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ATD Blog

Closing the Gap Between Research and Practice

Thursday, February 14, 2013
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This semester, I have the incredible fortune of teaching our Foundations of HRD class to 20 brand new graduate students.  Early in the semester, we embarked on a discussion about the relationships between research, theory, and practice.  This conversation was especially important for this cohort of students because of their desires to be HRD practitioners and my responsibility to ensure that they recognize the role of sound theory in producing effective practice. 

To facilitate this discussion, I assigned an article written by Darren Short (2006), entitled “Closing the Gap Between Research and Practice in HRD”.  In this article, Darren discussed several reasons that he believes this gap exists and several suggestions for how to close the gap.  For instance, he suggested that the gap is a result of published research not being relevant for practitioners or readily available to practitioners.  Accordingly, to close the gap, Darren argued that HRD research needs to be timely and practice-focused, carried out in authentic contexts, disseminated using the language and media of practitioners, and conducted through partnerships between researchers and practitioners. 

One of my graduate students who has a substantial amount of work experience in talent development agreed with Darren’s argument regarding the availability of research findings to practitioners.  In her first semester as a graduate student, she says she has already thought several times, “Well, where was this information when I needed it?”  I assured her that the information is out there.  As HRD scholars, we are constantly researching and discovering and summarizing our new knowledge.  But, then we publish in the most “prestigious” outlet that will accept our work with little regard for whether that outlet is optimal for practitioner consumption of our research. 

Another student followed up with the next logical question:  “Then why don’t researchers publish their research where practitioners will find it?”  I responded with my view that the problems are ultimately a result of the fact that scholars are typically rewarded for weathering the peer-review process.  Peer-reviewed publications are typically written for and read by other scholars, not practitioners.  And although we know the value of our research and firmly believe that it can improve practices, the reality is that if we are not speaking in the practitioner’s terms and disseminating our research where the practitioners are likely to look for it, the gap will remain. 

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And where is the incentive for either scholars or practitioners to close the gap?  Successful practitioners have devised their own means of solving work-related problems.  They can consult trade magazines, think tank publications, popular news outlets, and industry best practices to find the answers that they need.  Why should they spend time trying to decipher the practical implications of an academic article that was written for a scholarly audience?  Similarly, scholars can gain tenure in their universities and notoriety in their field by publishing in peer-reviewed journals (and not scaring away too many students!).  What is their incentive to disseminate their work through media that are frequently used by practitioners?  Especially when these efforts will not carry as heavily towards tenure as a peer-reviewed publication will. 

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The way I see it – the gap between research/theory and practice can be largely attributed to the different priorities of scholars and practitioners.  Scholars want to be well-respected within the research community.  Practitioners want answers to the issues that they face in the workplace.  Of course, I am generalizing here; and this is not to say that there is not a community of scholars and practitioners who are collaborating for mutual benefits.  However, in an ideal world, practitioners would read the same publications that scholars gain recognition, promotion, and tenure for publishing in.  Indeed, this was one of Darren Short’s suggestions.  And hopefully, we are moving in that direction with the efforts of organizations, like ASTD, who are making notable strides towards bridging the gap between scholars and practitioners.

This is one benefit of the ASTD blogs.  Through this medium, practitioners and scholars can actively exchange ideas.  The blogs allow for timely discussion of relevant topics; and maybe – just maybe – scholars and practitioners will eventually agree on a common language that will further facilitate the ability to exchange ideas, which will ultimately enhance the quality of research and the effectiveness of practice.

Accordingly, I am teaching my class of 20 new graduate students the theory and research that supports the practice of HRD.  I have assigned them work that requires them to translate what we’ve studied into the practical implications that will inform the work that many of them will eventually do as HRD professionals.  I hope that as they progress through our HRD program, we can instill a respect for theory and research that will compel them to look towards the academic world for answers long after they have graduated.  I view this process as an investment in closing the future gaps.

About the Author

Tomika W. Greer is assistant professor and undergraduate program coordinator in the human resource development program at the University of Houston’s College of Technology. Since 2011, she has actively engaged with ATD through writing blogs, writing articles, and serving on award committees. Prior to earning a PhD in HRD, Greer spent 10 years in various instructional technology, training, and development roles in a variety of industries. Her research and publications focus on trends and challenges associated with career transitions and development for women and marginalized groups; implementation and outcomes of “family-friendly” organizational policies and programs; and curriculum, pedagogy, and outcomes of academic programs in HRD.

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