Promoting Research Between Communities of Practice

Abstract
One of the reasons that we conduct research is to provide a body of research findings and theories that can inform practitioners (Williamson 2000). This article highlights research approaches that are typically used to bridge the gap between two well-known communities of practice, the academic communities of practice, the academic community and the practitioner community. It examines how knowledge may be transferred between the two communities and then discusses two research approaches, action research and case studies that can be used to bridge the gap.