Bad and good practices on Literature Review

There are different practices on Literature Review (LR), some bad and some good. I list them below from bad to good:

1. As a list of readings with brief descriptions; that is, a kind of annotated bibliography
2. An explanation of the search process of finding relevant literature
3. A survey on relevant writing and research works on the topic under investigation
4. As a vehicle of learning the relevant concepts and viewpoints on the topic under investigation
5. As a facilitation to investigate the topic, clarifying the context and supporting the methodology to be employed in the investigation by the student.
6. To discuss the literature as a major part of your research report; this is considered as the highest level of conceptions in the investigation by the student

Note:

• Literature sources: textbooks, academic articles, dissertation reports
• Review efforts: describe, explain, compare and contrast, evaluate and select, synthesize
• Literature elements: concepts (and their definitions), viewpoints, findings, methodologies used, experience gained, information gaps, major intellectual curiosity/ queries, points of debates
• Literature review outcomes: inform research design, research objectives and questions, analysis & evaluation efforts.

Reference
Bryman, A.and Bell, E. (2007) "Chapter 4: Getting Started: reviewing the literature",  Business Research Methods, Oxford University Press

Also see my article on literature review

On minimum wage - some resources

Some of my Independent study students choose the topic of minimum wage as their topic areas. Below are some online resources:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage_in_Hong_Kong
2. http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/mwo.htm
3. Effect of minimum wages on employment (pdf): http://www.nber.org/papers/w4742.pdf?new_window=1
4. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/economic-theory-minimum-wage-3888.html
5. Institutional Economics and minimum wages (pdf): http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1458&context=ilrreview

A Contingency Theory for Business Performance Measurement

The following discussion agenda is on A Contingency Theory for Measurement in the study of Business Performance Measurement:

1. An outline of a contingency theory
2. Technology
3. Organizational Structure
4. The environment

ReferenceBroadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 8: A Contingency Theory for Measurement" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Relating Performance Measurement and Strategy

The following discussion agenda is on Relating Performance Measurement and Strategy in the study of Business Performance Measurement:

1. 4 stages of organizational development
2. Multidivisional organisations
• Traditional accounting methods of divisional performance
• Product portfolio matrix
3. Product life cycle
4. Strategy and performance measures
5. Value Chain and sources of differentiation

Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 7: Relating Performance Measurement and Strategy" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Integrated Performance Measurement Tools

The following discussion agenda is on Integrated Performance Measurement Tools in the subject of Business Performance Measurement:

1. Performance measurement systems and focus of control
2. A balanced view of organizational performance
• The balanced scorecard
• Designing balanced scorecard measures
• Advantages and problems with the balanced scorecard approach

Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 6: Integrated Performance Measurement Tools: A Balanced Approach" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

A Critical Resource Perspective of Business Performance Measurement

The following discussion agenda is on A Critical Resource Perspective of Business Performance Measurement:

1. A reflection on Economic Value Added and similar techniques
2. Intangible resources
• A template for Intellectual Capital measurements
3. Efficiency and effectiveness techniques
• Benchmarking
• Just-in-time
• Total Quality Management and Business Process Re-engineering
• Activity-based approaches to costing and management

Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 5: A Critical Resource Perspective of Performance Measurement" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Stakeholder perspectives in Business Performance Measurement study

The following discussion agenda is on Stakeholder Perspectives in the study of Business Performance Measurement:

1. Mission Statements and Stakeholder Analysis
2. The Corporate Report
• User groups with areas of interest
3. Stakeholder Power
4. Economic value added
• Traditional vs Value-based Income Statement
5. Cash-flow return on investment
6. Determinants of shareholder value creation and shareholder value creation strategies
7. Performance measures for marketing
• The value system
8. Environmental-related performance measurement
• The environmental performance diamond

Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 4: Stakeholder Perspectives of Performance Measurement" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.