Running head: RESEARCH-PRACTICE GAP IN APPLIED FIELDS
Bridging the Research-Practice Gap in Applied Fields:
A Systematic Review and Implications for HRD
Oleksandr Tkachenko*
PhD Student/University of Minnesota
Huh Jung Hahn
PhD Student/University of Minnesota
Shari Peterson
Associate Professor/University of Minnesota
*Email address: tkac022@umn.edu
Stream 8: Scholarly Practitioner Research / Learning and Teaching
Submission type: Refereed paper
Submitted for the UFHRD 2015 Conference
Copyright © Oleksandr Tkachenko, Huh Jung Hahn, & Shari Peterson
RESEARCH-PRACTICE GAP IN APPLIED FIELDS
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this inquiry was to identify relevant themes, frameworks, practices, and insights
that could enhance HRD scholarship in bridging the research-practice gap by drawing lessons
from other applied fields.
Design/methodology/approach
This inquiry employed a systematic literature review process to determine the current state of
scholarly literature on the research-practice gap in three applied fields: Management, Applied
Psychology, and HRD for the period of 2000-2014.
Findings
The topic of research-practice gap received significant recognition across all three fields. In the
management literature, more attention has been given to conceiving the nature of the gap and
“spotting” the gap. In contrast, the literature in applied psychology and HRD focused more on
investigating the scholar-practitioner phenomenon. Across all fields, scholars emphasized the
importance of collaboration and offered recommendations on how to create linkages between
academic research and industry practice.
Research limitations/implications
Based on the review, the study proposes a preliminary framework of the key components of
HRD theory building activity that are central to tackling the divide between academic research
and industry practice.
Originality/value
The paper identifies lessons for HRD scholars from three applied fields and provides useful
lenses through which to establish new linkages between research and practice.
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RESEARCH-PRACTICE GAP IN APPLIED FIELDS
Keywords: research-practice gap, scholar-practitioner, engaged scholarship, Mode 2 research
3
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Bridging the Research-Practice Gap in Applied Fields:
A Systematic Review and Implications for HRD
The research-practice gap has been a topic of interest across multiple fields for a
considerable amount of time (e.g., Ruona & Gilley, 2009), and, according to Bartunek (2014)
and Scully-Russ, Lehner, and Shuck (2013), it continues to be so. Therefore, this study examined
the literature on the topic across three distinct, yet intersecting fields: those of Management,
Applied Psychology—including Industrial, Work, and Organizational Psychology, and Human
Resource Development (HRD). In acknowledgment that relevant publications regarding the
theory-practice gap are present in other applied fields (Short, Keefer, & Stone, 2009), we limited
the scope of investigation to these three selected fields based on our perceptions of their close
association with one another, as well as the length limitations of this manuscript. In addition, it is
important to note that this investigation was limited to the more current state of scholarly
literature regarding the research-practice gap. Thus, the focus of this paper includes scholarly
literature published between 2000-2014.
The general purpose of this inquiry was to gain a more holistic view of the phenomenon:
Bridging the Research-Practice Gap, by a systemic investigation of the literature in the three
applied fields. More specifically, the purpose of this paper was to identify relevant themes,
frameworks, practices, and insights that could enhance HRD scholarship in bridging the
research-practice gap. Thus, the research questions guiding this inquiry were as follows:
1. What scholarly articles on research-practice gap were published in the fields of
Management, Applied Psychology, and HRD from 2000 to 2014?
2. What are the key streams of research in the extant research-practice gap literature?
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3. Given the review of literature, what are the relevant themes, frameworks, practices,
and insights that could advance HRD scholarship in bridging the gap?
The paper is structured as follows. First, we discuss the method that we undertook to
investigate the targeted literature. Then, we review the key streams of scholarship on the
research-practice gap as identified in scholarly publications from the three fields. In the
following section, we synthesize the literature and suggest a preliminary framework of the key
components of HRD theory building activity pivotal to tackling the divide between academic
research and industry practice in HRD. Finally, we conclude with some recommendations
pertinent to this line of inquiry.
Method
To answer our research questions, we carried out the systematic literature review. The
systematic literature review is increasingly recognized for its methodological rigor (Tranfield,
Denyer, & Smart, 2003) and has been employed in the field of HRD (e.g., Cho & Egan, 2009).
