A Conversation about the Scholar-Practitioner Pipeline: Bridging the HRD Research-Practice Gap

This research explores the persistent disconnect between academic research and real-world application within the field of Human Resource Development (HRD). This systemic gap arises from misaligned incentives, where scholars prioritize theoretical novelty for tenure while practitioners require actionable, accessible solutions for immediate organizational challenges. The research highlights that relying on intuition rather than evidence-based management leads to wasted resources and ineffective workplace interventions. To resolve this, the research advocates for systemic reforms, such as restructuring academic rewards and fostering collaborative research models that include practitioners in the knowledge-creation process. Scholar-practitioners are identified as essential boundary spanners who can translate complex data into practical frameworks. Ultimately, the research argues that narrowing this divide requires coordinated efforts from universities, professional associations, and organizations to ensure research effectively enhances human capability.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.