This article proposes a three-stage method, with the use of multiple rankings as a starting point in the first stage to help carry out bibliographical research in a more effective and systematic fashion. The relevance of this method is made evident by way of a pioneer empirical investigation on the use and importance of scientific journal rankings as perceived by Brazilian professors in the practice of bibliographical research in the field of Business Administration. The results suggest that, although there is an awareness of the importance of ranking as a criterion for bibliographical research, with a view to identifying the state of the art and relevant research gaps, ranking is in fact hardly used on a regular basis. It is believed that the proposed method can help overcome this problem and contribute to more effective literature reviews and research.
research methodology; business administration research; bibliographical research; ranking; impact factor