What follows is a brief discussion of the steps that we undertook while conducting the review.
Planning the review
At the planning stage, the review panel, comprised of the authors of the paper, met
several times to define and clarify the problem statement of the inquiry, the scope of the study as
well as the inclusion and exclusion of sources for the review. In particular, during this stage,
separate scoping studies were conducted to assess the relevance and size of the literature in each
of the selected fields. The panel also developed a plan for data search and synthesis as well as for
disseminating the study findings (Tranfield et al., 2003). The plan has served as a useful tool
throughout the study undertaking.
Search and selection of articles
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Our search process included three steps: (a) the review of leading academic journals in
HRD, Management, and Applied Psychology; (b) the use of the electronic databases: Google
Scholar and our University search engine; and (c) the use of so-called snowball method, in which
the references of the selected publications served as sources for new material.
Specifically, during step one, we reviewed the following academic journals:
HRD:

Advances in Developing Human Resources (ADHR)

Human Resource Development International (HRDI)

Human Resource Development Quarterly (HRDQ)

Human Resource Development Review (HRDR)
Management:

Academy of Management Journal (AMJ);

Academy of Management Review (AMR);

Academy of Management Learning & Education (AMLE)
Applied Psychology:

Journal of Applied Behavioral Science (JABS)

Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology (JOOP)

The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist (IOP)
In our review of the journals, we employed the following keywords: “theory practice,”
“research practice,” “research gap,” “researcher practitioner,” and “scholar-practitioner.” These
keywords were also utilized as part of the advanced electronic search process. While performing
steps 1-2, we selected the literature by conducting an initial review of abstracts (Torraco, 2005).
In particular, as a result of the review of journals, we identified 88 publications. Each paper was
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printed out and reviewed in-depth with regard to its relevance to the purpose of the inquiry. At
this stage, several articles were eliminated from the list. In particular, with a few exceptions, we
excluded from the list a number of case studies that were positioned by their authors as examples
of usage of theory and research to respond to real-life problems. During this stage, the authors
also paid close attention to the references of the selected publications (step three). As a result of
the selection process, we identified 105 articles. These articles present both peer-reviewed
articles as well as various editorials/opinion type articles that were included due to their
relevance.
Analysis and synthesis of data
To analyze the data, the following three steps were undertaken: (a) analysis of selected
articles in order to identify the key streams of research within and across three fields, (b) analysis
of empirical papers, and (c) identification and synthesis of significant themes, frameworks,
strategies and insights from the literature that could advance HRD scholarship in bridging the
gap.
To define the key streams of research in the selected articles, the first and second author
reviewed each paper individually. This review entailed the analysis of an abstract of each paper
and, in some instances, an in-depth review of papers. Both authors kept separate notes. After
reviewing all the data and each author’s notes, several key streams were conceived, as presented
in the following section.
In addition, all empirical articles (27) identified in the review were reviewed in depth
using the Matrix Method (Garrard, 2011). The Matrix Method provides both a process and a
structure for systematically reviewing literature (Cho & Egan, 2009). In particular, the review
matrix table was created and employed as a structured abstracting form, in which 27 empirical
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studies were evaluated in ascending chronological order. Specifically, our matrix table entailed
the following ten columns: #, lead author’s name, publication year, journal, study purpose,
conceptual framework, participants, study design, analytic methods, and study findings. The
review matrix table employed in the study can be found in Appendix 1.
Building on the analysis of the literature performed during steps one and two, as
presented above, we synthesized the literature with regard to important themes, frameworks,
strategies and insights that could further enhance HRD scholarship in bridging the gap between
academic research and industry practice.
We present the results of the literature review in the next two sections of the paper.
Literature on research-practice gap in Management, Applied Psychology, and HRD
This section discusses the key findings pertinent to the questions one and two of the
inquiry. Specifically, in this section we (a) discuss the literature identified in our review, and (b)
outline the key streams of research evident in the extant literature. The following section
discusses the key implications for the field of HRD given these findings.
