Theory practice gap: Transition from Practice to a Theoretical Perspective

Theory practice gap: Transition from Practice to a Theoretical Perspective

• 1.
  Seminar in PublicPolicy Theory – Practice Gap & The Transition to a Theoretical Perspective
• 2.
  Theory – Practice I did not complete my PhD until I was almost 50.  Prior to that, I’d had a long public service career and share what insights I’ve gleaned after 20 years as a ‘pracademic’.  Theory and Practice are very different in several ways.
• 3.
  Practice  A accumulationof experience and advice from other practitioners, usually limited to a fairly narrow field of practice (e.g. public utility in my case).  Tends to address specific situations; seeks solutions to current or immediate problems and challenges.  Much like a movie, it is a continuous series of changing scenes and situations.
• 4.
  Practice  Faces effectivenesstests in active systems or organizations.  germ theory of disease  ‘are the lights on’ in electric utility practice  Much like a movie, it is a continuous experience with constantly changing scenes and situations.
• 5.
  Theory  An accumulationof ‘scientific’ knowledge.  Social science is not the same as physical science  All water molecules do the same thing at 100 C  People do not react as predictably  Seeks generalizable explanations that comprehend or include multiple, theoretically allied or similar, situations across many practice fields or disciplines.  Incurs comparability problems  General may not be ‘true’ in some specific cases
• 6.
  Theory  Faces ‘peerreview’ tests  Challenges of theoretical orthodoxy  The quasi-religious nature of aspirational ‘theory’  Rigidity of ‘basic’ assumptions that are wrong (e.g. politics – administration dichotomy)  More like snap shots
• 7.
  Theory – PracticeTransition  Importance of theory and theoretical history.  Inconsistency with practical experience  Narrow focus of practical experience  Inaccurate theoretical inclusion or classification  Much social science ‘theory’ is actually aspirational rather than ‘science’ in the physical science sense.
• 8.
  Transition  Requires diligenteffort to take theory seriously, in spite of its limitations and frequently aspirational character  Understand limitations of practical experience  Limited to a given field of practice (e.g. engineering)  Limited to a given context, culture or national environment
• 9.
  Value of aTransition  Become a true ‘pracademic’  Able to draw on theoretical assets, including research findings to improve practice.  Able to infuse theory with relevant experience  Use the best parts of both worlds in both worlds
• 10.
  Additional Benefits  Ableto leap tall (theoretical) buildings in a single bound  Able to bridge the wildest (practical) rivers with ease  Bend public policy in your bare hands  Impress your friends; confuse your enemies