Unveiling the relevance of academic research: A practice-based view

Authors: M. Marabelli, and Emmanuelle Vaast

Publication: Information and Organization, Volume 30, Issue 3, September 2020, 100314

Abstract:

In this paper, we build on the longstanding issue of whether and to what extent scholarly research affects stakeholders outside academia and focus on the management and IS fields. We take a practice-based view and build theoretically on the concepts of sites of knowing and knowing in practice. We interviewed experienced practice scholars and reviewed key practice theorizing concepts to demonstrate that: 1) impact outside academia does happens but in ways that are not evident from published academic papers; and, 2) the practice-based view allows us to understand how impact occurs and offers effective strategies to enhance it. Yet, practice scholars' impact outside academia still holds substantial areas of improvement, which we identify theoretically and showcase with concrete examples leading to recommendations. The insights we propose are not directed only to practice scholars, though. They can assist scholars of all epistemological, methodological, and theoretical perspectives to enhance research impact and engage meaningfully with multiple stakeholders beyond academic boundaries.