Good Pharma? How Business Communication Research Can Help Bridge the Gap Between Students and Practitioners. (June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bruyer, Tom; Jacobs, Geert; Vandendaele, Astrid
• Is Part Of: Business and professional communication quarterly. Volume 79:Number 2(2016:Jun.)
• Page Start: 141
• Page End: 153
• Publication Date: 2016-06
• Subjects: student research -- learning and practice -- CSR -- pharma -- autoethnography; Business education -- United States -- Periodicals; Communication in management -- United States -- Periodicals; English language -- Business English -- Periodicals; 658.450715
• DOI: 10.1177/2329490615610776
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2329-4906

Abstract

This article presents a case-based exploration of the complex interactions between learning, research, and practice in the field of business and professional communication. It focuses on a student research project in the area of corporate social responsibility in the biopharmaceutical industry. Adopting an autoethnographic approach, we aim to document the students' development from researchers to insiders or even consultants. The findings reveal that while the students feel confident in their roles as researchers, they fail to live up to some of the commissioning practitioners' expectations. The study concludes by providing guidelines to strengthen interaction between students and practitioners.