View of Resilient Motive for Reviewing Literatures in Business Research: Exploring Process of Research Design

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Resilient Motive for Reviewing Literatures in Business Research: Exploring Process of Research Design

1Valliappan Raju, Siew Poh Phung

Post graduate centre, Limkokwing University, Malaysia ABSTRACT

In business research field, passion for knowledge is getting momentum at a faster speed but also it remains interdisciplinary and fragmented. This really makes it tough to maintain with the state of art and be at the research’s forefront and to evaluate the total evidence in a specific zone of the business research. Therefore, the literature reviews in research processes are more relevant than in the previous times. Traditionally literature reviews lack rigor and thoroughness.

They were done ad hoc, in spite of following a particular approach or methodology. Hence questions could be asked regarding the trustworthiness and quality of those reviews. This research paper apparently discusses the literature reviews as a process of performing the research and reveals the overviews of various review types. It also provides few guidelines regarding how to perform and assess the literature reviews. It discusses regarding the usual pitfalls and also how to publish the literature reviews.

Keywords: Business Research, Literature Review, Thesis, Guideline

1. Introduction

Constructing the research processes and relating them to the prevailing knowledge is the basic activities of academic research process irrespective of any discipline. Hence accuracy should be given top priority in all academic activities. But this is becoming a more complex task. In business research field, passion for knowledge is getting momentum at a faster speed but also it remains interdisciplinary and fragmented. This really makes it tough to maintain with the state of art and be at the research’s forefront and to evaluate the total evidence in a specific zone of the business research. Therefore, the literature reviews in research processes are more relevant than in the previous times. Literature reviews are mentioned as a systematic method of gathering and synthesizing the earlier researches (Lalwani et al., 2020). A good conducted effective review in a research process develops a strong foundation for knowledge advancement and facilitates the development of theory (Eroglu et al., 2001). By integration of the findings and expectations from other empirical findings, the review of literature will focus on research questions strongly than any other studies can address.

The literature review reveals the overview where the research is interdisciplinary and disparate (Valliappan Raju & Phung, 2019a). Additionally, the literature review synthesizes the research outputs to reveal proof on a meta level and also to pinpoint the areas where further research is

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required. Thereby theoretical frameworks and conceptual framework can be framed. But the olden traditional methods of explaining and depicting the literature reviews normally lacks thoroughness and were not performed systematically (Reinoso-Carvalho et al., 2020). This resulted in knowledge lacking and not revealing what the observations is actually mentioning or what it is focusing. Consequently, there is an option that researchers construct their research on wrong assumptions. While performing the research, if the researchers are selective on the proofs of the research, and ignores research which focuses other way, few issues may be faced.

Additionally, even if the research methodology is a valid one, there may be problems that may arise for a good and valid contribution.

There exists few guidelines for writing literature reviews which suggests various types of literature reviews like integrative or narrative (Vicente-Saez & Martinez-Fuentes, 2018) meta-analysis and systemic reviews (Sousa & Rocha, 2019). There were also few attempts to create guidelines particularly for commercial or management research (Ma et al., 2014). By developing and synthesizing such various methods of reviews of literature, this particular study considers a wider view by integrating and summarizing the various guidelines, and also applying them in business research. More particular, the aim of this study is to give an overview and few guidelines for various methods of literature reviews as a research process in business researches.

In the proposed study, the focus is on the potential for developing practical and theoretical contributions utilizing the review of literature, as a process that is advanced by explaining what is meant by review of literatures, how it is utilized in research methods, and what is the criterion that must be utilized to assess its nature of quality, etc. This study will contribute various contributions. First, this study distinguishes various methods of literature review approaches, that is systemic approach, semi- systemic approach, and integrative approach (Valiappan Raju, 2019)

This study distinguishes the various types of literature review approaches; systematic approach, semi systematic approach and integrative approach. It explains that depending upon the purpose and the performance quality, every method of approach may be equally effective.

