Suggestion of a Framework of Dissemination of Knowledge between Research and Practice

Taking part in the debate opposing rigor and relevance in academia, and about the role of scholars in society, this article suggests a heuristic framework for possible knowledge exchange between the figures of practitioners and the figures of researchers. A taxonomy of the modes of knowledge exchange is proposed, combining both temporality, depending on the synchronic or a-synchronic diffusion and production of knowledge, and the way of interacting, whether there is a co-production or not. This framework is illustrated and discussed, particularly in its capacity to renew the relationship between researchers and practitioners and their mutual influence. This analysis questions the forms of performance that prevail in the evaluation of academics. It concludes with remarks on the social utility of research in strategic management.