Management
With regard to the field of management, we identified four special issues relevant to the
purpose of our inquiry. The first issue was published in the British Journal of Management in
2001 (Hodgkinson, 2001). The issue contained an abridged version of the Starkey and Madan
report, entitled “Bridging the relevance gap: Aligning stakeholders in the future of management
research,” with seven commentaries from distinguished scholars. Two special research forums
(SRF) in the Academy of Management Journal have been also selected as relevant to our inquiry.
The first SRF, “Across the great divide: Knowledge creation and transfer between practitioners
and academics” comprised five empirical papers on the topic (see Rynes, Bartunek, & Daft,
RESEARCH-PRACTICE GAP IN APPLIED FIELDS
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2001). The second SRF on the research-practice gap in human resource management included
the lead article by Rynes, Giluk, and Brown (2007) and seven commentaries on the keynote
article. Also, the Journal of Management Studies (JMS) published a point-counterpoint debate of
several scholars on the rigour vs relevance issue in management research (Fincham & Clark,
2009).
Overall, we identified 48 articles on the topic of bridging the research-practice gap in the
management literature. In addition to empirical papers (13) and conceptual/commentary types of
papers, the list entailed several editorials (e.g., Rynes, Bartunek, & Daft, 2001) as well as two
presidential addresses published in Academy of Management Review (i.e., Rousseau 2006;
Cummings 2007).
Applied Psychology
With regard to the literature in applied psychology, two special issues in the Journal of
Applied Behavioral Science (Coghlan & Shani, 2009; Heracleous, 2011) have been published on
the topic of our inquiry. The first special issue (Coghlan & Shani, 2009) focused on the
challenges that scholar-practitioners face. The issue was published to recognize the contribution
of Edgar H. Schien to the field. The second issue (Heracleous, 2011) further discussed the
diverse ways to address the challenges of the research-practice divide.
Overall, we identified 23 relevant articles in applied psychology, including empirical (10)
and conceptual papers. Consistent with other two fields, six case studies were excluded after the
second screening. In addition, two other studies were found to be irrelevant and were excluded.
Human Resource Development
Two issues of Advances in Developing Human Resources (Short, Kormanik, & Ruona,
2009; Scully-Russ, Lehner, & Shuck, 2013) were identified as relevant to the discussion on
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bridging the gap in the HRD field. The issue by Short et al. (2009) included articles that
discussed the nature and role of scholar-practitioners. The issue by Scully-Russ et al. (2013),
with the exception of one article (Lombardozzi, 2013), provided cases on how scholarpractitioners employed HRD theory and research.
Overall, we identified 34 publications in the field of HRD, out of which 19 were peerreviewed articles (fifteen conceptual and four empirical studies). The other 15 articles entailed
various non-refereed publications: “soap box” articles (e.g., Kuchinke, 2004), editorials (e.g.,
Gilley, 2006), forum-type articles (e.g., Short, 2006). These articles were included due to their
relevance as well as (perceived) recognition in the field (as was identified by a number of
citations). With the exception of Mavin et al. (2007) and Iles and Yolles (2002), we excluded
several cases studies that showcased the use of theory, research, and practice in HRD as they
have been discussed elsewhere (e.g., Hamlin (2007), Gray, Iles, and Watson (2011), Scully-Russ
et al. (2013)).
Key streams of research in the extant research-practice gap literature
We identified several lines of inquiry in our review of the literature. These lines relate to
scholars’ (a) conceptualization of the nature of the research-practice gap, (b) exploration of the
gap – that is, spotting the divide, (c) examination of various aspects of collaboration, (d)
investigation of the scholar-practitioner phenomenon, and (e) recommendations on tackling the
divide. This section addresses the first four streams of research (a-d). Given the focus of our
inquiry, we review scholars’ recommendations in more details in the following section.
“Why… the gap?”
The review of the publications points to several perspectives on the nature of the gap
between scholarly research and industry practice. In particular, the divide has been often
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attributed to fundamental ontological and epistemological differences that underpin the domains
of research and practice (Aram & Salipante, 2003; Gray, Iles, & Watson, 2010). The discussion
on the existence of the divide has been also framed within a larger question on the nature and
purpose of social research (Hodgkinson, Herriot, & Anderson, 2001).