Systematic approach has stringent needs for search methods and choosing the contents for the literature reviews. They are very effective in amalgamating the collection of contents for a specific question and can be effective by informing the practice and policies. But the systematic literature reviews are never the best method always. While studying a broader subject, which was conceptualized differently, and observed among diverse disciplines, it could hinder the entire systematic literature review methods. The semi-systematic literature review approach may be a good approach for example mapping the theoretical approaches or themes and recognizing the gaps in knowledge among the literature reviews. In few occasions the research questions might need much more creative data collections. In such cases an integrative

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literature review approaches are worth, where the aim of the literature review is not to explain the entire contents published on the subject topic, but to combine the expectations to develop fresh theoretical models. The present study addresses the practical problems which are faced while performing the literature reviews in the business researches. For example. These problems are related in choosing the right literature review approach for the targeted research questions, finding the proper limitations for the literature reviews, deciding on the criteria for eligibility, selecting the proper data from the contents, and finalizing the type of contributions to be made. Next this study offers the guidance and context for the researchers who seek to utilize the literature reviews as a way to combine the research in their domains, and to give guidance for the social policies. Finally, this study proposes to contribute few guidelines to evaluate the quality while assessing the literature review papers that are helping the authors, editors, reviewers and to the readers of this paper.

Table 1: Literature reviews approaches

Approach Systematic Semi-systematic

Integrative

Typical purpose

Combine &

compare evidence

Overview research area &

track development over time

Critique &

synthesize Research

questions

Specific Broad Narrow or broad

Search strategy Systematic May or may not be systematic

Normally not systematic Sample

characteristics

Quantitative articles

Research articles Research

articles, books,

& other published texts Analysis and

evaluation

Quantitative Qualitative/quantitative Qualitative

Examples of contribution

Evidence of effect

State of knowledge Taxonomy or classification Inform policy &

practice

Themes in literature Theoretical

model or

framework Historical overview

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Research agenda

Theoretical model

2. The Need for Writing Literature Review

For all research projects and research disciplines, relevant review of literature is required.

While presenting any research article, irrespective of any discipline, the researcher initially describes the earlier researches to evaluate and map the research contents to induce the purpose of the research and to justify the hypothesis as well as research objectives and research questions. This is commonly known as ‘Literature Reviews’, or theoretical framework or background of research. But for a literature review in a proper research approaches, like in any other common research contributions, is to follow regular methods and actions to assure the literature review is more accurate, trustworthy and precise. The review of literature is always significant in the research field as it is considered as a research basics and a part and parcel of research thesis apart from the normal fact of data collection. In research presentations, the value of the academic literature review is more dependent on what was performed, found and in reporting clarity (Daly et al., 2014)Based on the aim of the literature review, the researcher could utilize various strategies, guidelines and standards created especially for performing the reviews. The reviews of literature must be useful in the research approaches.

The goal of the review of literature is to educate one in the subject topic and to understand it prior to shape an argument or to justify it. The review of literature is a significant chapter in the research thesis for its goal is to provide background and justify the undertaken research. The researcher synthesizes major findings, points, issues, research strategies that evolve from a critical reviewing of the readings, to construct an argument that may lead to explanation of the proposed research (Vicente-Saez & Martinez-Fuentes, 2018)The literature reviews help in focusing, refining and also framing the research questions, and also create theoretical as well as conceptual frameworks.

For all the research questions, the review of literature will be the best tool to contribute the required answers. The literature reviews are really useful while the researcher is evaluating the theory, or to determine the accuracy and validity of the theory, or proof for few subject contents (Verhoef et al., 2010)The approaches can either be narrow or broader. While investigating the impact or associations among two particular variables it is said to be narrow and broader when finding the collective proof in few research areas. Additionally, the reviews of literature are very useful if the purpose is to give an overall view of few research problems. This type of

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review of literature is performed to assess the knowledge state on a specific subject. For example, it could be utilized to construct research agendas, recognize the gaps in the subject research or just discuss specific issues. The review of literature is very useful if the purpose is to engage in the development of the underpinned theory (Valliappan Raju, 2018)In such cases the review of literature contributes the foundation for constructing fresh conceptual theory or model. It is valuable while mapping the development of a specific research field. Anyhow it is significant to understand that on the basis of the purpose of the literature reviews, the approach will vary.

2.1. Various Approaches to Conduct a Literature Review

As explained earlier, there are numerous guidelines that exists for writing the reviews of literature. Based on the approach required to achieve the goal of the literature review, all methods are proper and useful to obtain the goals. (Refer Table.1) These strategies could be either qualitative or quantitative or mixed mode based on the literature review. In the following Table 2, three types of approaches that are commonly used are summarized. They systematic reviews, semi-systematic reviews and the integrative reviews. Under the appropriate circumstances, all these three approaches can be of importance for answering the research questions. However, there are also few other reviews of literature forms and features from various strategies are normally combined. As such strategies are wider, they may need further applications for specific research project.

