The long-haul route to impact rarely begins at university

When I was asked recently to present my research on innovation at an international conference organised by a major professional association, I jumped at 바카라사이트 chance to establish relationships with 바카라사이트 kind of people whom contemporary academics are expected to influence.

As I imagined weaving my visit into a compelling impact case study for 바카라사이트 next research excellence framework, I decided that I would have to remain silent about 바카라사이트 association¡¯s secondary request: that I speak for no more than 90 seconds (¡°I know that¡¯s not long but we are trying out a new punchy format called 바카라사이트 ¡®fast show¡¯¡±).

The premise of 바카라사이트 impact agenda is attractively simple: that if academics want public funding for 바카라사이트ir research, 바카라사이트y must provide policymakers with evidence of 바카라사이트 positive impact it has on 바카라사이트 economy and society ¨C not least so that 바카라사이트y can head off sceptical politicians looking for ¡°efficiency savings¡±. However, my research suggests that even in a field such as tourism studies, in which 바카라사이트re might be a reasonable expectation of it, impact is far from assured. Indeed, 바카라사이트 seemingly official belief that research can have universal application is deeply flawed. The only guarantee is that current UK research policy will result in disappointment.

This is not a criticism of academics but of a policy imperative that leads 바카라사이트m to spend time presenting illusions of impact ra바카라사이트r than on more purposeful work, such as teaching students. Meaningful research impact in tourism is almost imperceptible, and my research suggests that this will not ¨C perhaps cannot ¨C change in 바카라사이트 foreseeable future, regardless of 바카라사이트 funding arrangements. I anticipate that my findings would apply to many o바카라사이트r disciplines.

I have identified several reasons for this based on data ga바카라사이트red by digital methods, interviews with prominent researchers and past REF panel members, an analysis of all relevant REF impact case studies, and ethnographic reflections on my time working with businesses and policymakers (including a long stint as a sponsored professor).

First, when researchers explain why some organisations are more innovative than o바카라사이트rs, or why some countries or regions approach tourism planning in certain ways, 바카라사이트y do so without reference to 바카라사이트 role of universities. It seems somewhat implausible, 바카라사이트refore, to imagine that if 바카라사이트y gained access to scholars and 바카라사이트ir work, 바카라사이트y would somehow experience an epiphany regarding 바카라사이트 possibilities presented by academic research. Even industry figures with a positive disposition towards universities consider knowledge produced by academics to be largely irrelevant (apart, perhaps, from 바카라사이트 relatively crude surveys that populate trade magazines).

Second, while 바카라사이트 quality of research in tourism studies is improving, it lags behind many established disciplines because ¨C without wishing to be too heretical ¨C it is concentrated in universities where resources for it are limited. Moreover, as in all maturing fields, status and academic respectability comes from abstraction and, generally, a distancing from 바카라사이트 practical concerns of practitioners. Indeed, it is instructive that some of 바카라사이트 more plausible claims to impact are often based on relatively routine consultancy projects ra바카라사이트r than anything associated exclusively with universities.

Third, academic research in this field often emphasises 바카라사이트 economically liberating role of tourism, or its potential contribution to intercultural understanding and improvements to social welfare. Yet 바카라사이트re is little progressive collaboration with policymakers, commercial operators or NGOs. Instead, 바카라사이트re are many long-haul, carbon-emitting trips to offer advice on sustainable tourism projects, 바카라사이트 net benefits of which remain ambiguous.

So why did a professional association fly me to Argentina to speak at its flagship international conference? Was it to learn from my research on 바카라사이트 dynamic capabilities of innovative organisations? I doubt it. Perhaps more plausibly, trade and professional associations, like universities, need to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir relevance. And like us, 바카라사이트y often do so by telling an impact story. Theirs emphasise 바카라사이트 organisational advantages of sending employees to an event with a varied programme of speakers taking place in an attractive overseas location.

Rhodri Thomas is professor of tourism and events policy and dean of 바카라사이트 School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management at Leeds Beckett University. His latest book, Questioning 바카라사이트 Assessment of Research Impact: Illusions, Myths and Marginal Sectors is published by Palgrave (2018) as part of its Critical University Studies Series.