Resources: Main Page | Research Methods (A) | Major Theories (B) | Issues and Contemporary Topics (C) | Professional Education (D)
Aisle D (Professional Education): Main Page | The Individual Scholar (DA) | Business Schools & Education (DB) I Communities of Practice & Associations (DC) | Knowledge Management (DK) | Outreach & Bridging Theory and Practice (DO)
The role of professional education and development in organizational studies is multifaceted, shaping not only the academic and theoretical contributions of individuals in the field, but also their practical application in real-world organizational settings. This field of study encompasses a variety of topics related to how organizations function, evolve, and influence society, and the educational and professional development of scholars, practitioners, and leaders plays a crucial role in advancing both research and practice.
The early history of organization studies is flush with classic case studies including ethnographies and other field research. Many studies aimed at improving an organization’s performance or uncovering the sources of unproductive behaviors. While to some extent, these studies are products of their times, the Talking About Organizations Podcast has exposed their overall continued relevance in informing the positive and negative factors affecting today’s workplaces.
TAOP aims to serve as a bridge between theory and practice. The cast is divided into roughly 2/3 traditional academics, 1/3 scholar-practitioners or pure practitioners with advanced degrees in organization studies. Our conversations, therefore, naturally and organically synthesize the classics with on contemporary issues and concerns. But we also routinely delve into matters of professional education and development of those working in the field. Topics have included the following four major areas:
Business Schools and Other Professional Development Venues
Business schools play a crucial role in promoting organizational studies, which are central to understanding how organizations operate, evolve, and impact society. They provide a platform for producing research, educating future leaders, and influencing best practices in organizational management and design. However, business education has faced challenges in balancing the satisfaction of the professional needs of their students and faculty against market pressures and institutionalized norms that lean toward business fads and commercialization.
Communities of Practice and Professional Associations
Communities of practice and professional associations play a critical role in promoting professional development and education in organization studies. Both structures offer platforms for ongoing learning, networking, sharing knowledge, and advancing the field. They provide opportunities for scholars, practitioners, and students to interact, collaborate, and grow, while also helping shape the direction and relevance of research, education, and practice in organizational studies.
From on-boarding of doctoral students to attendance at major conferences like the Academy of Management annual meeting, there are many ways for students, scholars, and practitioners to meet, collaborate, conduct research as teams, and present or publish their findings. However, these too have seen challenges and the imposition of market pressures, gaming the citation system, and even academic fraud. The importance of professional associations enforcing standards of conduct cannot be understated, but the temptations of prestige and fame have brought about significant introspection in recent years.
Outreach and Strategic Communication
Outreach and strategic communication play pivotal roles in fostering a professional community of organization researchers. These activities help increase visibility, facilitate collaboration, ensure the dissemination of research, and create meaningful engagement among scholars, practitioners, and stakeholders within the field of organizational studies. They also help build a vibrant, dynamic research community, attract new members, and ensure that the work being done within the field has a lasting impact on both academia and practice. Traditional publications have become more numerous and increasingly competitive for readership and “impact” factor. TAOP is an example of outreach as is public scholarship. including blogs, vlogs, and some podcasts.
This has been essential as the academic community faces many struggles with the growing lack of trust in expert knowledge and expertise that has affected many others institutions such as traditional media and civil society. Charges of detachment, insularity, and “being out of touch” have been leveed against professions since the pandemic, and science and scientific knowledge is being questioned with increasing intensity. How can the professional community reverse this trend and restore confidence and trust among society? Strategic communication is a means of coordinating across research efforts to systematize outreach, like a campaign borne of actions rather than words.
Racks in this Aisle:
Aisle D – Professional Community
Rack DA – Reflections on the Podcast
Rack DB – Business Schools and Management Education
Rack DC – Communities of Practice and Associations
Rack DK – Knowledge and Expertise
Rack DT – Bridging Theory and Practice
Portions of the above text were initially drafted using OpenAI queries including “What are the benefits and challenges of business schools in promoting organization studies?” The inclusion of external links is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute endorsement by TAOP, or any of its members.
Aisle D (Professional Education): Main Page | The Individual Scholar (DA) | Business Schools & Education (DB) I Communities of Practice & Associations (DC) | Knowledge Management (DK) | Outreach & Bridging Theory and Practice (DO)
Resources: Main Page | Research Methods (A) | Major Theories (B) | Issues and Contemporary Topics (C) | Professional Education (D)