2.1.1. Systematic Literature Review

What is systematic literature review and when and where we must utilize it? Systematic literature reviews are mostly employed in medical and health science to synthesize research outputs in a transparent, systematic and reproducible method (Polas et al., 2020). It has been referred as the best golden standard among the literature reviews and continually its usage is increasing (Valliappan Raju, 2018). In spite of these advantages, its usage in business research is not prevalent overtly (Kim et al., 2017). Systemic literature review could be explained as research process and method for recognizing and appraising the research, and also gathering and evaluating the collected data from the performed research (Hammer, 2016). The purpose of the systematic literature review is to recognize the entire empirical proof which suits the pre mentioned inclusion criteria to respond a specific research hypothesis or research questions. By utilizing the systemic, explicit ways while reviewing the contents, articles, and available all evidences, confusion or bias may be reduced. It thus provides reliable outputs or findings from which the final conclusions and thus decisions are made (Valliappan Raju & Phung, 2019b)

Table 2: Examples of present guidelines for performing a literature review Authors Discipline Type of Literature

Review

Contribution

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http://annalsofrscb.ro Baumeister

and Leary (1997)

Psychology Narrative review  Overviews reasons for conducting a review

 Discusses common mistakes for conducting a review

Tranfield et al.

(2003)

Management Systematic review  Compares management & healthcare research

 Highlights the challenges of performing a systematic review in management research

 Provides guidelines for performing a systematic literature review in management research

Torraco (2005) Human Resources

Integrative review  Defines the integrative literature review

 Provides guidelines and examples for integrative literature reviews

 Discusses contributions of a integrative literature review

Liberati et al.

(2009)

Medicine Systematic review and meta-analysis

 Provides guidelines for conducting &

reporting systematic reviews and meta-analysis

Wong et al.

(2013)

Medicine Semi-systematic review

 Provides guidelines for performing a meta-narrative review

Davis et al.

(2014)

Social Sciences

Systematic review &

meta-analysis

 Synthesizes guidelines for systematic literature reviews

 Provides guidelines for performing a systematic review & meta-analysis in social sciences

Palmatier et al.

(2018)

Marketing Review papers &

systematic reviews

 Provides guidelines for publishing review papers in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science

Figure 1: Procedures performed while performing Literature Review

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(Source: Constructed by author for respective research, 2020)

What method of assessment can be performed? Statistical methods like meta -analysis may often but never always be performed to integrate the outputs of the research. Meta-analysis is said to be the statistical type of amalgamating the findings of various observations to compare and weigh to recognize the associations, disagreements, and patterns which appear with multiple studies on the similar subject topic (Valliappan Raju & Phung, 2020a). With this meta-analysis method, every basic observation is coded, and the outputs are then subsequently changed into a normal common metric to measure the total impacts (Polsa, 2013). But to conduct the meta-analysis, the studies and observation should share the statistical calculations (effect size) just to compare the findings (Palvia et al., 2020). Hence it is tough and challenging to conduct the meta-analysis research with various methodology and approaches (Chi et al., 2018). Though the systemic review of literature was created for medical science, several attempts were done to develop guidelines among the social sciences (Montag-Smit & Maertz, 2017). Additionally various meta-analysis reviews were published in famous business journals (Möller & Halinen, 2017). But in those areas where not allowed to randomize the controlled trials, a big challenge lies in evaluating the research outputs quality. Hence more qualitative methods were created to evaluate the strength and quality of the outputs from various methods of observation and to compare those findings (Storbacka et al., 2016). Often this is referred as qualitative systemic reviews. It is a way of comparing the outputs from the qualitative

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observations (Lemon & Verhoef, 2016). A strict systematic review of literature is a method that is utilized to gather articles, contents, in which qualitative method is utilized to evaluate them.

2.1.1.1. Advantages of Systemic Literature Review

What are the contribution from a systemic literature review and its advantages? There are various contributions and advantages by performing the systemic literature review. For example, one could easily find if the impact is constant over the observations. One can find what studies in future are needed to demonstrate these impacts. Techniques may be utilized to find which sample characteristics or level have an impact on the feature being observed, like if researches performed in one context reveal various other outputs from those performed in other contexts (Chetty & Phung, 2018)

2.1.2. Semi-systematic Literature Review

What is semi-systematic literature review and how it can be utilized in research methods? The semi-systematic or narrative literature review method is generally designed for subjects that are differently conceptualized and observed by several research groups with diverse disciplines and hinder the entire systematic literature review methods (Raju & Phung, 2020). Reviewing the each and every single subject content which is relevant to the subject is just impossible.

