Impact-driven scholar, reflective practitioner, or pracademic? Conceptualizing hybrid roles to bridge the research-practice gap in HRM

Date published

2025-06-01

Free to read from

2025-02-19

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Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Elsevier

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Type

Article

ISSN

1053-4822

Format

Citation

Lau A, Haist J, Hewett R. (2025) Impact-driven scholar, reflective practitioner, or pracademic? Conceptualizing hybrid roles to bridge the research-practice gap in HRM. Human Resource Management Review, Volume 35, Issue 2, June 2025, Article number 101077

Abstract

Bridging the gap between theoretical concepts relating to human resource management (HRM) and practical application of research insights is essential for creating important, relevant, and therefore high impact management theories about work and organizations. Pracademics, who actively participate in both research and practice activities, cross boundaries between domains, so play a critical role in bringing theories into practice. However, the role of pracademics is conceptually underdeveloped and ambiguous, limiting our understanding of how actors engage in bridging the research-practice divide. We propose a continuum of research-practice roles, recognizing that hybrid roles are often fluid in nature. We explain how hybrid professionals hold different identities; as impact-driven scholars, reflective practitioners, or pracademics. These roles have implications for individuals' activities, identity work, career, and collaboration. Drawing on three contemporary challenges in HRM, we illustrate how hybrid professionals can align HRM theory and practice and help close the research-practice gap. As well as theoretical and managerial implications, we also highlight implications of the continuum of roles for policy makers and funders.

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Software Description

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Github

Keywords

Business & Management, 3505 Human resources and industrial relations, 3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviour, 5201 Applied and developmental psychology

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Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International

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