In the management literature, the issue of research-practice gap has received significant
attention as illustrated by so-called rigour-relevance debate (Starkey & Madan, 2001, Anderson
et al., 2001; Fincham & Clark, 2009). The “rigour-relevance” debate relates to scholars’
argument whether it is possible to simultaneously achieve high rigour (generalizability) and high
relevance (practical solutions) in the processes of conducting research. There is vast literature
that discussed the issue of rigour and relevance and substantive argumentations on the issue have
been made from both sides (Hodgkinson & Starkey, 2011). In particular, Kieser and Leiner
(2009) recently argued that the rigour-relevance gap in management research is unbridgeable as
researchers and the researched populate separate social systems. In contrast, Hodgkinson and
Rousseau (2009) asserted that whilst there are examples in the areas where the gap is perceived
large, there are also multiple examples of fruitful collaborations that produced high quality
research and outputs. In particular, Hodgkinson and Rousseau (2009) emphasized that
“developing deep partnerships between academics and practitioners, supported by appropriate
training in theory and research methods, can yield outcomes that meet the twin imperatives of
high quality scholarship and social usefulness, to the mutual benefit of both agendas, without
compromising the needs of either party in the relationship” (p. 538).
The gap between theory and practice has also been framed as an issue of knowledge
transfer (see Rynes, Bartunek, & Daft, 2001). In particular, this relates to translating and
diffusing knowledge from research into various contexts of practice. An alternative perspective
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was formulated by Van de Ven and Johnson (2006), who asserted that the problem resides in
knowledge production, i.e. before research gets translated into publications and tools to be used
for practitioners. This perspective suggests that researchers need to engage with practice from the
stage of problem formulation and maintain a high level of engagement with practitioners (and
other stakeholders) during their inquiries. These perspectives have been recognized and have
received the attention of scholars across all three fields, albeit in the management literature in
particular (e.g., Shapiro, Kirkman, & Courtney, 2007).
Mapping the gap: how big is the divide?
Another theme in the literature on research-practice gap that we found consistent through
all three fields was an effort to examine the gap. This relates to various scholars’ attempts to
identify and measure some aspects of the research-practice divide.
Most of studies that fall into this line of research were found in the management field.
For example, Offermann and Spiros (2001) examined the link between the science and practice
of team development. Rynes, Brown, and Colbert (2002) and Rynes, Colbert, and Brown (2002)
examined HR practitioners’ knowledge and beliefs with regard to HR research findings. The
results of the three studies revealed some optimism, yet also raised several areas for concern.
More recently, Deadrick and Gibson (2007) found that there were multiple interest area gaps
between HR professionals and academics. According to the authors, the magnitude of those gaps
varied across various topic areas. Similarly, Rynes et al. (2007) reported that HR practitioner
journals provided little coverage of some of the research findings that HR researchers recognized
as most important.
In the field of HRD, we identified two empirical studies that also fall into this line of
research. In particular, Keefer and Stone (2009) interviewed thirteen practitioners regarding their
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usage of HRD-related research. The authors found some disconnect in how practitioners and
researchers understood the word “research.” As a result, Keefer and Stone (2009) called for a
more engaging form of exploration, which would entail all parties concerned. In addition,
Hughes et al. (2010) conducted a multiple case study, in which they interviewed seven scholarpractitioners and discussed their implementation concerns.
Most of the studies in applied psychology, which we found relevant to this line of
research, examined perceptions of researchers and practitioners on various aspects of the gap and
employed surveys or secondary data. These include, for example, the perception differences
regarding the theory-practice gap (Halfhill & Huff, 2003), the value differences between
researchers and practitioners (Brooks et al., 2003), and their differences in evaluating
management knowledge (Nicolai, 2011). In addition, Brice and Waung (2001) examined the
number of collaborations in publications over the past 10 years.
The role of collaboration and partnerships in bridging the gap
Another dominant theme in the literature is the importance of collaborative efforts in
bridging the gap between academic research and industry practice (e.g., Short, 2006; Rousseau,
2007). Such collaborative efforts have been recognized at various levels of analysis: ranging
from examining various individual aspects (e.g., those of researchers’ and practitioners’),
collaboration in teams/groups (Amabile et al., 2001), networks (Alferoff & Knights, 2009), to
partnerships between larger communities/organizations (e.g., Iles & Yolles, 2002; Mavin et al.,
2007).
