IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/syspar/v37y2024i6d10.1007_s11213-023-09666-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Closing the Theory-Practice Gap: Socio-Economic Approach and Action Research in Management

Author

Listed:
  • Omaya Kuran

    (University of Balamand)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Omaya Kuran, 2024. "Closing the Theory-Practice Gap: Socio-Economic Approach and Action Research in Management," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 37(6), pages 783-810, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:syspar:v:37:y:2024:i:6:d:10.1007_s11213-023-09666-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11213-023-09666-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11213-023-09666-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11213-023-09666-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chris Argyris, 1996. "Crossroads---Unrecognized Defenses of Scholars: Impact on Theory and Research," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(1), pages 79-87, February.
    2. Martha S. Feldman & Wanda J. Orlikowski, 2011. "Theorizing Practice and Practicing Theory," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1240-1253, October.
    3. Gorgi Krlev, 2023. "Calibrating for Progress: What are the Instrumental Functions of Theory in Management Research?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(4), pages 963-990, June.
    4. Henri Savall & Véronique Zardet & Marc Bonnet & Michel Péron, 2010. "A Rewiew of two Major Global and Internationl Approaches to Organizational Change : SEAM and appreciative Inquiry," Post-Print halshs-00766449, HAL.
    5. Amandine Savall & Yue Caï Hillon, 2017. "Strategic Venturing for Entrepreneurs: A New Application of the Socio-Economic Approach to Management," Post-Print hal-01633438, HAL.
    6. Savall, Henri & Zardet, Véronique & Péron, Michel & Bonnet, Marc, 2012. "Possible Contributions of Qualimetrics Intervention-Research Methodology to Action Research," International Journal of Action Research, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 8(1), pages 102-130.
    7. David Coghlan & Abraham B. Shani & Jonas Roth, 2016. "Institutionalizing Insider Action Research Initiatives in Organizations: The Role of Learning Mechanisms," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 83-95, April.
    8. Henri Savall & Véronique Zardet, 2014. "Action research and intervention research in the French landscape of organizational research: The case of ISEOR," Post-Print hal-01089145, HAL.
    9. repec:eme:aaaj00:aaaj-08-2019-4133 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Dominique Bessire & Laurent Cappelletti & Benoit Pigé, 2010. "Normes : origines et conséquences des crises," Post-Print hal-01409116, HAL.
    11. Ann Martin-Sardesai & James Guthrie & Basil P. Tucker, 2020. "What you see depends on where you look: performance measurement of Australian accounting academics," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 33(6), pages 1193-1218, May.
    12. Mats Alvesson & Jörgen Sandberg, 2013. "Has Management Studies Lost Its Way? Ideas for More Imaginative and Innovative Research," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 128-152, January.
    13. Laurent Cappelletti & Charles Richard Baker, 2010. "Developing human capital through a pragmatic oriented action research project: A French case study," Post-Print hal-02100134, HAL.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rana Sawaya & Donabelle Zakkour Tabchoury & Marc Bonnet, 2018. "Riding the Roller-Coaster of the Accreditation Process at Higher Education Institutions through Employees Engagement," Post-Print hal-01907980, HAL.
    2. María-Ángeles Rastrollo-Horrillo & Julia Martín-Armario, 2019. "Organisational barriers to nascent born-global growth: Learning from the inside," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 454-473, September.
    3. Argento, Daniela & van Helden, Jan, 2023. "Are public sector accounting researchers going through an identity shift due to the increasing importance of journal rankings?," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    4. Davies, Andrew & Manning, Stephan & Söderlund, Jonas, 2018. "When neighboring disciplines fail to learn from each other: The case of innovation and project management research," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(5), pages 965-979.
    5. Grisard, Claudine, 2014. "La formation de l'accountability en situations conflictuelles," Economics Thesis from University Paris Dauphine, Paris Dauphine University, number 123456789/13959 edited by Berland, Nicolas.
    6. Palo, Teea & Åkesson, Maria & Löfberg, Nina, 2019. "Servitization as business model contestation: A practice approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 486-496.
    7. Phillips, Paul & Moutinho, Luiz, 2014. "Critical review of strategic planning research in hospitality and tourism," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 96-120.
    8. Gazi Islam, 2012. "Recognition, Reification, and Practices of Forgetting: Ethical Implications of Human Resource Management," Post-Print hal-01232667, HAL.
    9. Jose Luis Retolaza & Leire San-Jose, 2021. "Understanding Social Accounting Based on Evidence," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(2), pages 21582440211, April.
    10. Rebecca Adler-Nissen, 2016. "Towards a Practice Turn in EU Studies: The Everyday of European Integration," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 87-103, January.
    11. Meyer, Matthias & Waldkirch, Rüdiger W. & Duscher, Irina & Just, Alexander, 2018. "Drivers of citations: An analysis of publications in “top” accounting journals," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 24-46.
    12. Anne Kokkonen & Pauli Alin, 2015. "Practice-based learning in construction projects: a literature review," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(7), pages 513-530, July.
    13. Moshe Farjoun & Christopher Ansell & Arjen Boin, 2015. "PERSPECTIVE—Pragmatism in Organization Studies: Meeting the Challenges of a Dynamic and Complex World," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(6), pages 1787-1804, December.
    14. Shea, Jennifer & Taylor, Tory, 2017. "Using developmental evaluation as a system of organizational learning: An example from San Francisco," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 84-93.
    15. Liubertė Irina, 2019. "On Social Knowledge and Its Empirical Investigation in Contemporary Organisations," Management of Organizations: Systematic Research, Sciendo, vol. 81(1), pages 21-37, June.
    16. Judita Kasperiuniene & Vilma Zydziunaite, 2019. "A Systematic Literature Review on Professional Identity Construction in Social Media," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(1), pages 21582440198, February.
    17. Tiziana Callari & Corinne Bieder & Barry Kirwan, 2019. "What is it like for a middle manager to take safety into account? Practices and challenges," Post-Print hal-01935746, HAL.
    18. Andres Fernando Zapata-Ramirez, 2019. "Scientific Knowledge in Management and its Praxeology," GATR Journals jmmr218, Global Academy of Training and Research (GATR) Enterprise.
    19. Hong Y. Park & Hyejung Chang & Yong-Seung Park, 2015. "Firm’s knowledge creation structure for new product development," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 2(1), pages 1023507-102, December.
    20. Michiel Bal & Jos Benders & Lander Vermeerbergen, 2022. "‘Bringing the Covert into the Open’: A Case Study on Technology Appropriation and Continuous Improvement," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-17, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:syspar:v:37:y:2024:i:6:d:10.1007_s11213-023-09666-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.