Bridging the relevance-ranking chasm: mission impossible?

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to debate the challenges related to balancing relevance and ranking in management research.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a commentary on and review of challenges faced by twenty-first century management academics.

Findings

There is a chasm between managerial relevance and current managerial research; however, with academic buy-in, there are ways in which the chasm can be crossed.

Research limitations/implications

The implications of this are wide reaching for management researchers. They are challenged to consider different methodologies, strategies and dissemination avenues for their research.

Practical implications

Researchers need to consider not only collaboration with practitioners, as they pursue solutions to managerial problems, but also more inter-disciplinary research that addresses the wicked problems of management in practice.

Social implications

Solving the challenge of managerial relevance of business research has the potential to allow the contribution of business academia to be fully appreciated by practitioners.

Originality/value

The value of this thought-piece is that it challenges business and management academics to challenge the status quo and fight to make their research relevant to and valued by the business world.

Citation

Zolkiewski, J. (2018), "Bridging the relevance-ranking chasm: mission impossible?", European Business Review, Vol. 30 No. 2, pp. 128-144. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-03-2017-0067