Dear employer, this week I am giving to corporate governance ESADE MBA. I started in this area, which is optional, in the 2001-2002 academic year, and this, therefore, the third and increasingly are having more demand. Of the five students with whom I started this last year are now fourteen. In three years we have tripled the participation and diversity is the fundamental characteristic of the group: U.S. 6, 4 of Catalonia, 1 Brazilian, 1 Scotland, 1 in France and 1 in Switzerland. With all the changes that have occurred in this field, every year I have been adjusting the content and teaching methodology, and this year I had the opportunity to have the participation of an experienced director, senior executive of a large company and with relevant international career. His speech was intended to convey his personal experience, as it was, being a very interesting session that students quite liked.
But I want to take this circumstance to reflect on the debate between theory and practice, which often occurs in both the academic and the business world. The Minister emphasized that he invited him we wanted to convey what he believed from his experience, and so was his reality. We wanted to explain any theory. The approach was perfect, then why we invite you to come on. But the odd thing is that his speech, made from practice, he fully agreed with the contributes knowledge about corporate governance. Then, if the teacher makes a theoretical discourse that - regardless of experience - coincides with the discourse of a professional practice, because in some academic environments, and in most business environments, the concept has much bad press?
It was the American psychologist, of German origin, Kurt Lewin who said 'There is nothing so practical as a good theory "(There is nothing so practical as a good theory). Coming from a researcher, who typically want to do theory, not bad. Now, try to see what the real meaning of this demonstration.
In research, often, the places far from the truth when the truth is that there is close. The ambition of science, whether natural or social, is to understand reality, to explain it, and there is nothing more practical than the reality. However, there are many realities and it is true that sometimes, theorizing, modeling of these realities is that some of them remain a little, or rather, far from the reality that home and those who live not feel involved in the corresponding theory, but this does not invalidate the theoretical contribution or learning that can be derived. In any case, is what one would doubt the validity of the research undertaken, however, if someone is demanding, these are members of scientific communities. Moreover, science is not immutable, evolves according to how the accumulation of knowledge and reality, by changing certain references which may seem untouchable.
However, not all areas of knowledge are perceived as socially. So, those are tied to the natural sciences (physics, chemistry, biology, pharmacy, engineering, ...) hold a greater respect than those related to social sciences (economics, sociology, psychology, law, ...) where beliefs , values, lifestyles, history, etc.., its influence more or less accepted. When we refer to the business world, who will, and even questioned whether this is a scientific field - from here as I answer yes, even recently in relation to other fields - and is this kind of perception that gives rise to what the speech from the practice of having more recognized professional acceptance that the theoretical discourse of the teacher, although its content is based on the practice that he or others have investigated and explained .
Dear employer, probably you and your colleagues are tired of professional without much scruples you have tried to "sell the bike." They are people who take the name of science and knowledge and was vulgarised serious contributions made by others. But do not confuse the problem is not knowledge, but who conveys. Science and knowledge is what advances the world, and is what will advance our companies.
Joseph Albet
Professor at ESADE
Director DIRECTORS ALBET BCN
jalbet@albetconsellersbcn.org