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The value of a literature review
A literature review is a central tool for the dissemination of knowledge for both research and practice. A carefully conducted, rigorous, and thoughtful synthesis of the literature on the problem at hand is an essential starting point for all academic voyages of discovery. Immersion in the literature can be a stimulating experience for the writer. Scholars and practitioners new to an area rely on literature reviews to jump-start their learning. Given the importance of a literature review, it is important that the process is efficient and effective. Because a literature review tends to be more time consuming and longer than a traditional paper, authors need guidance on efficiency. More importantly, a literature review needs to be effective by synthesizing the literature and revealing the depth of knowledge on an area's critical key concepts and the relationships between these concepts.
This paper begins with a discussion of the genesis of my interest in the literature review process. It initially focuses on effectiveness and the synthesis goal, then considers the commentary on the systematic literature review (SLR) process by Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic (forthcoming) in this issue. After arguing that SLR is on the efficiency side of the ledger, the efficiency goal is explored in further depth. A case is made for redesigning the journal publication system to take advantage of the capability of information systems to enhance productivity. Ideally, such case that should not need to be made in the Journal of Information Technology , but it is required because academic publishing has failed to incorporate even the most rudimentary knowledge management tools of this century.
Beginnings
I became interested in improving the quality of literature reviews as a result of my appointment in 1998 as a senior editor of MIS Quarterly, with the responsibility for initiating MISQ Review, a new section of the journal. I had earlier proposed establishing this section arguing that the IS community needed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its knowledge sharing. The section's mission was to advance the state of IS research by synthesizing the literature, conceptualizing the current knowledge, and identifying directions for research in an IS domain (Watson, 2001). Many of the initial submissions did not meet the standards, and the...