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(Editorial) Wang (2019) Enhancing Research Significance by Addressing Why PDF
(Editorial) Wang (2019) Enhancing Research Significance by Addressing Why PDF
editorial2019
HRDXXX10.1177/1534484319867803Human Resource Development ReviewEditorial
Editorial
Human Resource Development Review
2019, Vol. 18(3) 291–293
Enhancing Research © The Author(s) 2019
Article reuse guidelines:
Significance by Addressing sagepub.com/journals-permissions
DOI: 10.1177/1534484319867803
https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484319867803
“Why” journals.sagepub.com/home/hrd
As the editor of Human Resource Development Review (HRDR), I have the privilege
to read a large number of manuscripts. In the process of reviewing these potential
publications, I have found myself constantly asking why some research projects were
conducted in the first place. My question was prompted by two issues I noticed: (a) the
authors did not provide adequate justification for the need for their research and (b) the
justification provided by many authors is not compelling. These are among the top
reasons that cause a manuscript to be rejected. In fact, based on my experience as a
journal editor, manuscript reviewer, and research professor, I find it a common strug-
gle among many scholars, particularly novice researchers and graduate students, to
address the “why” aspect of research. Even when they understand conceptually the
importance of their research, the authors may still fail to make a convincing justifica-
tion in writing. Therefore, in this editorial, I share an approach I have personally used,
which has enabled me to identify research gaps and make a stronger case for my
research. This approach involves asking five questions, which I will elaborate on, one
by one.
trends represent concerns that matter most to businesses and industries and shed
light on critical issues for future research.
sample population, you may find most of the studies on your topic focus on business
professionals in the U.S. corporations, or male professionals, with little attention to
professionals in other occupations or countries, or career women. Identifying the pat-
tern in research methodologies and methods will help you determine what unique
approaches you can adopt to generate different or additional data.
The five questions above are not all inclusive; I am sure that there are other ques-
tions you can ask to help you justify the significance of your research. What I have
shared in this editorial is one method I have used to help me determine if a new
research project is worth pursuing. These five questions have helped me think in
advance about the potential contribution of my work in terms of theory, research, and
practice—both the “why” and “so what” questions. By answering these questions, I
am better prepared to deal with the challenges raised later on by readers of my research
work. To make your research product publishable, I invite you to take time to do the
homework upfront by asking yourself critical questions like the ones I proposed above.
The more you know how to answer these questions, the better you will be able to
articulate the significance of your research, and the more likely your work will be
considered for publication.
Jia Wang
Editor-in-Chief, Human Resource Development Review
Texas A&M University, College Station, USA