Theorizing Through Literature Reviews: The Miner-Prospector Continuum

Research DesignIdentifying & Planning Research

Mar 22

by Janet Salmons, Ph.D., Research Community Manager for SAGE Methodspace

A feature topic in the Organizational Research Methods journal, Rigorous and Impactful Literature Reviews, explores methodologies for conducting review research. Some of the articles are open access, the others are available until April 12, 2023. Methodspace is highlighting this useful collection with a series of interviews and related resources.

Are you a miner or a prospector?

In the article “Theorizing Through Literature Reviews: The Miner-Prospector Continuum” Dermot Breslin and Caroline Gatrell pose an intriguing question: do you approach the literature review as a miner or as a prospector? Or is your position as a review researcher somewhere in between?

Watch this interview for their further explanation of these roles and the implications for your study and its contribution.

Want to learn more and see examples? Read these articles by Dermot and Caroline:

Breslin, D., Gatrell, C., & Bailey, K. (2020). Developing insights through reviews: reflecting on the 20th anniversary of the international journal of management reviews. International Journal of Management Reviews, 22(1), 3-9.

Breslin, D., Callahan, J., & Iszatt‐White, M. (2021). Future‐proofing IJMR as a leading management journal: Reach, relevance and reputation. International Journal of Management Reviews, 23(4), 431-442.

Fan, D., Breslin, D., Callahan, J. L., & Iszatt‐White, M. (2022). Advancing literature review methodology through rigour, generativity, scope and transparency. International Journal of Management Reviews, 24(2), 171-180.

Post, C., Sarala, R., Gatrell, C., & Prescott, J. E. (2020). Advancing theory with review articles. Journal of Management Studies, 57(2), 351-376.

Gatrell, C., Ladge, J. J., & Powell, G. N. (2022). A review of fatherhood and employment: Introducing new perspectives for management research. Journal of Management Studies, 59(5), 1198-1226.

Bios

Caroline Gatrell is Professor of Organization Studies, University of Liverpool Management School, where she is Associate Dean, Research.

She offers a distinguished research record and was awarded the British Academy of Management Research Medal in 2020. Her research critically analyses, from a socio-cultural perspective, how professional workers (often parents) balance paid work and family lives. Current research projects include a focus on fathers and employment; studies on the ‘maternal body’ within organizational settings and research on how senior women clergy experience careers, work and family

Caroline is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and a Fellow of the British Academy of Management. Caroline is presently Chair of the Research Committee, Chartered Association of Business Schools and is a General Editor, Journal of Management Studies

Dermot Breslin is a full professor of Organisational Behaviour at Rennes School of Business, France, director of the research centre, Rethinking Tomorrow's Organization, and fellow of the British Academy of Management. His research focuses on evolutionary approaches in organization studies, organizational learning and change, and has been published in leading journals including the Organization Studies, International Journal of Management Reviews, Organizational Research Methods, and Work Employment and Society. Dermot sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Management Studies, International Small Business Journal and the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, and previously served as Co Editor-in-Chief for the International Journal of Management Reviews between 2017-2022. Before entering academia he worked as a chartered engineer in the steel, aluminium and paper industries

Methodspace posts about Literature Reviews and Review Research

Blog

Ethics, AI

Research integrity in an age of AI: Thought leadership webinar

Ethics, AI

Gen AI is becoming an integral part of research, raising concerns about research integrity, transparency, and trust. Explore the key takeaways in our most recent webinar in partnership with the European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities and leading experts in the field.

Ethics, AI

Research Design

In Conversation with Peter J. Adams

Research Design

Many researchers see theory and philosophy as abstract and intimidating. In this interview, Peter Adams explains why they are essential to strong research, how they shape better questions and methods, and why their importance is growing in the age of AI.

Research Design

Qualitative Data Analysis, NVivo

Qualitative Data Analysis with NVivo: Learn about the definitive resource

Qualitative Data Analysis, NVivo

If you’ve spent any time in the world of qualitative research, you know it is gloriously, wonderfully messy. You’re usually swimming in a sea of interview transcripts, half-annotated PDFs, and those "aha!" moments scribbled on sticky notes that inevitably fall behind your desk. For a long time, it felt like our quantitative colleagues had all the flashy tools while we were left with highlighters and hope. That’s exactly why I’m so excited about the 4th edition of Qualitative Data Analysis with NVivo.

Qualitative Data Analysis, NVivo

Research Skills

Building research skills with Sage Campus

Research Skills

Research methods and skills can make all the difference to student success, yet they are not always taught explicitly in the classroom. Sage Campus helps close that gap with scaffolded learning that builds confidence step by step, equipping learners with the practical skills they need to thrive in their studies and beyond.

Research Skills

Dissertation

Are you actually ready to start your research project?

Dissertation

In this engaging guest post, Gary Thomas, author of the How to do Your Research Project (5th edition) provides students with accessible guidance on key points to consider when starting a dissertation.