Therefore, another strategy should be created. Various articles utilizing this semi-systematic literature review method were published in several business journals (Vicente-Saez &

Martinez-Fuentes, 2018). Apart from the purpose of over viewing the subject content, the semi-systematic literature review often focuses at how research progressed within a field or how the subject topic was created across the traditions of the research. Normally the semi-systematic literature review finds to understand and recognize all potential relevant research traditions which has implications for the observed subject topic and to amalgamate those utilizing meta- narratives rather than by calculating the size of the effect (Harrison, 2013).

It also provides to understand the complexity fields. But when covering the wider subject topics of various observations, this particular approach upheld that the research methods must be more transparent. It must have well developed research strategy which eases the readers to evaluate if the arguments done were well reasonable, both for the selected subject topic and from a perspective methodology.

What method of evaluation may be performed? There are number of types which can be utilized to evaluate and amalgamate the outputs from a semi-systematic literature review. These types have more similarities in strategies utilized in qualitative research in general. For example, a content or thematic analysis is a normally utilized technique. This can be broadly explained as a type for recognizing, evaluating and reporting the themes within the subject text (Erevelles et al., 2016)Though this method of literature review is normally followed by a qualitative approach and there may be few exceptions. For example (Al-Taweel, 2014) utilized a semi-structured type of gathering literature reviews, but mixed it with a statistical meta-analysis

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method. Here we discuss about the potential contribution of a semi-structured literature reviews. Such method of evaluation might be useful for theme detections, theoretical expectations, or common problems within a particular research discipline or methods for recognizing the components of the concept (Peter et al., 2018). A valid contribution might be the capacity to map the research field, amalgamate the knowledge state, and develop a scheme for future research or capacity to contribute overview or timeline of a particular subject heading.

2.1.3. Integrative Literature Review

We can discuss what integrative literature review is and when it must be utilized. Integrative literature review or critical review method is closely related to the previous semi-structured literature review method. While comparing with the semi-structured literature review, this integrative literature review method has a different aim or purpose, to evaluate, and amalgamate the literature review on a particular research subject in a method that provide new theoretical frameworks and expectations will emerge (Salah, 2020). Though rare, these methods of literature reviews are recognized in the business literature review (McCarthy et al., 2017). Mostly integrative literature reviews are likely to reveal mature subject topics or freshly emerging subject topics.

Table 3 : Significant questions to consider in every step of the literature review Phase 1: Design

 Is this review required and what is the contribution of performing this review?

 Who are the potential audience of this review?

 What is the particular purpose and research question(s) this review will be focusing?

 What is the proper method to use this review's particular purpose?

 What is the search strategy for this particular review? (including search terms, databases, inclusion and exclusion criteria etc.)

Phase 2 : Performance

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 Does the research plan created in phase one work to develop an appropriate sample or does it require adjustment?

 What is the practical plan for choosing the articles?

 How the research methods and data collection will be documented?

 How will the quality of the research process and selection be evaluated?

Phase 3 : Evaluation

 What type of information requires to be obtained to fulfill the aim of the particular review?

 What type of information is required to perform the particular evaluation?

 How the reviewers will be trained to assure the quality of this method?

 How will this process be documented & reported?

Phase 4 : Structuring & Presenting the Review

 Are the motivation & the requirement for this review well communicated?

 What standards of reporting are proper for this particular review?

 What information requires to be added in this review?

 Is the level of information presented enough & proper for its transparency so that readers can judge the review’s quality?

 Are the outputs clearly presented & explained?

 Is the contribution of the review is well communicated?

What method of evaluation can be utilized? The evaluation of the data part of the critical or an integrative literature review is not specifically created as per the prescribed standard (Son, 2011). But there is not a set of standard and however the normal purpose of the analysis of data in the integrative literature review method is to critically evaluate and find the literature and the major associations and ideas of the issue. This needs the researchers to possess an advanced skill and capacity like superior conceptual thinking (Mousa et al., 2018). It should be more transparent and to document the evaluation process in a fair manner.

