Undertaking a literature review in marketing

Writing a literature review is often considered to be one of the most difficult tasks a student will undertake and is often the most significant part of the academic contribution of essays and theses. Academia is a broad and inclusive community and all research takes place within the context of others work. It is therefore imperative that we review current knowledge before we can advance. This article provides guidelines for the construction of a literature review in marketing and focuses upon three key tasks. The first is the identification and sourcing of literature. The second is the interpretation and critical understanding of what has been collected and the third is the preparation and writing of the final document. Within these three tasks a number of suggestions and examples are given to aid anyone starting to prepare a marketing literature review.