writing effective literature review in social science

Research Fellowship Conclusions Fellowship Summary

research talk 101[Writing Effective Literature Review in Social Science]

JAIN Universityprofessor of strategic HRM,

head- research in management, brand ambassador, Asian HR Board, India

mm.bagali@jainuniversity.ac.inwww.linkedin.com/in/mmbagali

mm bagali, phd

CMS Business School / Bangalore

Observation for 10 years

Preparation 2 years in advance

1995 First PhD

2008 Second PhD

Guided 6

Guiding 11

Managing around 90

Co-Guide 15

CMS Business School / Bangalore

Idea

Idea

Idea

Reviewing

Personal research map….

My experience with scholars !!!

No TimeDint know what to doJust took a topic / subjectLater will see

Went to library. But……Dint find the journal

and et al……

Motivation: Why should I do research?

Motivation: Why should I do research?• Internal drive

o Research interest (sense of achievement / fulfillment, curiosity)o Strong ambition (self-expectation)o Rejuvenated

• External driveo Degree and diplomao Parents, teachers, friendso Peer pressure (sense of honor and responsibility)o Small success

o I have PhD…. Security

Mindset of researcher..

Discover….. Create…..Explore

Knowledge creation

New direction

New approach

Others start thinking

Challenges !!!

• How do I start• Where Do I start from

• What do I do ….• Why I should with this stuff?

3 category of Writing !!!

Craft a Researchable Story/ picture that capturesBOTH ….. HEART and MIND

What general area or topic do you want to focus on? Why?

What specific review question will you address?

Is it specific enough?

Where is this question from?

Why is it important or interesting?

Who is the review for? Practitioners? Researchers? Both?

What type of literature review do you want to do?

What do we already know about the topic?

What do you have to say critically about what is already known?

Has anyone else ever done anything exactly the same as what is proposed?

Has anyone else done anything that is related?

Where does your work fi t in with what has gone before?

Why is your research worth doing in the light of what has already been done?

Journals??.... Impact, Citations, References,

Frequency with which the Journal Article is/ are cited in other Peer reviewed JlBased on Six- Seven year periodThe composition of Editorial Board

Indicates the importance of that jl to Research world/ researchersCategorizing the jl under quality areas

Limitations …New and OldAvailability and Non availabilityConcept papers not cited much

JAIN University

What's in it to for me !!!

GAP

Critical viewsDirectionInterpretationsFrameworkThemes

Key Words

Focus…..What are the key theories, concepts and ideas?

What are the main questions and problems that have been addressed to date?

What are the major issues and debates about the topic?

How has knowledge in the topic been structured and organized? How have approaches to these questions

increased our understanding and knowledge?

What are the origins and definitions of the topic?

What are the key sources?

What's your direction !!!

Critical Evaluation…… 3D- Length / Breath / Depth

Leads to …..

Theory BuildingTheoretical FramingFoundationFrameworkDesign….. Add/ Don’t add/ Cant add…..

Be clear about the scope/boundaries of the review

Formulate clear review questions

Make extensive efforts to find ALL the relevant literature

CIMO - context, intervention, mechanism, outcome

What general area or topic do you want to focus on? Why?

What specific review question will you address? Is it specific enough?

Where is this question from? Why is it important or interesting?

Who is the review for? Practitioners? Researchers? Both?

What type of literature review do you want to do?

Create a database

Key words

Library sources

Range of Data base

Range of Sources

Periodicals

Trends over the years

Most Sort after Journals….The Best

AOM….. Academy of ManagementAOM….. Academy of Management reviewAdministrative Science QuarterlyStrategic Management JournalJl of International Business StudiesOrganizational Science

JAIN University

Key journalsindia

VikalpaManagement reviewManagerMLSEPWTISS

JAIN UniversityJAIN University

JAIN UniversityJAIN University

Your narrative flow• Here is a problem

• It’s an interesting problem

• It’s an unsolved problem

• Here is my idea• My idea works (details, data)

• Here’s how my idea compares to other people’s approaches

• Howwwww ????

Your narrative flow

Here’s how my idea compares to other people’s approaches

Step 1….Failure to place the study in the broader context

Step 2 …. Old or out-dated

Step 3….. Literature not relevant to the study

Step 4 …. Too short or too long study

Step 5 …. The literature argues against itself

Sources…..

Conference papers

Books / Theses, dissertations and research in progress

Working papers or unpublished papers

Documents on the internet / Government publications, official statistics

Personal requests to knowledgeable researchers and/or practitioners

Reports from relevant institutions: companies, public bodiesJournals

Theses

Government publications and official statistics

Reference works, general guides to the literature and guides to the literature in particular subject areas (compendium catalogues)

Web sites

Plagiarism

Copyright

Censored material

tell how this research work make

LIFE BETTER

19

The Key Ingredients of Research: Contribution

• One major contribution is better than many small ones

• Which journal

• The years to refer

• What is the contribution type?o Knowledge discovery, invention,

integration, application• Identify, describe, and demonstrate the big idea

• Asking the right problem, then asking the problem right

The skeleton

• What was the research question?• What theoretical approach underpins each paper?• What methodology was adopted for the collection of data?• How were the data analyzed?• What was the nature and the size of the sample?• What were the key findings?• How many times has the article been cited?

Use simple language

FREE OF JARGONS

some observation

Clear sentence / clarityStraight to pointRepetitionsLogic flowComplex languageDense sentenceToo many jargonHanging at a pointConnectivity / thread

How to Get Published in Internationally Refereed Business Journals

How to Get Published in Internationally Refereed Business Journals

Formulating a Publication Strategy

Understanding the Publication Process

Structuring a Research Article/ Paper Significance on Abstract and Introduction section Adequate Literature Search

Choice of an Appropriate Methodology

Presenting results

Reference presentation and style of presenting

The Right form of Tables, graphs, Figure, Diagrams

The Length and Style of Presenting (formatting the paper)

Innovative content

New research questions

Looking at an old problem in new way

The hotness of the topic

Should have practical value

Avoid too technical terms

Novel approach / novel answers

Break through contribution

New set of variables, not considered in earlier study

How it helps manage the problem differently

Introduce a novel perspective to an existing problem

Journals??.... Impact, Citations, References,

Frequency with which the Journal Article is/ are cited in other Peer reviewed JlCited after your paper publication (within 2 years)Based on Three year periodThe composition of Editorial BoardPeriodicity

Indicates the importance of that jl to Research world/ researchersCategorizing the jl under quality areas

Limitations …New and OldAvailability and Non availabilityConcept papers not cited much

Thank you