Please ''bridge'' the Gap! Conceptualizing ''Practicality'' as a Field of Inquiry

Abstract

Entrepreneurship research as a field is going through a transformational phase along its growth trajectory, with its practical relevance being put under the spotlight, triggered by the rapid changes in markets and the external environment. While it originated as a practice-based field a few decades ago, it has grown distant from real life in recent years due to several factors. Extant literature on the research-practice gap has been rather prescriptive or focused on one part of the problem only. This led to scholarly calls for more theory-building and inclusive approach in addressing it. This note proposes a processual model to theorize practicality as a field of inquiry. The model is formed of four phases that reflect the normative process of scientific research and highlight the shared responsibility of academia and industry. The antecedents of each phase are discussed and potential measures to resolve them are proposed, guided by literature and real-life examples.