In the literature, the push for more collaboration between various participants/entities has
been mainly attributed to the emerging form of knowledge production, known as Mode 2
research (Gibbons et al., 1994; MacLean, MacIntosh, & Grant 2002). Discussing the differences
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between mode 1 and mode 2 forms of knowledge production, Gibbons et al. (1994) pointed out
that “mode 1 problems are set and solved in a context governed by the, largely academic,
interests of a specific community. By contrast, Mode 2 is carried out in the context of
application” (p. 3). “In comparison with Mode 1, Mode 2 is socially accountable and reflexive”
(Gibbons et al., 1994, p. 3). The changing pattern in knowledge production sets a landscape for a
higher degree of cooperation between multiple stake-holders as it requires collaborative efforts
that transcends various activities, disciplines, and types of expertise.
In the field of HRD, the role of partnerships has been recognized as pivotal for bridging
the gap (e.g., Hamline, 2007). Thus, Shindell (2005) underscored the importance of the
partnership between the Academy of HRD and The Association for Talent Development (ATD).
The launch of an award at ATD in 2004 that recognizes excellence in research-to-practice
activities conducted in collaborative partnerships of researchers and practitioners was also
underscored in the HRD literature (Short, Sherlock, & Sugrue, 2004). A practical example of
such a partnership could be seen in Mavin et al.’s (2007) study that examined the collaboration
between the University Forum for HRD (UFHRD) and four UK universities.
The Scholar-Practitioner
One of the themes we found in our review across the three disciplines is the scholarpractitioner phenomenon. The term scholar-practitioner has been used predominantly in HRD to
describe someone who acts as a connector between theory and practice (Short et al., 2009).
However, there is no unanimity regarding what to call the phenomenon and scholars used
different titles across the literature: e.g., practitioner-researcher (Hodgkinson, 2006), scientistpractitioner (Rupp & Beal, 2007), and practitioner-scholar (Bartunek, 2008). Despite the
differences, the central idea is common across all titles.
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Within this theme, several studies have been identified that focused on the definition,
identity, role, and competencies of the scholar-practitioner. In particular, the special issue of
ADHR in 2009 can be considered as a groundwork regarding the conceptualization of the
scholar-practitioner in HRD. Specifically, Short and Shindell (2009) attempted to define the
meaning of HRD scholar-practitioners. Ruona and Gilley (2009) suggested a model for
categorizing four different types of practitioners (atheoretical practitioner, practitioner, reflective
practitioner, and scholar practitioner) based on how they utilize and contribute to research and
practice. In addition, Kormanik, Lehner, and Winnick (2009) identified the general competencies
of HRD scholar-practitioners.
Similarly, in applied psychology, Wasserman and Kram (2009) identified the role of
scholar-practitioner by a qualitative analysis of 25 interviews. Kram, Wasserman, and Yip
(2012) explored their professional identity as scholar-practitioners using the description of
metaphor. In turn, Bartunek (2008) emphasized the role of practitioner-scholar in organization
development (OD) practices which has been traditionally developed on the basis of action
research.
Synthesis of the literature: A holistic perspective on narrowing the research-practice gap
This section addresses the third question of inquiry: Given the review of literature, what
are the relevant themes, frameworks, practices, and insights that could advance HRD scholarship
in bridging the gap?
In our review of the selected publications, we came across various pieces of advice,
suggestions, strategies, and frameworks on how to bridge the divide between academic research
and industry practice (e.g., Short 2006, Latham, 2007; Bartunek 2014). These insights stemmed
from empirical research, theorizing on research-practice gap, and personal experiences from
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scholar-practitioners. Given the variety of issues that these sources address, we attempted to
synthesize these insights into a holistic framework that would portray the key constituents
pertinent to bridging the gap, in which these insights could be grouped into. What follows is a
discussion of the overarching themes (constituents) that we drew from the identified literature.
Based on the synthesis of the literature, we suggest a preliminary framework that outlines
the key components of HRD theory building activity central to tackling the divide between
academic research and industry practice. The proposed framework (See Figure 1) includes the
following elements: (a) individual aspects pertinent to HRD researchers and practitioners (who?),
(b) process and product of HRD theory-building (how? and what?), and (c) institutional and
organizational aspects that impact the above-mentioned constituents (where?). Stemming from
our review of the literature, these components are intended to serve as important cornerstones to
be considered in bridging the research-practice gap (why?). Since this section is currently under
construction, below we provide only a brief summary of the constructs.
