Natural language processing (NLP) in management research: A literature review

Abstract

Natural language processing (NLP) is gaining momentum in management research for its ability to automatically analyze and comprehend human language. Yet, despite its extensive application in management research, there is neither a comprehensive review of extant literature on such applications, nor is there a detailed walkthrough on how it can be employed as an analytical technique. To this end, we review articles in the UT Dallas List of 24 Leading Business Journals that employ NLP as their focal analytical technique to elucidate how textual data can be harnessed for advancing management theories across multiple disciplines. We describe the available toolkits and procedural steps for employing NLP as an analytical technique as well as its advantages and disadvantages. In so doing, we highlight the managerial and technological challenges associated with the application of NLP in management research in order to guide future inquires.

Keywords:

• natural language processing
• literature review
• sentiment analysis
• machine learning

ORCID

Zhao Cai http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8705-4164

Chee-Wee Tan http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4245-541X

Hefu Liu http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3854-7821

Notes

1 https://sg.news.yahoo.com/robo-journalism-gains-traction-shifting-media-landscape-014451181.html

2 https://www.aclweb.org/anthology/P19-1289

3 https://www.iflyrec.com/

4 https://patents.google.com/patent/US8285619B2/en

5 https://damo.alibaba.com/air/1235

6 Helpfulness star scientists benefit others through influencing the formation and quality of new ideas by discussion, feedback, encouragement, and criticism with peers.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China: [Grant Number 71571177,71622009,71801204,71921001,71971202].