The scholarship of application in the context of academic entrepreneurialism

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to undertake an inquiry into the way academic entrepreneurialism manifests itself in the changing discourses of the notion of "scholarship". It particularly examines the contexts, rationales, definitions and implications of the discursive field of the "scholarship of application". The global trend of academic entrepreneurialism profoundly affects the organisation of higher education institutions and academic life. Particularly, the form of scholarship has been undergoing subtle but constant transformation. The emergence of knowledge economies worldwide influences the practices and goals of traditional academy and illustrates commitment for fundamental knowledge and the new economies emphasise the results and impacts brought by applied knowledge. Alongside the "scholarship of discovery", the "scholarship of application" is given attention. Design/methodology/approach -By reviewing the related literature, this paper articulates the definitions and dimensions of the "scholarship of application". In addition, the impacts brought about by the concerned academic and policy discourses will be discussed. Findings -This paper finds that the emergence of the discursive field of the "scholarship of application" -as well as the discussions and actions in response to it -coincide with the intense neoliberal changes that affected traditional academia in the 1990s. It is argued that the emergence of and subsequent responses to the discursive field of the "scholarship of application" resulted in transforming purposes and practices of academic life. The discursive field of the "scholarship of application" also impacts on the concerned academic and policy discourses. Originality/value -To sustain the advancement of the scholarship of application, this paper implies the need to develop practices, cultivate culture as well as formulate prestige and reward mechanisms inherent to the existing higher education systems.

Is Academic Entrepreneurialism a Universal Concept? New Ideas and Insights From Contextualisation Beyond East and West

“…Given its exchange value, knowledge and its generation processes make quantifiable impacts on life in society and universities (Ball, 2015). The conceptualisation of academic entrepreneurialism (Barnett, 2005;Deem;2001;Kweik, 2012;Tang, 2014b) is likely to offer some explanatory power to make sense of higher education change including changing policies, practices, everyday interactions, and subjectivities in academia. Modelled as a market of competing institutions, higher education produces research and knowledge which can create new values for application, educational service and knowledge transfer in the knowledge economy.…”

Entrepreneurial University Challenges and Critical Success Factors to Thrive

“…It refers to how universities and faculty deal with the market and exhibit market-like behaviors. The scholarship of application, however, is focused on the relevance of knowledge produced and disseminated in universities and its applicability and impact on society (Tang 2014). This can be seen in the increased focus and funding for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related programs and research across higher education systems, which are perceived to produce the necessary innovation required to sustain economic development and enhance the competitiveness of their respective countries.…”