{"title":"Closing the Theory-Practice Gap: Socio-Economic Approach and Action Research in Management","authors":"Omaya Kuran","doi":"10.1007/s11213-023-09666-8","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>This conceptual paper explores the persistent gap between research, practice, and theory in management, hindering the practical applicability and relevance of academic research. It investigates the Socio-Economic Approach to Management (SEAM) as a participatory and collaborative model aimed at effectively bridging this gap. The paper examines the evolution of management theories and the emergence of SEAM as an innovative solution to align theory and practice, highlighting its potential to integrate theory, research, and practice in organizational management. The paper conducts a comprehensive literature review to demonstrate how action research, as incorporated in SEAM, facilitates transformative organizational development and fosters collaborative problem-solving. SEAM’s methodology offers a win-win collaboration for both managers and scholars, resulting in actionable knowledge with practical applications. Additionally, it includes a case study involving DBA executive education to illustrate SEAM’s practical application. Despite its strengths, SEAM faces criticisms and challenges, including concerns about subjectivity, rigor, contrasting approaches, validity, and generalizability. However, the paper emphasizes SEAM’s contributions to action research, offering a fresh perspective that transcends context-specificity and provides multidimensional modeling of outcomes. It emphasizes measurement and quantitative assessment of qualitative impacts, integrating qualitative, quantitative, and financial data to better understand organizational complexity. In conclusion, the paper underscores SEAM’s significance in promoting research relevance, enhancing management practices, and fostering better understanding between researchers and practitioners, particularly within the realm of DBA executive education. By advocating for SEAM as a bridge between theory and practice, the paper encourages a more collaborative and effective approach to meet the demands of a dynamic management landscape.</p>","PeriodicalId":51694,"journal":{"name":"Systemic Practice and Action Research","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Systemic Practice and Action Research","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-023-09666-8","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"MANAGEMENT","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This conceptual paper explores the persistent gap between research, practice, and theory in management, hindering the practical applicability and relevance of academic research. It investigates the Socio-Economic Approach to Management (SEAM) as a participatory and collaborative model aimed at effectively bridging this gap. The paper examines the evolution of management theories and the emergence of SEAM as an innovative solution to align theory and practice, highlighting its potential to integrate theory, research, and practice in organizational management. The paper conducts a comprehensive literature review to demonstrate how action research, as incorporated in SEAM, facilitates transformative organizational development and fosters collaborative problem-solving. SEAM’s methodology offers a win-win collaboration for both managers and scholars, resulting in actionable knowledge with practical applications. Additionally, it includes a case study involving DBA executive education to illustrate SEAM’s practical application. Despite its strengths, SEAM faces criticisms and challenges, including concerns about subjectivity, rigor, contrasting approaches, validity, and generalizability. However, the paper emphasizes SEAM’s contributions to action research, offering a fresh perspective that transcends context-specificity and provides multidimensional modeling of outcomes. It emphasizes measurement and quantitative assessment of qualitative impacts, integrating qualitative, quantitative, and financial data to better understand organizational complexity. In conclusion, the paper underscores SEAM’s significance in promoting research relevance, enhancing management practices, and fostering better understanding between researchers and practitioners, particularly within the realm of DBA executive education. By advocating for SEAM as a bridge between theory and practice, the paper encourages a more collaborative and effective approach to meet the demands of a dynamic management landscape.
期刊介绍:
Systemic Practice and Action Research is dedicated to advancing deeper understandings of issues that confront the contemporary world, and better means for engaging with these issues for the benefit of individuals, organizations, communities and their natural environments. To this end, a fundamental rethink of the purposes and methods of science is needed, making it more systemic and action-orientated. The journal therefore seeks to make a substantial contribution to rethinking science as well as to the reflective application of systemic practice and action research in all types of organizational and social settings. This international journal is committed to nurturing wide-ranging conversations around both qualitative and technical approaches for the betterment of people''s lives and ways of working together. It seeks to influence policy and strategy in its advocacy of action research as a primary means to gain vision and leverage in wicked problem areas. All forms of investigation and reasoning are considered potentially suitable for publication, including personal experience. There are no priorities attached to settings for studies and no greater significance given to one methodological style over another - as long as the work demonstrates a reflective and systemic quality. The journal welcomes manuscripts that are original, are well written, and contain a vivid argument. Papers normally will demonstrate knowledge of existing literature. Full papers are normally between 5,000 – 10,000 words (although longer papers will not be excluded if the argument justifies the word count) and short papers are about 2,000 words. Notes and letters are welcomed for publication in the ''notes from the field'' and ''letters'' sections. A rigorous mentoring-based refereeing system is applied in all cases. Officially cited as: Syst Pract Action Res