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Research to practice: throwing a rope across the divide

The application of research to practice has emerged over the last decade as one of the most pressing issues in such diverse professions as management, nursing and human resource development (HRD). For HRD, pressures of limited resources within organizations and increased expectations of clients are just two factors that have created an environment in which practitioners are increasingly expected to justify intervention designs in advance of implementation. Research evidence forms part of that justification, and the Academy for Human Resource Development (AHRD), with its mission of ‘Leading the profession through research’, emphasizes a belief that research should be a cornerstone of solid HRD practice. The efforts of the Academy and equivalent organizations, such as the University Forum for HRD in the United Kingdom, have resulted in the publication of high-quality HRD research and increased dialogue between HRD researchers across the globe. Despite the good faith efforts of these professional bodies, the nagging question remains: is HRD research influencing HRD practice in meaningful ways? ‘To some extent’ may be an optimistic response given that many researchers still wonder why practice does not change in the light of their research findings and many practitioners cannot find the research evidence needed to guide or justify intervention designs. At the same time, HRD has struggled as a profession to rid itself of what some commentators have referred to as fad-ridden practices that lack any real basis in theory and research (Bing et al. 2003). In the face of such criticism, it seems reasonable to conclude that there is still a clear gap between research and practice in the world of HRD. In the light of the ongoing gap between HRD research and practice, several efforts have been made to explore and identify the issues that are holding the gap in place. Over the past two years, the ASTD Research-to-Practice Committee and AHRD Practitioner Partnership Committee have sponsored joint pre-conferences on the topic. In addition, the AHRD used research – practice links as a focus for its 2004 conference, with keynote speakers, a Town Hall forum and an innovative session all HRDI 7:3 (2004), pp. 403–409