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

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. • Impact-driven scholars, reflective practitioners, and pracademics are hybrid professionals. • Each role contributes to research-practice collaborations in distinct ways. • A continuum of roles clarifies identities and activities in research-practice partnerships. • Pracademics have an important role to bridge the research-practice gap in HRM. • A fluid identity helps pracademics to navigate research, practice, and policy.