How to Do a

Literature Review
2
 現象或管理困境

歷史資料 研究文獻 經驗調查 案例研究

定義研究問題

基於理論或文獻回顧
提出研究假說

3
 Agenda
 Clarifying Research Question

 Secondary Data and Explorations

 The Function of Literature Review

 How to Search Literature?

 How to Read Literature?

 How to Write Literature Review?

 Some Hints on Writing Report

4
Clarifying Research Question
Research Process
 Clarifying Research Question
 Management-research question hierarchy begins
by identifying the management dilemma
Management-Research Question Hierarchy
Types of Management Questions
SalePro’s Hierarchy
Formulating Research Question
What Is Research Question?
What Is Investigative Question?
 Measurement Questions
 Predesigned, pretested questions
 Custom-designed measurement questions
Secondary Data and Explorations
Integration of Secondary Data into the
Research Process
 Objectives of Secondary Searches
 Expanding understanding of management
dilemma
 Gather background information
 Identify information to gather
 Identify sources for and actual question
 Identify sources for and actual sample frames
Levels of Information
Information Sources
Evaluating Information Sources
Exploratory Phase Search Strategy
Integrating Secondary Data
The Function of Literature Review
 Function 1: Identify the “Research Gap”

 The construction of knowledge is a incremental

process
 propose new theories
 throw out inappropriate theories
 refine existing theories

 A research is not coming out of nowhere but is

proposed based on prior scholars’ efforts.
 Doing literature review is a way to dialogue with
worldwide researchers
Example 1: ERP Implementation
 ERP Implementation is different from traditional information
system development
 The success of an ERP project depends on how the commercial-of-the-
shelf (COTS) software fit into the requirement of an organization
 The success of an IS development projects depends on how system
analysis and system development are done
 Thus, there is an apparent research gap that drive researchers
to study the unique characteristics of ERP implementation
 the knowledge transfer/integration between ERP consultants and IS
personnel
 the customization of an ERP package
 the business process reengineering of an organization
 Example 2: The Value of Interorganizational
Information Systems (IOS)
 Earlier IOS research contends that economic
gain enjoyed by the implementation firms comes
from informational and operational efficiency
 Such research overlooks the governance effect
that the implementation of IOS serves as a
safeguard, which can promote the partners to
make co-specialized investments that can
enhance efficiency and effectiveness of their
common business processes.
Function 2: Justify the New Theoretical Lens

 Offer sufficient arguments to justify that the new

theoretical perspective is reasonable and plausible.
 illustrate the explanations offered by the new theoretical lens
 provide empirical evidence or research findings that support
the new theoretical lens
 Three ways
 deduction: propose hypotheses based on the new theoretical
lens
 induction: refer to relevant empirical evidence and propose
hypothesis
 ad hoc: based on researchers’ ad hoc feelings
 觀念性架構：
交易特性簽約後投機行為軟體委外成功

Source: Wang (2002)

Source: Wang (2002)
Work Items of Literature Review
 Search
 Read
 Assess
 Summarize
How to Search Literature?
 Sources of Research Literature
 Academic Journal Paper
 MIS Discipline  Reference Disciplines

 MIS Quarterly  Academy of Management Review

 Information Systems Research  Academy of Management Journal

 Journal of MIS  Administrative Science Quarterly

 Decision Sciences  Organization Science

 Journal of the AIS  Journal of Marketing

 European Journal of Information  Journal of Marketing Research

Systems
 Strategic Management Journal
 Information & Management
 Journal of Applied Psychology
 etc.
 etc.
 Publishing
 Peer review process
 Double-Blind review
 Impact factor
 SCI/SSCI/TSSCI
http://gebrc.nccu.edu.tw/jim/call-for-paper.html
 Business practice articles
 CIO Magazine (http://www.cio.com.tw/) (https://www.cio.com/)
 Harvard Business Review
 數位時代 (https://www.bnext.com.tw/)
 IT Home (https://www.ithome.com.tw/)
 電子時報
 Books
 collection papers
 book chapters
 The easiest and quickest way to
delve into an unfamiliar area
 Searching Literature
 Library book shelf
 Search engine
 google scholar
 researchnet

 Online database
 ABI/Inform Global/ProQuest
 Business Source Premier-EBSCO

 Snowballing 滾雪球
How to Read Literature?
 Reading English Paper
 No need to read and translate every sentences
 Understand the basic structure of a research paper
 Read and try to understand the paper as a whole
 Practice, practice, and practice!
 Structure of a Research Paper
 Research question
 Connection with prior research
 Theoretical contribution
 Theoretical base and hypothesis
 Research design & analysis
 Conclusion
 Writing Styles
 Present the conclusion first
 Then explain the reasoning
 Every sentence connects with the next sentence
 Example:
There are three types of underemployment:
overeducation, underpay and underutilization.
Overeducation refers to…. Underpay happens
when….When…, an employees is said to be in the state of
underutilization.
 Proactive Reading
 Passive reading
 Proactive reading
 the first time, read quickly
 the next time, read in a slower pace. but…
 proactively search the passage that can answer question
problem
 write a simple model to illustrate the ideas of the paper
How to Write Literature Review?
 Tips
 Literature review starts from your research question.

與初始問題相關的文獻

其中最感興趣的文獻

與具體研究問題
直接相關的文獻
 Introduction of the Review
 Delineate the “review topic” and “initial research
question”
 introduce the major perspectives in the
subsequent part of the review
 explain your position/standard in choosing the
reviewed articles
 Outline the structure of the review
 Organization of the Main Body of Review

 簡單描述法 (portraying method)

 what are the perspectives in prior studies?
 what are the major findings?
 what are the similarities/differences among these
research streams?
 Shortcomings
 cannot dig deeper into the research topic
 is not recommended in the main part of the review
 Organization of the Main Body of Review

 追溯歷史法 (history tracing method)

 suitable when there are different generations of
research on a specific topic
 aims to articulate the evolution of research streams

 Shortcomings
 cannot dig deeper into the research topic
 is not recommended in the main part of the review
 Organization of the Main Body of Review

 分門別類法 (categorization method)

 categorize research into several types
 illustrate different theoretical lens
 allow the authors to pinpoint the research gaps
Your Comment in the End of the Review
 簡單總結法 (Summarization Method)
 Point out the commonality or major trend from the reviewed
articles
 挑戰削弱法 (Undermining Method)
 disclose the complexity of research issue
 contrast past viewpoints and identify the contradictions
 challenge the assumptions

 整合協同法 (Synthesizing Method)

 Place contradicted perspectives into a larger, higher level of
viewpoint
 Conclusion of the Review
 Discuss
 what have the reviewed articles answered regarding
your research question?
 what else have yet been resolved by the review?
 pinpoint the research gap and then derive your
research question.
Some Hints About Writing Reports