Professional work from life: Lived-experience and the formation of the professional work of scholar-practitioners.

摘要

A study of the lives and professional work of scholar-practitioners was conducted with five purposefully selected, award-winning, living organization development scholar-practitioners over the age of 65. They were Billie Alban, Warner Burke, Edgar Schein, Charlie Seashore, and Edie Seashore: At least three semi-structured interviews were conducted in person and over the telephone in order to explore the influence lived-experience has on the formation of the work of scholar-practitioners. This study was guided by the research traditions of psychobiography, narrative, and grounded theory.; Lived-experiences were found to influence the formation of the professional work of the scholar-practitioners studied. The model of lived-experience and professional work that emerged identified three constructs dynamically interacting to form the influences on the work of scholar-practitioners: the person, external influences, and the professional work performed. Each construct is supported by phenomena.; This study has implications for scholar-practitioners, educators, researchers, institutions, and practitioners, and it is significant for several reasons. First, it focuses on the relationship between lived experience and work, which offers a model for understanding and further exploration of this linkage. Second, it provides a rare example of the application of the psychobiographical approach to inquiry in which more than one person is the subject of study and all subjects actively participated in the research. Finally, it contributes to the understanding of the organization development movement by focusing on the lives, influences, and works of early luminaries in the field.