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- Title
THE UNDERVALUED POWER OF SELF-RELEVANT RESEARCH: THE CASE OF RESEARCHING RETIREMENT WHILE RETIRING.
- Authors
AMABILE, TERESA M.; (TIM) HALL, DOUGLAS T.
- Abstract
For decades, management research training hasemphasized objectivity, typically considered an arm's-length distance between the research topic and the researcher's personal interests. This emphasis has led scholars to avoid research topics of deep personal relevance--or at least to avoid acknowledging such relevance. We argue that this headlong pursuit of objectivity has led the field to vastly undervalue what we call self-relevant research: immersive field research on a topic with which the researcher has significant personal experience, and which is important to the researcher's self-identity. To illustrate, wedrawon ourowncurrent experience in a teamof scholars doing self-relevant research on retirement. We argue that embracing self-relevant research can enhance the richness, validity, and methodological diversity of management research, and can be essential for understanding phenomena involving unusual experiences, high degrees of emotionality, or identity issues. We discuss the advantages and challenges that arise when researchers have a deeply personal connection to the research topic, and we describe measures researchers cantaketo leverage advantages and mitigate challenges therein. We also high light the value of engaging in groupself-reflection in the course of collaborative researchof this type, and discuss implications for the field and individual researchers.
- Subjects
RETIREMENT; DISTANCE education; IDENTITY (Psychology); OBJECTIVITY; SCHOLARS
- Publication
Academy of Management Perspectives, 2021, Vol 35, Issue 3, p347
- ISSN
1558-9080
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.5465/amp.2018.0083