In this editorial, the co-editors-in-chief undertake a number of tasks related to International Journal of Management Reviews (IJMR). They begin by reviewing the objectives set out by Macpherson and Jones in their 2010 editorial (IJMR, 12, pp. 107–113). The benefits of publishing in IJMR for scholars at various stages of their careers are then discussed. The section outlining the progress of IJMR over the last four years sets out the main reasons why so many papers are desk rejected by the co-editors. The main criteria for writing an analytical literature review of the type that the editors aspire to publish in the Journal are then discussed. The objectives are not simply to reduce the number of desk rejects, but also to encourage authors to be more ambitious and innovative in their approaches to reviews of the literature.