Researching in the workplace: a chance to avoid researchers' ‘reality shock’?

Abstract

Considerable scepticism still persists with the academic disciplines in higher education in the United Kingdom about the quality of the research undertaken by employees in their own workplace. Workplace ‘investigations’ are negatively contrasted to academy‐based research degrees, which are held to be a model of how research should be undertaken. In addition, the emphasis within established research practice is on the contribution of ‘new’ knowledge to the discipline. Inevitably, such a perspective disadvantages the researcher in the workplace. However, studies of new researchers in the academy indicate that they experience considerable ‘reality shock’ when they begin their doctorates, and often do not feel well prepared. This is the experience of both science and social science/humanities students. In contrast, those candidates taking workplace professional doctorates welcome the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities. This article outlines why this is the case, and suggests that workplace researchers are more effectively prepared to undertake high‐level research than those who have taken taught courses in the university.