The Importance of Practitioner-Scholars Deciphering and Applying Research Studies

Information is constantly changing and practitioner-scholars have the distinct advantage of applying theory to the workplace to solve practical problems. Knowledge creates new opportunities that can lead to higher levels adaptation within companies. Scholars should continue to update their knowledge by reading research studies and outcomes that further their knowledge base in their chosen fields. More importantly they should decipher these studies so that a bridge between academia and practical application is created

To continue one's knowledge it is beneficial to dig through the literature and try and understand how these theories can be used to further industry advancement. It takes a little time and effort as even doctors have a hard time deciphering the nature of theoretical studies.

Research can be complex and have a lot of historical literary background that seeks to synthesize knowledge. of the field to support new innovations. This makes such studies beneficial to read even if one only wants to get a better picture of current scientific development on the topic.

Most people are familiar with qualitative and quantitative studies but get muddled when trying to understand how complex these designs can be. You have to read closely in order to understand how they are isolating variables and whether they are showing causation or association.

Statistical analysis will show you the outcomes of the study and the interconnected strength of the variables. In most cases these statistics can be so complex that researchers must use specialized software to complete well. It takes considerable effort to decipher and grasp their meaning.

The most advantageous part of the study is the results and discussions. Personally, I like the discussion because this is where the author proposes how the study can be used in the industry. Don't take the author as the only authority as with a little imagination you can find lots of other places information can be used.

Practitioner-scholars have a responsibility to read and understand new studies. While they should be reading these studies to update their knowledge they must also find applicability by deciphering them for lay people to use. Bridging the gap between academia and practical application is a DBA's specialty and useful for industry development.