Figure 1. Key components of HRD theory building activity impacting the researchpractice gap.
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Individual aspects of HRD researchers and practitioners (who?)
In their suggestions for narrowing the research-practice gap various scholars emphasized
strategies for both researchers and practitioners (e.g., Short, 2006; Rynes, 2007). In addition to
the recognized role of scholar-practitioner (Ruona & Gilley, 2009), there is also literature that
underscores the role of academics with practitioner knowledge and experience in “spanning the
divide” (Gray et al., 2011). Given the literature, we considered individual aspects on the side of
both actors (researchers and practitioners) that may impact the creation of linkages between
research and practice.
Individual aspects of HRD researchers
Operating on the edge of science-practice requires certain values (Weiss, 2007) and
mindset (Latham, 2007; Ilgen, 2007), as cited by Rupp and Beal (2007). To engage in theory
building activity, HRD researchers need to possess certain theory building research skills
(Storberg-Walker 2006; Hodgkinson & Rousseau, 2009). To successfully engage in research
with other stakeholders requires collaboration skills as well as certain attitudes and motivation
(Amabile et al., 2001). In addition, building on the results of their study that explored academicpractitioner engagement, Hughes et al. (2011) asserted that there were three types of academics
in relation to engagement: the willing and able, the theoreticians, and the willing, but
underexposed (p. 49). Thus, exposure to good practices in theory building that link theory and
practice is also an important aspect to be considered.
Individual aspects pertinent to practitioners
While most of the above may be somewhat relevant to practitioners, there is literature
that suggests that they also bring their own aspects to the table with regard to linking research
and practice. In particular, Ruona and Gilley (2009) underscored the type of practice and
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practitioners’ emphasis on theory in work (“use and advance theory”) as important criteria for
distinguishing four types of practitioners with regard to how they contribute to the scholarship of
HRD. Specifically, Ruona and Gilley (2009) suggested the following four types: atheoretical
practitioner, practitioner, reflective practitioner, and scholar practitioner. In addition Hughes et
al. (2011) discussed three types of practitioners in relation to their academic-practitioner
engagement: the enthusiasts (e.g., involved in academic-practitioner networks), the uncommitted
(open and sympathetic to academic work, yet not maintaining their links on ongoing basis), and
the cynical. The latter group represents practitioners who are closed to academia and its ideas.
Process of HRD theory-building (How?)
Various scholars utilized the process perspective on theory-building activity as important
to bridging the divide between theory and practice (Storberg-Walker, 2003; Van de Ven, 2007).
In particular, Storberg-Walker (2003) and Gray et al. (2011) discussed two process models for
theory building in HRD as important for both theory building and application: Lynham (2002)
and Van de Ven (2003; 2007). While Lynham’s (2002) model has been widely recognized in the
HRD literature (e.g., Swanson & Chermack, 2013), the diamond model of Van de Ven (2007)
received significant credit in the field of management, and, in our opinion, may serve as useful
framework for HRD scholars. In particular, Gray et al. (2011) acknowledged Van de Ven’s
(2007) approach for not only addressing different paradigms but also for offering explicit steps
for conducting research with various stakeholders. Specifically, Van de Ven (2007) proposed the
following four stages of engaged scholarship: (a) problem formulation; (b) theory building; (c)
research design, and (d) problem solving. Various recommendations on how to conduct rigorous
and useful research, which we identified in the literature, may be seen through the lens of the
diamond model (Van de Ven, 2007). These range from stating a research problem by engaging
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with those who experience and know it (e.g., Swanson & Chermack, 2013) to various aspects of
communicating and interpreting the findings (the phase of problem solving), such as using blogs
and practitioners magazines (e.g., Bartunek, 2014).
The question How? also relates to the utility of those research methods that are likely to
create greater interest among practitioners (e.g., grounded theory, case analysis, ethnographic
studies), as these methods tend to generate the types of richer stories that resonate with
practitioners (Rynes, 2007; Gray et al., 2011).
Product of HRD theory building (What?)
