In organizational development, it seems there is always a barrier between academically-inclined researchers and hands-on consultants. I notice in my own work with research colleagues that there is a desire to stay within one’s own comfort zone. As long as the Cronbach’s alpha for a scale is high enough, as long as batteries being used in data collection have been accepted by peer-reviewed journals, all is right with the world. However, there is a gap between measured/ quantified phenomena, and solutions to issues/ problems stemming from those phenomena. Researchers typically don’t ‘boil the ocean’ in looking for answers; they start with well-defined hypotheses and attendant measures. I would suggest that at the design phase there be more attention paid to the practical implications of their work – how precisely does a battery of items translate into what should be done with the results? It seems that if researchers and practitioners consciously formed teams—BEFORE research is designed and fielded–the actionable results would be more effective.

Here is a thoughtful article from the American Psychological Association on the topic:

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/06/gap.aspx

What have you done in your own work, to bridge this gap?