Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/302559
29 BizEd May/June 2014 Once accepted, fellows work on translations, each covering the findings of several studies on the same topic, throughout the summer. Fellows submit one-page proposals for topics, including a list of publi- cations they would draw from, to Pearce, who reviews and approves them. Each translation can be no more than three pages long and must include practical knowledge for the business community. Each fellow receives a US$3,000 sti- pend after completing an approved translation by the August deadline. Translations are next edited by professional writers to make the text more engaging, before they are posted to the school's website under the fellows' bylines. Research chosen for translation must explore problems related to leadership, Pearce explains. For example, fellows have written trans- lations with titles such as "How Leaders May Affect Followers' Resistance to Change" and "Man- aging Procrastination at Work." A recent translation, "How Women Leaders Can Navigate the Labyrinth of Success" by Winny Shen of the University of Florida, draws from a reference list of 25 studies to sup- port the guidance it offers. The Merage School models its Research Translation program after similar activity in the medical community. Pearce points to the Cochrane Reviews, a collection of reports created by the Cochrane Collaboration in British Columbia, Canada. The reviews summarize and interpret evidence-based medi- cal findings to help the public make better healthcare decisions. Schools that want to set up similar programs could face two hurdles, Pearce notes. First, it's chal- lenging to strike a balance between presenting research accurately and summarizing it clearly. While the center could have turned to profes- sional writers for the entire transla- tion process, most writers aren't well-versed in academic language. Likewise, most doctoral students and professors are so inured to academic language, they often don't know how to write for practitio- ners. "I spend a great deal of time working with our fellows to help them draw out the practical conclu- sions of the research," she says. The second, bigger challenge is to ensure that each translation draws from a body of systematic, quality research—not opinion pieces or anecdotes. Schools need to vet translations carefully and distinguish true research transla- tions from faculty-written com- mentaries based on personal expe- rience, Pearce says. Pearce hopes to expand the program to include more fellows who can generate more transla- tions over time. "It's very common for academics to say, 'Nobody uses our stuff,'" says Pearce. "We want to become a resource that the whole world can use." To read the center's translations, visit merage.uci.edu/Research AndCenters/CLTD/Content/ Research-Translations/203. Found in Translation Paul Merage School of Business University of California, Irvine W hen the Merage School of Business wanted to link its scholarship to practice, it focused on addressing one of the biggest problems of research studies—their often impenetra- ble academic language. Three years ago, it created Research Translations, a program that "translates" research into lan- guage that business leaders can immediately understand, in short-read formats, so that they can quickly find what they need and put the information to immediate practical use. Research Translations is admin- istered through the Merage School's Center for Global Leadership and directed by Jone Pearce, Dean's Professor of Leadership. Each year, the program accepts several doctoral students or professors into the center's paid Summer Fellows Program; applicants come from both inside and outside the Merage School. To apply, they submit their curriculum vitae and one- page descriptions of research topics that they would like to translate for the public. Their descriptions must explain why their chosen topics are impor- tant to the business community and show that sufficient empiri- cal research is available. Last summer, the school received five applications for three spots. "We want to become a resource that the whole world can use." —Jone Pearce University of California, Irvine