Dissertation

Survey Research, Online Surveys, Survey

New on Sage Research Methods: Doing survey research

Survey Research, Online Surveys, Survey

Following up from the launch of Inclusive Research Methodologies, this week Sage Research Methods expands its resources with another timely launch - Sage Research Methods Video: Doing Survey Research, a new video collection supporting learners through every stage of one of the most widely used research methods.

Survey Research, Online Surveys, Survey

inclusion, diversity

New on Sage Research Methods: Supporting more inclusive research practice

inclusion, diversity

As research methods continue to evolve, one thing is clear: researchers and students need practical support they can trust to conduct research responsibly. This month, Sage Research Methods expands its collection with two closely timed launches, each addressing a different but equally important aspect of the research process

inclusion, diversity

ethics, academic publishing, Journals

Quality assessment: a brief guide to identifying reputable journals

ethics, academic publishing, Journals

As the world of academic publishing continues to expand, authors must be savvy about where they submit their work. With bad actors attempting to leverage systemic vulnerabilities, special care must be taken to identify high-quality publishing outlets.

ethics, academic publishing, Journals

ethics, Plagiarism

Avoiding plagiarism today: Voice, attribution, and trust

ethics, Plagiarism

Beatriz Figueroa, author of Avoiding Plagiarism, explores how plagiarism has evolved - from copy-and-paste to misrepresentation across text and GenAI. The new edition reflects this shift, with a modern rethink focused on ownership, attribution and trust.

ethics, Plagiarism

causal models, Mapping

What causes what? Using causal mapping to analyse qualitative data at scale

causal models, Mapping

A persistent challenge in qualitative research is synthesis. When you are working with large volumes of text (interviews, field reports, narrative accounts) across multiple countries and time periods, how do you move systematically from individual accounts to broader patterns? And how do you do so without flattening the complexity that makes qualitative data valuable in the first place?

This piece describes how causal mapping, combined with an AI-assisted coding workflow, helped address that challenge in a large, multi-country research and evaluation project and what researchers working with similarly complex qualitative datasets might take from the experience.

causal models, Mapping

Digital Data, Inclusion, Innovation

Emerging trends in research methods: Digital, inclusive, and innovative approaches

Digital Data, Inclusion, Innovation

Two defining directions shaping emerging trends in research methods are the rapid incorporation of digital research methods and the growing emphasis on inclusive research methodologies. The first accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the second reflects a longstanding effort to diversify perspectives, challenge dominant paradigms, and enable participation from marginalised communities.

Digital Data, Inclusion, Innovation

AI, SAGE Research Methods

Call for submissions: Using AI for Research

AI, SAGE Research Methods

The Sage Research Methods editorial team is pleased to announce that we are now accepting proposals for our next collection, Using AI for Research.

This collection will provide social and behavioural science researchers and students with urgently needed clear, critical, practical guidance for using AI across the research lifecycle.

AI, SAGE Research Methods

Dissertation

The last hurdle: Helping your psychology students reach the finish line with their research project

Dissertation

In the next few weeks and months, students will be completing final year research projects as part of their degree programme. For many, this is a highly weighted assessment and the longest piece of academic writing they have undertaken to date. These projects are not only substantial in length; they are also deeply personal. As a result, the final stages of the research process are often accompanied by a mix of anticipation, relief and anxiety about “letting go” of something they have worked on for so long. What does this mean for supervisors, and how can you best support students in overcoming this final hurdle?

Dissertation

Research integrity, Ethics

Celebrating Research Integrity collection launch

Research integrity, Ethics

We are proud to announce that the Research Integrity Collection is now complete! In our recent webinar, we explored the value, purpose practical implementation of the collection to serve your entire research community.

Research integrity, Ethics

Sage Research Methods: New content now live

Sage Research Methods continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of researchers, educators, and students worldwide. We’re pleased to share that our latest updates are now live, bringing fresh resources, new perspectives, and expanded methodological coverage across the resource. These updates are designed to help users stay current, work more inclusively and ethically, and confidently navigate research at every stage — from foundational learning to advanced, real‑world application.

Teaching Methods

Teaching research methods in Politics & IR: Five key challenges for educators, and how to overcome them

Teaching Methods

You are teaching a methods course in Politics and International Relations. Perhaps it is a course that has ‘research methods’ in the title. Perhaps the final assignment for your course is a research project. Perhaps you are convening a dissertation module. What challenges do you expect?

Teaching Methods

Elevate your teaching with the new Sage Research Methods Resources Hub

Teaching Methods

Looking for fresh ways to enrich your methods curriculum? Dive into Sage’s new Research Methods Resources Hub for free resources that harness insights from our leading authors, and introduce strategies to improve research teaching, learning and practice.

