“Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do. Whatever else you get, get insight.” Proverbs 4:7 GNT
Definition for Scholarship: The methods, discipline, and attainments of a scholar or scholars. Knowledge resulting from study and research in a particular field.
In reflecting on the nature of scholarship in moving towards full professorship, I have come to realize that knowledge can be acquired in different ways. There is the knowledge derived from life experiences, which is divinely guided, mostly relational, and practical vs. theoretical. There is also knowledge derived from a study of truth with deep reflection, which is the task of the scholar. Both types of knowledge are valuable and serve a purpose in the proper time and place. However, as mature faculty, it is important to understand the forms of knowledge that shape our lives for good and how to apply the same in particularly appropriate times and situations to add value to a student’s time at ACU.
As a scholar, it is important to become skilled in sharing the process of acquiring knowledge so that others can translate the same into wisdom and insight. Likewise, a practitioner can provide understanding by providing instruction in the best approach to achieve a desired outcome. It takes a scholar to provide the theoretical insight needed to take steps toward a common good. However, it takes one skilled in the practical application of disciplinary knowledge to support the increasing emphasis for students to be prepared to obtain a job and enter the workforce.
This is particularly true in the sciences as well as the business school. We prepare students for service and proper stewardship of the resources under their management. Just as a promising researcher needs to understand the processes and tools of research, a manager/physician/engineer needs to understand the processes and tools of their respective trade.
Since I have been at ACU, I have seen many examples of fine scholarship that led to changed lives and uncannily favorable decisions, done not for personal glory, but because these actions were grounded in faith and truth. I will always remember my times in conversation with Dr. Royce Money and Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen. I greatly appreciate the time I have been afforded over the past years to learn from a true knowledge community and to gain the insight of those who have walked the path of a scholar.
At this juncture in life, I see the value of having practical or industry experience in mentoring students regarding their career path beyond academe. When I returned to ACU in 2007, I requested to be hired at the associate professor level because this was common at other institutions hiring business graduates from Arizona State. The reason given was that their prior business experience prepared them for professional service in business that is not taught in a Research I level PhD program. Some in administrative roles at ACU would not agree to this, for reasons I am sure were part of their conviction around the need for faculty to be grounded in an academic community. I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. VanRheenen about this, and he took time not only to explain the nature of the academy but also shared his insight on the nature of mankind when life deals you an unexpected hand. I was surprised by his candor and enlightened through the discussion. About the same time, I also had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Money about his life and what brought him to ACU. Without knowledge of my conversation with Dr. VanRheenen, Dr. Money shared his insights in working through the challenges we face when life deals you an unexpected hand.
Teaching and scholarship go hand in hand. Good scholarship promotes good teaching. However, by definition, scholarship has the intended benefit that knowledge in a discipline is acquired through study and research. However, knowledge alone does not ensure correct application. Philippians 4:9 says, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” This is not a mis-application of scripture. It is understanding God’s design behind the relationship between theory and practice. By definition, to practice is to do or perform (something) repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill. To be an accountant, students must practice accounting. Business proficiency requires the practice of business skills.
Like teaching music theory without practicing music, or teaching anatomy and physiology without touching the body (which is sometimes done), to prepare business students for skills needed in business, prior business experience is important.
Our students support this view when they share their experiences in industry. See an example here from an Information Systems student who graduated in 2014, and another example here from a student who, from her practical business exposure at ACU, was offered a position and graduated in the spring of 2016.
My involvement in both areas are as follows:
SPECIFIC RESEARCH INTERESTS
Research Methods in Management, Spirituality and Religion
Management and Design of Enterprise Information Systems
Data storage and analytics using high performance computing systems
Syndromic surveillance and biosurveillance to improve health outcomes
Organizational Impacts of Information Systems
Privacy and Security Issues in Electronic Information Exchanges
Software Piracy and Intellectual Property Rights
Economics of information acquisition and management
The teaching interests as listed below inform my scholarship:
Enterprise Architectures and Systems (specifically ERP systems)
Operations Management and Business Process Management
Business Intelligence and Data Management
Financial and Managerial Accounting
Economics (Micro and Macro, as they relate to the common good)
Research Methods in Management, Spirituality and Religion
For tenure and promotion, COBA required five high quality peer-reviewed intellectual contributions in the previous five years, including one peer-reviewed publication. When I applied for tenure in 2011, I had completed 4 peer-reviewed journal publications and 6 conference proceedings over the past five years.
In 2014, COBA revised its requirements for being classified as SA – Scholarly Academic, as follows:
Academic track: A faculty member is qualified if s/he has both:
Initial Academic Preparation, taking one of the following forms:
a) A research-oriented doctoral degree in the primary teaching area.
b) A research-oriented doctoral degree related to the primary teaching area.
c) A specialized graduate degree in taxation or law related to the primary teaching area.
and, engage in sustained scholarly activities to maintain professional currency and competency.
Standard sustained engagement activities demonstrated in any one of the following forms:
a) Completed a Ph.D. within the review period.
b) Active Scholarly Activity, defined as both of the following:
at least one peer-reviewed published contribution (category A), and;
at least four additional peer-reviewed intellectual contributions (categories A and/or B).
Currently, I am qualified based on objective 1) under Academic Preparation, and objective b) under Scholarship engagement. Since receiving tenure and promotion in 2012, I have added ten peer-reviewed publications as conference presentations, work shops, symposia, a book chapter in Palgrave publications, and was the guest editor and contributed to a special issue of a journal entitled “Innovative Research Methods in MSR,” published by Management Research Review. I also have three book chapters pending publication in February and March of 2019, and two papers under development with co-authors at ACU and also in India, Manila and Ohio. Since receiving tenure and promotion, I have moved into associate editor positions of service to support the research needs of the Academy of Management, specifically the OCIS division (Organizational Communications in Information Systems) and MSR (Management, Spirituality and Religion interest group). I was also invited to be on the editorial staff of JMSR – the Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion beginning this past summer of 2018.
With these contributions, the COBA Faculty Research Committee has evaluated my intellectual contributions and deemed me qualified as a Scholarly Academic (SA), per AACSB’s requirements for research and scholarship.
Representative samples of specific contributions can be found in the expanded links under the Scholarship header menu.