Literature Review according to vom Brocke et al

Process description

The literature review process is essential in any kind of research and its importance has never been in doubt. A literature review seeks to uncover the sources relevant to a topic under study and, thus, makes a vital contribution to the relevance and rigor of research. With the rapidly increasing number of potentially relevant publications, its difficulty is increasing as well. The following process proposed by vom Brocke et al.

supports researchers in crafting an effective literature review and guidance on how to deal with the increasingly dynamic context of information systems (IS) research.

Definition of Review Scope

Description

In order to clearly define the scope of a review, the established taxonomy for literature reviews presented by Cooper is used. Cooper’s taxonomy is comprised of six constituent characteristics:

1. Focus: Most literature reviews focus on research outcomes, research methods, theories, and/or applications.
2. Goal: Common goals of literature reviews include summarising, criticizing, and/or integrating findings.
3. Organization: For organizing a literature review, Cooper suggests a historical, conceptual, or methodological structure.
4. Perspective: Reflects whether a certain position is espoused or not.
5. Audience: Particularly determines the writing style of the author(s).
6. Coverage: Four levels of coverage can be distinguished
   • Exhaustive: including the entirety of literature on a topic or at least most of it.
   • Exhaustive with selective citation: Considering all the relevant sources, but describing only a sample.
   • Representative: Including only a sample that typifies larger groups of articles.
   • Central: Reviewing the literature pivotal to a topic.

Further Readings

Brocke, Jan vom; Simons, Alexander; Niehaves, Bjoern; Niehaves, Bjorn; Reimer, Kai; Plattfaut, Ralf; and Cleven, Anne, "RECONSTRUCTING THE GIANT: ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RIGOUR IN DOCUMENTING THE LITERATURE SEARCH PROCESS" (2009). ECIS 2009 Proceedings. 161. http://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2009/161

Cooper, H.M. (1988). Organizing knowledge syntheses: A taxonomy of literature reviews. Knowledge in Society, 1, 104-126.

Conceptionalisation of Topic

Description

Describe Activity 2.

Further Readings

Brocke, Jan vom; Simons, Alexander; Niehaves, Bjoern; Niehaves, Bjorn; Reimer, Kai; Plattfaut, Ralf; and Cleven, Anne, "RECONSTRUCTING THE GIANT: ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RIGOUR IN DOCUMENTING THE LITERATURE SEARCH PROCESS" (2009). ECIS 2009 Proceedings. 161. http://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2009/161

Literature Search

Description

Describe the Activity X.

Further Readings

Brocke, Jan vom; Simons, Alexander; Niehaves, Bjoern; Niehaves, Bjorn; Reimer, Kai; Plattfaut, Ralf; and Cleven, Anne, "RECONSTRUCTING THE GIANT: ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RIGOUR IN DOCUMENTING THE LITERATURE SEARCH PROCESS" (2009). ECIS 2009 Proceedings. 161. http://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2009/161

Literature Analysis and Synthesis

Description

Describe the Activity X.

Further Readings

Brocke, Jan vom; Simons, Alexander; Niehaves, Bjoern; Niehaves, Bjorn; Reimer, Kai; Plattfaut, Ralf; and Cleven, Anne, "RECONSTRUCTING THE GIANT: ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RIGOUR IN DOCUMENTING THE LITERATURE SEARCH PROCESS" (2009). ECIS 2009 Proceedings. 161. http://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2009/161

Research Agenda

Description

Describe the Activity X.

Further Readings

<meta charset="utf-8">Brocke, Jan vom; Simons, Alexander; Niehaves, Bjoern; Niehaves, Bjorn; Reimer, Kai; Plattfaut, Ralf; and Cleven, Anne, "RECONSTRUCTING THE GIANT: ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RIGOUR IN DOCUMENTING THE LITERATURE SEARCH PROCESS" (2009). ECIS 2009 Proceedings. 161. http://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2009/161