What is the potential contribution of the integrative literature reviews? An integrative literature review type must reveal the knowledge advancement and theoretical frameworks. It should not be a simply description or overview of the research contents. It should never be a history or

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descriptive but preferably create new theory or conceptual frameworks. Though the integrative literature review can be performed in many methods, the researchers are better expected to follow the standard, accepted norms and conventions to report how the research was performed (Alasadi & Abdelrahim, 2008). This is how the integrative literature review method was performed and how the contents were chosen. They should be transparent, and clear without misleading and confusing. However, cautions must be taken while performing the integrated literature reviews. They should reveal strong and valid contributions in the research field. They should not lack research integration and transparency. More frequently, the integrative literature reviews are mere simply the summaries of the research observations and not exactly integrative.

2.2 Appropriate Approach

It is a challenging job to find which approach is most suitable and proper for a particular method of literature review. The research questions and the particular goal of the literature review always decide the proper strategy to be used. The systemic literature review is the most accurate approach to gather contents, since all relevant data had been included. But this approach needs fewer research questions and might not be suitable for all projects and may not be feasible even. In such situations semi-systematic literature review is useful. But this approach is still problematic since it possesses few clear steps that are to be followed. Systemic literature review methodology is straightforward and follows stringent standards and rules (Isuru et al., 2019). The semi-systematic literature review needs further development and suitable tailoring to the particular research project (Peter et al., 2018). Quite often many researchers require creating their own standards and plan that are detail, to assure the proper literature review is accurately covered and able to respond the research questions with transparency. But if executed properly this method will be very effective method of covering wide areas and broader subject topics than the systemic literature review can handle. In the integrative review, it becomes more demanding that injects further responsibility and needs much more skills and capacities of the researchers. There are fewer guidelines and standards to rely for creating a strategy ((Zehri & Abdelbaki, 2013). This may lead, that integrative approach may not be useful. When compared with systematic literature review, it may not hold the similar amount of rigor. But if successfully performed, the true integrative literature review contributes new conceptual model and theory, then the outputs are significant (Kwarteng & Li, 2015).

3. The Process of Performance of Literature Review

Irrespective of approach that will be utilized to perform the literature review, fewer steps should be taken and decisions to develop the literature review that satisfies the requirements for publishing it. Table 3 reveals the particular considerations for each step. The following portion suggests and discusses the fundamental steps involved in performing the literature reviews in four stages. They are 1) designing the review 2) performing the review 3) evaluation and 4)

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writing the literature review. This method was created from the practical experiences and influenced by several guidelines and standards suggested for the said literature reviews (Krejcie

& Morgan, 1970).

3.1. Phase 1: Designing the Literature Review

The first fundamental question to be raised is why this literature review is to be executed? Does the requirement arise for the review of literature in this area? If then, what method of literature review might be the most suitable and could contribute greatly? While deciding the subject topic, proper consideration should be provided regarding what type of audience are interested in the literature review. This question is more relevant since it determines the audience likelihood of the literature review while publishing and the effect it would have on the research subject.

Executing the review of literature is tough job. Therefore, the subject topic should be interesting to both the researcher and the reader or audience. Hence it is better idea to study the earlier literature reviews which already exists, to evaluate the research study numbers, and to assist, formulate and define the goal, scope, and research questions that the literature review will address. Such significant actions will assist to recognize which method is most suitable. For example, if the literature review summarizes and assess the entire research areas, then a stringent systematic literature review will not be suitable and not possible. But a narrative or integrative literature review method may be preferable. Similarly, if the aim of the literature review is to investigate and combine the proof of effect of a particular factor, then an integrative literature review is not feasible and trustworthy. A systematic literature review will be suitable.

(Valliappan Raju & Poh Phung, 2019) The major purpose of the literature review should decide the method of literature reviews. When once the research questions are recognized and the total literature review approach is considered, then the research method to identify the relevant literature review should be created (Valliappan Raju & Poh Phung, 2020). This includes choosing the research terms and proper data bases and then decides on exclusion and inclusion criteria. At this situation, many significant decisions should be made which are very crucial in determining the quality and rigor of the literature review. Research terms may be of words and phrases that are utilized to access proper books, contents and reports. These should be based on concepts that are regarded to the research questions. Depending upon the purpose of the literature review and the research questions, such research terms may be broad or narrow. It is worthwhile to consider the limitations also.

