360: Research Impact: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How You Can Increase Your Impact Potential (13221)

Scholars traditionally have thought of research impact in terms of classic academic impact via several publications, level of citations, influence on the thinking and theorizing of academic peers, and literature. Nevertheless, we are now increasingly being tasked with demonstrating the impact of our research on the professional and the practice community. This poses an interesting challenge for us, scholars, as well as the schools and universities we work for, to adapt or retrofit the idea of research impact into the way we operate. Whereas research is one of the core activities of academic institutions, only recently, the very same institutions have been incorporating the word “impact” into their mission statements or extensively discussing it as part of their research strategy. Yet, questions remain about what we should understand through impactful research. More importantly, management and organizational scholars have been mostly absent from these conversations. Meaningful discussions that pay attention to sensemaking (i.e., exploring the current elements, themes, and meanings constituting different elements of impactful research) and sensebreaking (i.e., discussing, disrupting, critiquing, and refreshing what impactful research can mean to scholars) are more needed than ever. Several important questions arise as we try to adapt to new pressures juggling multiple responsibilities in this rapidly changing world. A panel of four scholars who have meaningful experience in producing impactful research is brought together. Each panelist will bring a new perspective to our discussion. The final part of this PDW is devoted to the panelists working together with participants to find ways to increase their potential for impactful research.