Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/56529
It's odd that we would even think that the way to help businesses succeed is to train people to process information narrowly. grams, and our accredita- tion processes. We will have a systematic solution to a systemic problem only if AACSB Interna- tional, the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), the Association of MBAs, and other bodies look at multiple metrics when they accredit schools. Some of these institutions are already making a start at achieving such a goal. For instance, not long ago AACSB organized a Task Force on the Impact of Research, which issued a report that addresses the way accreditation systems measure business research. Among other things, the report notes that busi- ness schools should not simply con- sider rigor when judging a scholarly contribution. They should also consider how well it contributes to learning and pedagogical research, and whether it makes a contribution to practice. We need a way to mea- sure all three. The Publisher's Role Yet another group of players needs to join the reformation movement in this field: the organizations that publish scholarly research. We need to amend our policies to make it easier for authors to focus on relevant research. At Emerald Publishing, we're try- ing to do our part. Earlier this year, we revised our publishing strategy to make a place for scholarly research that contributes to practice or to ped- agogy. We began asking authors to assess, within a paper and an abstract, what kind of "impact on society" they make with their research. We will not be dismantling our strength in discipline-based scholarship— rather, we will seek to increase its relevance and impact. Because of this shift, we will be able to assess and count scholarly research based on how it contributes to knowledge in three different areas—theory, practice, and pedagogy. Already, many of our journals include sections about works in progress, case studies, and other kinds of research. Our Web platforms also spotlight all three types of contributions. We have challenged ourselves to rethink the very notion of what a scholarly publisher is and does, and our goal is to increase the impact of research by bringing peripheral ideas into the mainstream. We will share our progress at events hosted by AACSB, EFMD, the Academy of Management, and others. We look forward to the day when validated publishing media welcome more contributions that focus on practice and pedagogy, as well as scholarship. We also look forward to debating how these contributions can best be counted and verified. One thing is important to note: When we seek to measure a wider impact of research, we might focus on outputs, such as published papers, but all players in the chain should be thinking about outcomes—that is, whether what was intended to hap- pen actually happened. Let's Change the World In these turbulent times, it's odd that we would even think that the way to help businesses succeed is to train people to process information rigorously and narrowly instead of encouraging them to understand and adapt to the social zeitgeist. And it's even odder that grizzled corpo- rate hacks like me should be asking our business graduates to become more socially aware instead of park- ing their souls at the door. Our world is greatly influenced by the way our businesses, govern- ments, and other institutions are managed. If we rethink scholarly publishing in the field of manage- ment by encouraging our scholars to produce useful, readable, and rigor- ous research, we can influence man- agement practice. The scholars who produce this knowledge will also be the professors who teach our busi- ness students how to deal with com- plex, global issues in a sensitive and responsible way. We will end up with a better world—one that is fairer, wealthier, more educated, and more careful to preserve the environment. I believe that almost everyone involved in business research is in favor of change. But all the players need to participate in making change happen. Accreditation bodies first must loosen the shackles of the cur- rent system by re-examining their requirements for scholarly research. Publishers must find ways to collect, verify, sort, achieve, archive, dissemi- nate, and assure the quality of all dif- ferent kinds of research. Schools must reward different kinds of research— and professors must pursue research ideas that have practical relevance. It will take a great deal of effort. But if the result is more effective research, teaching, and learning that improve management practices throughout the world, I think the effort will be worth it. ■ z John Peters is president of Emerald Publishing Inc., based in Boston, Massachusetts, and CEO of Emerald Group Publishing Limited, based in Bingley, England. He can be reached at jpeters@ emerald.us.com. BizEd SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 69