Renaissance and renewal in management studies: Relevance regained

Abstract

Abstract The study of management began many decades ago with close connections between research and practice and, in many instances, with a reformist orientation focused on improving the well‐being of all organizational stakeholders. However, over time research has shifted to focus primarily on economic outcomes such as profits, productivity, and shareholder well‐being as the dependent variables of most interest. Management research is also increasingly entranced with theory for its own sake and less interested in the concerns of professional practice. The renewal of management as an academic discipline can be accomplished primarily by making management research relevant again, a task that has important implications for both journals and faculty career processes. Increasing the relevance of management also entails more replication so there is more confidence in findings as well as greater attention to the social concerns ‐ for instance, the well‐being of employees ‐ that stimulated much early management scholarship.