Making academic research more relevant: A few suggestions

Abstract

Academic research in the domain of management scholarship, though steeped in scientific and methodological rigour, is generally found to be of little relevance to practice. The authors of this paper have revisited the rigour-relevance debate in light of recent developments and with special reference to the management research scenario in India. The central thesis of the argument is that the gulf between rigour and relevance needs to be bridged to make academic research more relevant to business organizations and practitioners. They have offered some suggestions to enhance the relevance of academic research to practice.

Keywords

• Academic research
• Bridging rigour-relevance gap
• Business schools in India
• Criteria of relevance
• Doctoral research
• Ecosystem for research
• Research culture
• Rigour-relevance debate
• Relevant research