Topicality of academic articles and issues of the review process

DGT Workshop Sep 16, 2006, Munich

Prof. Dr. Christian LaesserUniversity of St. Gallen

DGTMunich

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© IDT-HSG, University of St. Gallen

Measurement of the relevance of research topics and results

• discipline as such

• education

• working life

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Basic questions

• To what extent are tourism and management– sciences?– professions?

• Where do research questions ought to come from? From– „Further research“ sections in papers?– practical needs and problems?

• How is research impact measured?– by CSSI and similar?– by transmission of results in practice

and implementation of potential conclusions?

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© IDT-HSG, University of St. Gallen

Paper producers and their audiences

Fullacademic

PartialAcademic

FullPractitioner

Fullacademic

PartialAcademic

FullPractitioner

Research andpaper producer

Solution receiverProblem producer

Fullacademic

PartialAcademic

FullPractitioner

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© IDT-HSG, University of St. Gallen

Structure of a scientific paper:Diverging interests between reader groups

• Abstract

• Problem production– Introduction/ Purpose (Precondition of LitResearch)– Reserach Question

• Research production– Literature Review– Method and Data

• Solution reception– Results– Discussion– Conclusion

• Questions for further research

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Scientific work and its standards vs.practical work and its standards

Scientific work and its standards

• intersubjective traceability

• by means of application of qualified methods

• and an objective view

• Reliability

• Validity (external and internal)

• Consistency

Practical work and its standards

• practical relevance –real answers on real questions

• by means of application of simple qualified methods

• and a perspective view

• Coherence

• Consistency

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© IDT-HSG, University of St. Gallen

Interlinking basic and applied research and their corresponding publication

Basic research:•internationally publishable results•No distinctive customer group•Long term research strategy•Methods development

Applied research:•Publishable results•Broadly defined customer group•Clearly delimited research object•Methods application

Consulting:•Not necessarily publishable•Clearly delimited customers•Customer ownership of results•Recommendations

Diffusion Application

Meta projectsComparisons, aggregationNew (research) questions

Meta projectsComparisons, aggregationNew (research) questions

•On demand/ customer driven•Cash cow•Practice for research assistants•Case studies for lectures •Building up of close industry relations (nationally and internationally)

•Mix of customer driven/ self initiated•Costs covered•Practice for full academic staff•Full results transfer to lectures•Securing agenda leading position in regional and industry terms

•deficit•Further education for academic staff•Results serve as basis for other projects•Creating an international profile

DGTMunich

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© IDT-HSG, University of St. Gallen

Positioning a journal =Guideline for the review process

• Audience

• Rationale and fundament of research questions

• Degree of complexity (in terms of traceability) of content(vs. rigor of methodological approach?)

• Qualification or claim to transmit conclusions into actions (applicability of results)

• Degree of overriding of review results by editor