LITERATURE REVIEW

B.COM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT (HONS

 DEFINITION

⦿ It is the documentation of comprehensive review

of mostly published work from secondary
sources of information in areas which are related
to the underlying study.
⦿ Alternatively, it is a clear and logical presentation
of the relevant research work done so far in the
area of inquiry.

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 CONT..
❖ The purpose of literature review is to identify important
variables and document the significant findings from earlier
research that will serve as a foundation on which the theoretical
framework for the current study can be based.
❖ It also enables the researcher to learn from previously
established theory on the subject by illustrating how the subject
has been studied before.
❖ By studying these theories a researcher gains clarity and better
understanding of the theoretical foundations related to the
current research.
❖ Thus it focuses on what other scholars have demonstrated and
what they have not done so that you can find your own
gap/stand.

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 CONT…
❖ Literature review is also important so as to convince the reader that the
researcher is knowledgeable about the problem area and has done the
preliminary homework that is necessary to conduct the research, thus it
provides evidence of the researcher’s reading on the particular subject/topic.
❖ In addition literature survey also help the researcher to eliminate the possibility
of spending considerable time and effort to discover something that has
already been thoroughly researched on, as a result it prevents such wastage of
resources in “re-inventing” the wheel.
❖ An understanding of previous works helps the researcher to develop a
significant problem which will provide further knowledge in the field
❖ Thus literature review also helps in delimiting the research problem and this
is through portraying what has already been done and what would be useful to
focus on in the current study.

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 Cont..

⦿ Literature Review, therefore, gives the researcher

insight into what has already been done in the
selected field, pinpointing its strengths and
weaknesses.
⦿ This exercise guides the researcher in focusing on
information that address the identified
gaps/weaknesses.
⦿ It also helps in integrating information gathered
from previous unrelated studies into one body of
knowledge.
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 CONT..

❖ The researcher is expected to critically evaluate

the account of others thus summarizing,
synthesiszing and analyzing arguments so as to
find his own gap.
❖ It is therefore the role of literature review to show
similarities, differences, consistencies,
inconsistencies and controversies in the current
body of knowledge (Literature).

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 CONT..

❖ The objective when conducting literature review

is not only to summarize or fall in love with the
existing ideas, theories or models but to critique
and develop arguments from the available
literature so that value can be added to existing
theory.
❖ The bottom line is that, there should be an active
voice of the researcher.

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 CONT..

❖ The researcher, among other things, should show

evidence of incompleteness, inadequacy,
incommensurate and lack of consensus in the
existing body of knowledge.

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 SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE
OF LITERATURE REVIEW
⦿ Reviewing the literature critically will provide the foundation on
which your research is built.
⦿ The main purpose is to help you to develop a good understanding
and insight into relevant previous research and the trends that
have emerged.
⦿ The purpose of your literature review is not to provide a summary
of everything that has been written on your research topic, but to
review the most relevant and significant research on your topic.
⦿ To help you to refine further your research questions and
objectives
⦿ To help you avoid simply repeating work that has been done
already
⦿ Becoming familiar with the subject area of interest

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 SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE
OF LITERATURE REVIEW
⦿ Helps to identify gaps in knowledge
⦿ Helps to develop the context for a proper research problem
⦿ Helps to identify issues and variables related to the research topic
⦿ Helps to identify appropriate research methodologies and
techniques
⦿ Helps to establish a theoretical framework upon which to base the
research
⦿ Justifies the need for the research
⦿ Keeping abreast of on going work in the area of interest
⦿ Indicates that the researcher is knowledgeable about the topic

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 PROBLEMATIZING
LITERATURE
⦿ Golden et al (1997) also researched methods by
which researchers can use in order to find gaps in
literature (problematize literature) and these are:
a. Incompleteness of Literature: Here the literature is
portrayed as not fully finished in some specific areas.
The researcher thus tries to identify grey areas in the
existing literature. The research, therefore, seek to
augment the current body of knowledge by filling a
gap rather than questioning the reigning paradigms
in any significant way.

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 CONT...

b. Inadequacy of Literature: Under this method,

literature is portrayed as excluding alternative
perspectives thus the current research aims to
contribute by bringing this oversight into view
through introducing different views or
perspectives.
❖ Existing paradigms are not so much questioned
since the thrust is to bring alternative views.

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 CONT...

c. Incommensurate of Literature: Here existing

literature is portrayed as not only incomplete but
also wrong and misguided in some ways.
❖ The current research, therefore, seeks to discard
the existing views and paradigms and offer the
correct alternatives.

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 LITERATURE REVIEW
..OTHER
⦿ When reviewing literature, the researcher should ask
himself the following questions:
1. Has my search been wide enough to ensure I find all
relevant material and narrow enough to exclude
irrelevant material?
2. Have I cited and discussed studies contrary to my
perspective?
3. Have I acknowledged all sources in my review?
4. Will readers find my literature relevant and useful?

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 LITERATURE REVIEW…
OTHER
⦿ Most of the literature that is reviewed by researchers is
obtained from academic and professional journals,
masters dissertations, conference papers, government
publications, most recent text books etc.
⦿ Literature that is reviewed must not be more than 5 years
at the time of reviewing.
⦿ One way of reviewing literature in an organized manner
is by reviewing it according to research objectives.
⦿ The researcher selects an objective and reviews
information related to the achievement of that particular
objective.

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 REFERENCING
It is a system that allows the researcher to acknowledge the sources of
information used in the write up. The main reasons why you need to
reference are:
To support an argument, make a claim or provide evidence
To acknowledge other people’s contribution to your work
To avoid plagiarism
To show evidence of the breadth and depth of your reading
To allow the readers of your work to locate the cited references easily,
and so to evaluate your interpretation of those ideas
❑ Either Harvard or APA Referencing Style is used when writing your
dissertation.

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THE END

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