Searching for Sustainability in the Generation of Knowledge

Abstract

The link between the practitioner's world and academia is not without its complications. If we assume that academics are responsible for producing knowledge while practitioners are responsible for its application, we could be excused for thinking that the natural procedure would be a joint effort, where these two worlds coincide. However, thanks to globalization—and scenarios of unheard-of speed and polarization—these human conditions, far from tending to converge, have in fact diverged due to technology's erasing of distances. Evidence suggests that these two groups function better apart, given the nature of their particular realities, and the so-called “Mode 2” was proposed in 1994, as a methodology capable of bringing both visions closer together; however, despite Mode 2's benefits, sizeable changes have yet to be observed. This work analyzes certain elements that could help to reverse this situation.