Knowledge for theory and practice

Andrew H. Van De Ven, Paul E. Johnson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1163 Scopus citations

Abstract

We examine three related ways in which the gap between theory and practice has been framed. One approach views it as a knowledge transfer problem, a second argues that theory and practice represent distinct kinds of knowledge, and a third incorporates a strategy of arbitrage-leading to the view that the gap is a knowledge production problem. We propose a method of engaged scholarship for addressing the knowledge production problem, arguing that engaged scholarship not only enhances the relevance of research for practice but also contributes significantly to advancing research knowledge in a given domain.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)802-821
Number of pages20
JournalAcademy of Management Review
Volume31
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2006

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