This component relates to the main output of HRD theory building – knowledge – and
encompasses its various aspects, including (a) rigour and relevance (Starkey & Madan, 2001,
Anderson et al., 2001); (b) various forms of representation, e.g., a blog entry, a story, a
publication, (Boland et al., 2001; Halfhill & Huff, 2003), and (c) methods and information
avenues that the product is disseminated with, e.g., conference presentation, workshop for
practitioners, practitioners journals (Bartunek, 2014). While one may argue the product of
activity derives directly from the process, imagining/considering the final product prior to
engaging into an activity impacts the process. In other words, setting an objective of obtaining
high quality knowledge that is rigorous and practically useful may impact how an inquiry is
undertaken.
Specifically, Boland et al.’s (2001) study revealed that various forms of knowledge
representation had different effects on managers. In particular, the general form of knowledge
representation (an article) was found to be less stimulating for managers’ creativity. The authors
assert that even though some practitioner-oriented journals do offer some more particular
representation for managers, there are vast unrealized opportunities for the writing/publishing of
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narrative, interpretive, allegorical and metaphorical knowledge. Boland et al.’s (2001) findings
are particularly noteworthy in the light of Halfhill and Huff’s (2003) work. Specifically, Halfhill
and Huff (2003) found that academics preferred the empirical article format only, when offered
to select from seven different formats.
Institutional and organizational aspects (Where?)
Several scholars underscored various institutional and organizational aspects that may
serve as barriers and/or drivers for engaging researchers and practitioners in narrowing the gap
between academic research and industry practice (e.g., DeNisi, Wilson, & Biteman, 2014). In
particular, several suggestions have addressed various institutional/organizational arrangements
to enhance academics’ engagement with practice. For example, academic institutions might (a)
reward research that had an impact on practice (Lathan, 2007), (b) revisit academic publication
practices (Anderson et al., 2001; Rynes, 2007), and provide sustained funding for scholarly
engagement with industry (Gray et al., 2011). The role of professional associations (e.g., AOM,
SIOP, SHRM, etc.) was also recognized as pivotal for fostering socialization between academics
and practitioners (Rynes, 2007).
Limitations, recommendations, and conclusion
While the inquiry covers a large volume of publications, our targeted data present
publications from scholarly journals, whose audience is predominantly academics. In particular,
we did not include practitioner-oriented periodicals as well as other avenues for knowledge
dissemination (e.g., web-sites, online blogs, conference proceedings etc.). Although we saw the
benefit of considering other avenues, given the size of the manuscript we were limited in our
choices. At the same time, it is worth noting that several studies discussed in our review did
RESEARCH-PRACTICE GAP IN APPLIED FIELDS
21
explore several non-academic sources (e.g., Rynes, Giluk, & Brown, 2007) and may serve as a
starting point for future inquiries on other avenues for knowledge dissemination.
Given the purpose of the study, to shed light on relevant theories, frameworks, and
practices that could advance HRD in bridging the research-practice gap, we attempted to list
those in the previous section (which is still under construction). At the same time, what we found
surprising in our review was a relatively small number of empirical studies on the topic that
represented the field of HRD. While the high number of editorials/opinion type of papers that we
identified suggests that the issue is important and the conversation on bridging the gap is ongoing, it appears that there is an opportunity for HRD scholars for more empirical research. In
particular, empirical studies by Offermann and Spiros (2001), Rynes and her colleagues (2002a,
2002b, 2007) provide good examples on various approaches and methods that could be used in
HRD to examine those areas of practice that are of great interest for practitioners, yet have been
overlooked by HRD researchers.
In conclusion, as our review suggests, it takes many bridges to narrow the gap between
academic research and industry practice (Anderson et al., 2001). We believe that for tackling the
divide in the HRD field, HRD scholars could build on its core interdisciplinary strengths. In
particular, we anticipate that the presented framework, resulting from the review of literature
from three applied fields – management, applied psychology, and HRD, will contribute to
strengthening existing and also creating new linkages between academic research and industry
practice.
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Appendix 1
Table 1
The Review Matrix for research-practice gap literature in Management, Applied Psychology, and HRD from 2000 to 2014
No.
Lead Author
Year of
Publication
Journal
Purpose
Conceptual
Framework
Participants
Study Design
Methods
Key Findings