Why is Academia Sometimes Detached from Firms’ Problems? The Unattractiveness of Research on Organizational Decline

ABSTRACT We examined how scholars decide what they study, scrutinizing researchers’ problem choice. We qualitatively analyzed a survey conducted by e-mail with 40 top management scholars on organizational decline in top-ranked journals. This topic appears to be neglected despite the real life evidence that the performance of firms is declining at an increasingly rapid pace. We conducted a content analysis of motivation to undertake, remain with, or abandon research. We found explanations for what researchers’ study specifically related to concerns over tenure and promotion, difficulty in conducting research, and the general unattractiveness of ‘negative’ themes that lead scholars to avoid a research topic. We contribute to studies on problem choice in management research by explaining why relevant economic and societal research agendas are under-researched. Our findings indicate that motivation not to undertake is related to extrinsic factors. Motivations to remain are usually intrinsic. However, motivations to abandon may be intrinsic, in order to move on to another research project, or extrinsic, depending on the situation. It also serves as a warning that scholars may be paying excessive attention to mainstream theoretical approaches and topics, inhibiting the emergence of new ideas and detracting attention from phenomena that are important for teaching.

摘要
本研究聚焦学者如何确定研究选题，深入剖析研究者的问题选择逻辑。我们通过电子邮件向40名发表于顶级期刊的顶尖管理学学者开展调研，并针对该调研展开定性分析，调研主题为组织衰退。尽管现实证据显示企业绩效正以愈发迅猛的速度下滑，但该议题却长期被学界忽视。
我们针对研究者开展研究、持续深耕某一主题，或是放弃当前研究的动机开展了内容分析。研究发现，研究者的选题倾向与终身教职（tenure）及晋升考量、研究开展难度，以及"负面"主题普遍缺乏吸引力密切相关——这类主题会促使学者主动回避相关研究方向。
本研究通过阐释为何与经济、社会相关的重要研究议程长期未得到充分研究，为管理学研究中的问题选择领域贡献了新的理论视角。研究结果显示，研究者放弃开展某一研究的动机多与外部因素相关；而持续深耕某一主题的动机通常源于内在兴趣。不过，放弃研究的动机可分为两类：若为转向其他研究项目而放弃当前主题，则属于内在动机；反之则可能由外部因素驱动，具体取决于实际情境。
本研究同时发出警示：学界可能过度关注主流理论范式与研究主题，这不仅会阻碍新思想的涌现，还会分散学界对教学领域重要现象的关注。