Reviewing the Literature

Management research is a discipline characterized by heterogeneity in viewpoints, the application of research to real-life problems in the organization and the multidisciplinary nature of research problems. The need for a good literature review is paramount in doctoral dissertations with a view to justifying research agendas and help interested scholars use synthesized organization of extant work. The paper aims to provide an overview of the types of review, pointers for effective review, evaluating sources of information, referencing the sources cited, and avoidance of plagiarism in writing literature reviews. The paper is intended to make doctoral scholars understand the importance of literature reviews, the organization and synthesis of ideas involved, and the rigor in detailing references and avoiding plagiarism to increase the quality of the finished output.