How and where to review the literature

Before starting the literature search you should undertake further planning by:

Ø Defining parameters of your search (language, subject area; business sector; geographical area; publication period; literature type)

Ø Generating keywords and search terms

Ø Discussing your ideas as widely as possible

There are different sources where you can obtain the information:

Ø Books: there you can find basic theories on your dissertation topic

Ø Academic Journals: the most important resource (Remember that you should cover on your dissertation not just basic theories, but also the most recent and advanced research). There are different databases of academic journals such as ScienceDirect, Emerald, Infotrac, and etc (Databases of Academic Journals and Publications; Market Data). Go to the library or your lectures and ask for the login and password to access these databases: your university has to have such access!!!

Ø Publications: for example, publications of the organisation that you are researching (i.e. NHS, banks, government bodies, IMF, World Bank, etc)

Ø Reports: there are different reports in different areas, for example, report on UK airline industry or on UK public services, etc. You can get such reports via Internet, via contacting the organisation that is publisher, or you can search Mintel. Moreover, the financial reports of different organisations and companies are always publicly available on their web sites

Ø Search engines: such as Google, Yahoo, Lycos, MSN, etc for the most recent information and news

Collect as many as possible articles and publications related to your subject, read through all of them (at least abstracts or executive summaries) and make notes as a plan of your future literature review section.