U of I study examines need for better business connections to academic research
BUSINESS RECORD STAFF Sep 8, 2016 | 4:07 pm
1 min read time
292 wordsAll Latest News, Education, Retail and BusinessAcademic researchers and business managers have more common interests and challenges than they might imagine, and better connections to that research could help drive better business decisions, according to a recent study by the University of Iowa and three other universities.
However, the study also found that despite this overlap, managers still see a gap between scholarly work and the way they do their day-to-day jobs, a perception that has persisted for decades.
In the study, researchers at the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business and three other universities interviewed and surveyed 828 academics about the topics they are most interested in researching, along with nearly 1,000 business and organizational managers about their biggest operational challenges. Among their areas of common interest:
- Reducing or eliminating pay inequality.
- Reducing or eliminating workplace discrimination.
- Reducing or eliminating unethical business practices.
- Expanding opportunities for continuing education.
- Leveraging technological innovation to improve job availability and quality.
Ernest O’Boyle, associate professor of management and organizations at Tippie, said he and the rest of the research team hopes this common ground can help bridge the perceived gap between researchers and managers.
The researchers suggest that universities consider reaching out with an online publication and social media aimed specifically at professionals with practical management advice in short, plain-language articles. They also recommend that faculty members’ evaluations include a review of their practical impact on business and society.
The paper, “Management’s Science-Practice Gap: A Grand Challenge for All Stakeholders,” was published online in the Academy of Management Journal. Co-authors include George Banks and Jaime Bochantin of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Christopher Whelpley of Virginia Commonwealth University, and Jeffrey Pollock and Bradley Kirkman of North Carolina State University.
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