Searching and analysing earlier literature reviews will identify and provide many relevant contents, strategies useful in preparing the literature reviews. Research questions will decide what all are to be included. Criteria that are to be considered and normally used are the publication years, type of contents, like randomized, conceptual etc., and the journal. While performing the literature review, decisions on inclusion and exclusion are the criteria to determine the research quality. However, it is very important to provide transparency and reasoning with regard to the choices preferred. The motives should be logical and valid.

Depending on the approach method, the quality of the literature review lies with few other

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aspects like what review of literature is included and how it was chosen (Ooi et al., 2011).

Based on these decisions, to the similar research questions, the research study can provide various answers and outputs. For example, if the researcher selects few particular journals, which will limit your research and may end with skewed or flawed sample and missing contents which are irrelevant or even contradictory. It may also lead to wrong outputs regarding literature gaps and more seriously provide untrue evidence of a particular impact. More practical approach is to write down all final decisions to make it more transparent. The researcher must make a point to enable the reader or audience to understand easily how the reviews were recognized, evaluated, synthesized and published. This must be done very carefully before the actual performances of the literature review.

3.2. Phase 2: Executing the Review

Once decided on the goal, particular research questions and the approach types, now the researcher started performing the actual literature reviews. While performing the literature reviews, a pilot test of the review method and protocol will be appropriate. By pilot testing the research articles on a fewer sample, the inclusion criteria method can be done prior to the actual review performances. It is normal to modify the performances number of times prior to choosing the actual samples. Significantly it is preferable to have more than one reviewer to choose the contents to assure the reliability and quality of the research contents.

The real choosing of the sample can be done in numerous methods depending upon the scope and nature of the particular review. Depending upon the articles required, appropriate approach is engaged. Reviewers might read the literature reviews in full which is time consuming.

Another option is to perform the reviews in stages and yet another option is to focus on the research findings and methods. Studying in stages, the readers first read the abstracts and then selects to read the article in full later. After this the relevant literatures are gathered, screened in full to assure that they met the criteria. The references are scanned to recognize that they are potentially relevant. But in systematic literature review method, this is not possible as it needs more stringent protocol. During this process, inclusion and exclusion of few articles are documented carefully.

3.3. Phase 3: Evaluation

After executing the literature reviews, and final decision made on samples, it is significant to consider regarding the articles how they will be utilized to perform proper evaluation. After choosing the final sample, the standard means of obtaining the proper contents from each article must be made. Data in the descriptive information forms like name of authors, published years, subject topic, study types, are documented. Conceptualizations and theoretical perspectives are accounted. This must be done according the goals and research questions of the particular reviews. The researcher has to consider training the reviewers to prevent any misconceptions in coding to assure the reliability and the quality. If the researcher aimed to publish the contents in

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an academic journal, more detailed explanations of the method and maintaining reliability among the reviewers are very important. If the informations are of quite interesting nature, the process will be easy. For example, information on population, sample size or effect size then the process are easy. But it becomes still harder if the themes are historical timelines etc.

Based on the review, various proper evaluation strategies can be engaged. But it is more important, in spite of any methods; the researcher has to ensure that the proper answer to the chosen research questions has to be established. For example, if the goal is to assess the proof of the impact of loyalty programs, then applying meta-analysis method is most suitable.

Alternatively, if the goal was to create a theoretical framework for the experiences of the client, integrative literature review method will be most acceptable rather than meta-analysis. If meta-analysis method is chosen, it will be a poor choice.

3.4. Phase 4: Writing the Literature Review

For writing the literature review, there must be motivation and the requirement for the literature review should be properly communicated. On the basis of approach, the final literature review content might be structured in various ways. It may need various types of informations in detail.

There are number of guidelines and standards explicitly saying how the review of literatures must be reported, structured, and published. They include PRISMA, created for systematic literature reviews and meta-analysis (ref (Anjum et al., 2018); RAMSES, created for systematic reviews of literature (ref; (Mahoney & Baker, 2002); and guidelines for integrative literature reviews (Polsa, 2013). Though literature review contents may be grouped in several ways, few generalizations could be formed. The researchers are advised to follow the conventions that are accepted to report on how the research was undertaken. It is required to explain with transparency, the method of designing the literature reviews and the ways for gathering the literature reviews i.e. How the literature review was recognized, how it was analysed, combined, and finally reported by the researcher. Thus, properly doing so will provide the reader or audiences to evaluate its quality as well as trustworthiness of the outputs. The literature review’s contribution must be judged with regard to its association with the area to which it likes to contribute. Based on numerous factors, like state of knowledge, maturity of the field, various contributions might be valuable and worth. For example the literature reviews could result in historical evaluation of development among the research field (Haenlein &

Kaplan, 2020), a key for further future research (Buckingham Shum & Luckin, 2019), conceptual model (Caputo et al., 2020); and proof of an impact (Lalwani et al., 2020).

