Theory to practice: reflections on a consulting life

Daniel Druckman*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this essay, I recount my career experiences as a research consultant in Washington DC. These experiences, over the course of 23 years, provide examples of how theory and research can be used to guide practice. The account is chronological, beginning with my first consulting assignment in 1975, where I worked with a US delegation on resolving a negotiation impasse, to the 1990s where I directed study groups on a variety of human performance and international conflict resolution topics. These projects consisted both of applications of research-based knowledge and the generation of research ideas for new projects. By immersing myself in both theory and practice, I could transform basic research into applied insights and induce research ideas from practice. This was the kind of career that Jeff Rubin aspired to having. The IACM Rubin award recognizes the way that his aspiration was fulfilled by one of his colleagues.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)163-179
Number of pages17
JournalNegotiation and Conflict Management Research
Volume13
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 International Association for Conflict Management and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • consulting career
  • international conflict resolution
  • Rubin award
  • theory and practice

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