From judgement to development: rethinking the review of qualitative research

Qualitative research is often disadvantaged in the review process due to persistent concerns about generalisability. Yet, qualitative inquiry is indispensable for capturing complexity, context, and lived experience, thereby enabling theory development and refinement. In this Insights article, we aim both to highlight the distinctive value of qualitative research and to support reviewers, editors, peer reviewers, and internal co-authors in developing and evaluating qualitative manuscripts more effectively. We introduce a Qualitative Review Value Proposition Canvas designed to guide developmental, coherence-oriented reviewing rather than checklist-based evaluation. We also consider qualitative research within bi-method and triangulated designs and reflect on how emerging tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), may reshape both qualitative inquiry and its evaluation. Our goal is to support high-quality reviews and to provide journals such as Human Resource Development International with a structured yet flexible approach to reviewing qualitative work.