A Debate about Bridging the Gap: Reimagining the Research-Practice Ecosystem

Catalyst Center for Work Innovation: The Debate · Jun 25, 2026 · 25m

This research examines the deepening disconnect between academic research and professional practice within applied psychology and business management. It argues that misaligned incentive structures, such as an institutional obsession with elite journal rankings, discourage scholars from pursuing studies with practical utility. This systemic failure has led to a research integrity crisis and a decrease in public trust, as practitioners often find academic findings irrelevant or inaccessible. To bridge this gap, the research advocates for engaged scholarship and design science, which emphasize…