Teaching Methods

Research integrity

Leadership as the cornerstone of Research Integrity

Research integrity

Professor Matthew Campbell explores how research integrity is shaped through everyday leadership decisions and highlights three key leadership levers that strengthen and influence research culture.

Research integrity

Research Impact

Why mentoring matters for career development and research impact

Research Impact

To mark International Mentorship Month, Audrey J. Murrell, Ph.D. — lead advisor of the Epigeum’s upcoming ‘Mastering Mentoring’ program — explores the impact of mentoring and how intentional, well‑supported approaches can be beneficial for learning.

Research Impact

SAGE Research Methods Cases

SRM Case Studies – How ‘real-life lessons from the field’ inspire one of our core learning resources

SAGE Research Methods Cases

In this guest post, Kyra van Weenen, Commissioning Editor for Sage Research Methods explores the unique concept behind Sage’s flagship Research Methods Case Studies, and how they support researchers and students in conducting their own research.

SAGE Research Methods Cases

Citations, Publication Strategy, academic publishing

How a Wikipedia citation can benefit your research (yes, really)

Citations, Publication Strategy, academic publishing

You’ve probably heard it before: “Never cite Wikipedia in your research paper.” And it’s good advice. But maybe you haven’t heard about how using Wikipedia (especially its citations) actually strengthens your work and even helps others discover it later. And this post is all about that!

Citations, Publication Strategy, academic publishing

Author resolutions: Setting yourself up for success in 2026

With 2025 ending, you may be thinking about reviewing your research progress and preparing for the upcoming year. If you don’t know where to start, here are some suggestions on organizing your work and planning for 2026.

Research Design

Webinar recap: How to do a systematic review

Research Design

Whether you’re tackling a systematic review for your own research project, or supporting students, this recent Sage Campus webinar is an essential watch.

Dr Gemma Cherry and Dr Michelle Maden, co-authors of Doing a Systematic Review: A Student’s Guide, break down the rigorous process into 10 clear, manageable steps. You’ll learn the difference between systematic and scoping reviews, the critical need for a registered protocol, and how to craft a focused question using frameworks like PICO.

Research Design

Data Visualization, Artificial Intelligence

Embracing AI as a collaborator in data visualisation design

Data Visualization, Artificial Intelligence

Rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence have instigated introspection across the data visualisation field. Though swathes of AI discourse are characterised by hype and gimmickry, if you cut through the noise, it’s clear we are facing a significant new era of technological progress. It’s time to evolve, or die, as the saying goes. But what should our relationship with AI be, particularly with generative AI? To what extent could our authentic craft be usefully augmented by an artificial one?

Data Visualization, Artificial Intelligence

Getting Published, Open Access

Why publish open access: A researcher’s guide

Getting Published, Open Access

Publishing your research Open Access (OA) ensures that it reaches the widest possible audience — freely and immediately. This guide walks you through what OA means, its key benefits, and how Sage’s flexible publishing options help researchers share their work responsibly, increase visibility, and meet funder or institutional requirements.

Getting Published, Open Access

Research Skills

Explore what’s new in Epigeum’s Research Skills Toolkit

Research Skills

We’re excited to share that Research Methods - part of the 'Research Skills Toolkit' - has been updated to reflect today’s research landscape. Discover brand new content on Gen AI, Data Literacy and more – designed to support researchers with the skills they need in their careers.

Research Skills

Data Analysis, Data Collection, AI, Ethics, Big Data

Researching society and culture with generative AI

Data Analysis, Data Collection, AI, Ethics, Big Data

In this guest post, Sage author Carol Rivas explores the current AI capabilities for researching society and culture.

Data Analysis, Data Collection, AI, Ethics, Big Data

Dissertation, Research Design, Data Analysis

Helping students critically engage with research

Dissertation, Research Design, Data Analysis

There are some perennial challenges to doing a research project that all of us have faced: formulating a research question, wrestling with paradigmatic assumptions, keeping on track of a multi-year project. The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project has been helping students (and supervisors) for more than 20 years. But in a post-pandemic world with the transformations being wrought by artificial intelligence, datafication, and the rise and fall of social media platforms, there are new challenges facing researchers.

Dissertation, Research Design, Data Analysis

Journals, Getting Published

Why you should promote your article the year it's published

Journals, Getting Published

Publishing is just the start. Promote your article the year it’s released to boost visibility, citations, media coverage, and career impact. From CV updates to conference invites, early promotion ensures your work stays relevant and reaches the right audience.

Journals, Getting Published

Q1Review ResearchLiterature ReviewMarch 2023ORM

Janet Salmons

Theorizing Through Literature Reviews: The Miner-Prospector Continuum

Are you a miner or a prospector?

Want to learn more and see examples? Read these articles by Dermot and Caroline:

Bios

Methodspace posts about Literature Reviews and Review Research

Systematicity in Literature Reviews

Designing Narrative Research

Subscribe to our methods mailing list

Sage Research Methods Community