4. Evaluating the Literature Review’s Quality

Literature reviews are required to be evaluated and assessed like empirical contents, but this is not practically implemented. (Sivarajah et al., 2017) informs that a good quality literature review should contain both rigor and depth. It requires to demonstrate the proper strategy for choosing the right contents, capturing insights and data, and also to reveal something other than

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replica of the earlier research. Additionally, they mention that a good quality literature review requires being replicable, i.e. the strategy should be in such a way that the reader or the audience may recite the contents in other research articles and reach the same outputs. Finally, they mention that the literature review should be useful for many authors, scholars, and practitioners. But the assessing the various methods of literature review may be a challenging task. Hence few guidelines for eventuating the review of literature articles across various approaches were suggested as an initial starting stage to assist reviewers, editors, authors, and also readers who evaluate the review of literatures. These are summarized in the following Table-4. These evolve from the various stages of executing the literature reviews. They must be broad enough to suitable to many types of review of literatures. But while assessing an individual literature review, it is significant to examine if particular standard for that type of literature review was met and the criteria meets for depth and rigor. Based on if it is a systematic review, semi-systematic review or integrative literature review, various standards are valid. But the independent type of literature review pays much attention to what contents are included and what reasons the decisions make the difference in conclusions according to the researcher.

Ignoring the relevant research field, few journals might have consequences for the outputs or findings or conclusions of the research. Its contributions must be assessed against the subject topic or the research field. A useful contribution in one zone may not be sufficient in another area.

Table 4: Guidelines to Evaluate the Quality of a Literature Review Phase 1: Design

 In relationship to the overall research field, is this literature review required & does it make a substantial, practical, or theoretical contribution?

 Is the motivation, the purpose & the research question(s) clearly stated & motivated?

 Does the review account for the previous literature review & other relevant literature?

 Is the approach/methodology for the literature review clearly stated?

 Is this the most appropriate approach to address the research problem?

 Are the methodology and the search strategy clearly and transparently described &

motivated (including search terms, databases used, & explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria)?

Phase 2: Performance

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 Is the research process appropriate for this type of review?

 Is the practical research process accurately mentioned & accounted for?

 Is their transparency in the inclusion & exclusion process?

 Have proper measures been taken to ensure quality of the research?

 Can it be trusted that the final output is appropriate & in similarity with the total aims of the literature review?

Phase 3: Data obtained and evaluation

 Is the data obtained from the article appropriate & in concordance with the total purpose of the review?

 Is the process for obtaining data is accurately mentioned?

 Have proper measures been taken to ensure quality of data obtained?

 Is the selected data analysis technique being proper in relation to the overall research questions & the data obtained?

 Is the analysis process properly explained & transparent?

Phase 4: Structuring & writing the literature review

 Is the review article organized coherently in relation to the total approach & research question?

 Is the overall method of performing the literature review suﬃciently explained? Can the study be replicated?

 Is the output of the literature review reported in an appropriate & clear way?

 Does the content synthesize the findings of the literature review into a clear & valuable contribution to the subject topic?

 Are questions or directions for further research included? Does the results from the review are usable?

5. How to Publish the Literature Review

There are too many arguments for executing the literature reviews. But publishing them is a challenging job. Few common mistakes done by researchers while executing the literature reviews will prevent them from publishing from a good journal. The researchers first often fail

