflect individual reactions to the quality and quantity of the food and wine served, and the blending of the ingredients and dishes.