Collaborating across the researcher-practitioner divide: introducing John Dewey's democratic experimentalism

Chi Vo, L; Kelemen, Mihaela

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to bridging the gap between researchers and practitioners. It does so by comparing the various models of academic-practitioner collaboration and introducing Dewey’s democratic experimentalism as a promising alternative.

Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual implications are drawn from an analysis and discussion of the literatures in the field of organizational knowledge production, co-production and Deweyan studies.

Findings
Democratic experimentalism offers a much needed platform for a collaborative relationship between academics and practitioners that leads to knowledge that is rigorous and relevant to practice.

Originality/value
While the current models of academic-practitioner collaboration provide mechanisms for knowledge co-production, the Dewey’s democratic experimentalism goes further to emphasize the nature of the relationship between academics and practitioners in such common endeavor to ensure that all of them are equal co-creators of knowledge.

Citation

Chi Vo, L., & Kelemen, M. (2017). Collaborating across the researcher-practitioner divide: introducing John Dewey's democratic experimentalism. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 30(6), 858-871. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-03-2016-0054

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 24, 2017
• Publication Date: Oct 2, 2017
• Deposit Date: Sep 16, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 17, 2019
• Print ISSN: 0953-4814
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 858-871
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-03-2016-0054
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2621591
• Publisher URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JOCM-03-2016-0054/full/html?af=R&fullSc=1&mbSc=1
• Contract Date: Sep 16, 2019