|
Being a scientist myself for about 20 years now, and observing my colleagues in the academia, I would say rather not. Personally, I wouldn't let a scientist into my company. There's one simple reason: management and business are arts, while science requires a mixture of freedom of thinking and methodological rigor. My experience of hiring scientists for working with clients are far from encouraging. They usually discover a huge gap between what they did as researchers and, well, reality. They might discover interesting phenomena while doing a research, but what's in it for the client? A lot of time must pass untill companies will be capable of directly using scientific research in their practice.
Some might say: "But prof. Stocki, with this entry, you are undermining everything you do, with the entire concept of your company employing promising PhD students etc." Well, not necesserily, as I consider myself a consultant doing science and not the other way round. Once, as I was taking part in MATRIK program, a president of the program asked me: "What would you choose if you had to, consulting or academia?" - without hesitation I replied: "Consulting". As a consultant, I feel I have direct influence on reality. I come here not to learn the truth that might prove useful someday in the future, but to use it for the good of people, here and now. Doing science is extremely helpful, but under condition that we stay in the domain of applied science.
As both consultants and researchers, our perspectives are wide, we are familiar with the most recent literature on the subjects of management, organizational science etc., we go to international conferences, we know what are the development trends in other countries. By mastering a given knowledge domain, we still have our feet on the ground; we know the practical limits of even the most sophisticated research.
There is also one important issue at stake. Had my priorities focused on knowing the truth or reality itself, I wouldn't have hesitated and left abroad. Science transcends borders and the US is probably the place that is fit the best for practicing it.
Of course, one can ask a legitimate question: how to distinguish a scientist practicing consulting from a consultant practicing science. I think that the answer is simple: by looking at their results, both scientific and pracitical.
I don't want to sound too critical about science and scientists. There's nothing more practical than a good theory, as Kurt Lewin once said. Scientists are those who make the work of people like me possible. Sometimes I envy their freedom but on the other hand I feel sorry that in Poland it is sometimes hard for them to make the ends meet. Finally, there is third category: teachers, couches and trainers. They seem to stand across the gap, but this is a different topic.
Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved |