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to mention the required details regarding how the literature review was performed. This consequently becomes impossible to assess the review’s quality and also its contributions. Such literature reviews often fail to reveal the required details of the total research strategy, selection and removal of contents, the limitations of the research strategy, and also the quality of the research process. They often inhibit the required details with regard to how the assessment was performed. Out of curiosity and eagerness, the researcher limits the size of the samples to handle the literature reviews easier and simple. It is also becoming common to limit or minimize the research processes and affect the quality of the research. This is the effect of limiting the number of journals and narrowing the span of the years or excluding the contents from the related areas which are relevant for the particular review. Limiting or minimizing the sample too much affects the depth as well as rigor of the literature review. It could seriously affect the findings, outputs and contributions. A better method to handle large number of samples is to minimize the research questions. On few occasions it is better to minimize the size of the sample in various methods, but proper reasons and explanations for doing such should be given. Next often the researchers fail to present the literature review and explain the findings of the literature review clearly. Quite often the presented graphs, tables and figures are not well explained. This makes it difficult to understand them what they really meant. It is natural to spend more time to explain the ways and strategies and on particular evaluation technique and spend comparatively less time on discussions and explanations regarding what they actually meant. This is common for both advanced qualitative as well as quantitative approaches.

Failing to express the findings or outputs makes the issue more problematic to evaluate the contributions of the research articles.

Finally, the common mistakes mostly done are that the literature reviews many a times fail to reveal the valuable contributions to the research field. Irrespective of how better and rigorous the literature review content, when it does not contribute enough materials, it may not be published in the journals (Valliappan Raju & Poh Phung, 2020). The journals will not publish, if the literature reviews are just descriptive summarized contents of the research done between certain periods, mentioning only informations of the articles, few citations evaluated, representing few authors, and perhaps without any deeper proper analysis. If those are not valuable with appropriate analysis, they are unlikely to be published in famous journals.

Actually, the literature review articles which are a medley of words and confusing with citation analysis are never published in decent journals. Researchers who does tedious job of gathering numerous articles without proper analysing them in the preferred method, fails to provide good contribution and their efforts are not appreciated (Anjum et al., 2018).

Still there are number of methods beyond just summarizing the reviews and truly creating few things that are new and also valuable and provide a good contribution to the research in question. A good research methodology is required which convinces the criteria of quality for performing the literature reviews, but also analysis and contents make the literature review more proper and better. There are quite number of articles which are successfully published in good ranked business journals utilizing the review of literature strategy as the basis or

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foundation. Quality of the literature review is most important. The literature review can be performed and may be combined with meta-analysis of the relevant subject topic to give the required impacts. Such strategy can be utilized in articles that are published in journals which are higher ranked (eg. (Tsourvakas & Yfantidou, 2018). It is significant to note that by just performing meta-analysis, it does not warrant the publication. It should focus well on the relevant subject topic. it must be interesting, and solve few methods of research which are in dilemma, and thereby contribute better knowledge regarding the research. The literature reviews additionally which is based on machine learning and computer text analysis, receives better interest in the business research ((Anjum et al., 2019). Text analysis is an excellent method for good contribution, but just utilizing such techniques will not be enough, if not performed properly. The text analysis method often becomes highly descriptive, just providing only over view of the subject topics, themes but not developing deeper analysis. Being an alternative, valuable finding from analysis could develop timeline for evaluation and prediction, comparing various related constructs which can serve as a foundation for development of theory or recognizing gaps in knowledge in the earlier researches.

Though rare, well performed literature review is strongly desirable which contributes new theory, including substantial prepositions or research agenda, from where the researchers can proceed to the advanced research field (Chang et al., 2017). But such methods of analysis consume more time and needs better analytic skills of the researchers. If successful such reviews can provide greater contribution to the particular research field.

It is to be noted that the above examples are only just a few among large pathways to contribute utilizing the literature review as the research way. But it is a tough and very challenging way for trying to develop contributions with the gathered data and materials to get it published in a decent journal. Hence it very important to have in mind about the specific research questions from the initial stages and to assure the proper right approaches is selected to solve the research issues in hand (Polas et al., 2020).

6. Summary and Conclusion

Reviews of literature play a significant part being the foundation and basis for all methods of research. They will serve as a foundation for knowledge creation, developing guidelines and policies for practice, reveal proof of the impacts. If they are performed well, they have the skill to engender novel ideas, concepts and directions for the research topic. They serve as the basics for the future or further research, as such. Executing a literature review and assessing the quality is a challenging and tough job. Hence this paper provides few guidelines and few suggestions on how to perform in a better way, with rigor and depth for the better research output and findings. If there is accuracy in the research process, it is easier to recognize the gaps in research, rather than just performing the research repeatedly, to create hypothesis, research questions which are more and better precise. Thus, the quality of the research could be increased in a better way.

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