The Art of Writing a Review Article

Abstract

I was honored to be asked by Talya Bauer to write this article to highlight insights into the nature of contributions suitable for the Review Issue of the Journal of Management (JOM). Having worked as an author on previous reviews and with the new editorial board on our first Review Issue, I hope to provide insights for future contributors. The review article in JOM is unique in management scholarship, borrowed from long-standing traditions in other fields such as economics, psychology, and sociology. As such, review articles offer perspectives to the management field not commonly presented in other outlets. Consequently, review articles have the potential to provide contributions akin to valuable works of art. Although there is no formula for great art, there are charac-teristics of quality work that transcend styles, mediums, and time periods. In a similar vein, creating excellent review articles requires careful choices coupled with special care and treatment in their preparation to maximize their impact to the greater management field. Below, I outline a few recommendations for potential authors of such works. I begin by examining the basic creative ingredients necessary for a Review Issue piece and then provide some thoughts on how to maximize the general impact, interest level, and lasting