Scholarly Knowledge Communication in Organisational Decision-Making

Abstract

This study explored how scholarly knowledge—with a focus on service quality—is used and obtained by business managers in daily practice, and potential barriers to implementing such knowledge in decisionmaking. A qualitative approach was employed in conducting individual interviews with 20 managers in 10 Finnish companies. The study detected that service quality knowledge was recognised and internally communicated, thereby affecting business practices. By exploring how such knowledge is obtained and used, this study detected several barriers on both the individual and organisational levels, indicating that scholarly knowledge is not fully employed as evidence in decision-making. The study contributes to the ongoing discussion concerning the relationship between theory and practice by providing empirical insights regarding service quality knowledge and by elucidating why this knowledge is not employed in decisionmaking.