Theory Or Practice? -What Is The Point Of Research Carried Out By Biz Schools? - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Recent Actual Test 5 Academic Reading Test 2 · Part 3 · Questions 27–40
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.
Theory or Practice? -What is the point of research carried out by biz schools?
Students go to universities and other academic institutions to prepare for their future. We pay tuition and struggle through classes in the hopes that we can find a fulfilling and exciting career. But the choice of your university has a large influence on your future. How can you know which university will prepare you the best for your future? Like other academic institutions, business schools are judged by the quality of the research carried out by their faculties. Professors must both teach students and also produce original research in their own field. The quality of this research is assessed by academic publications. At the same time, universities have another responsibility to equip their students for the real world, however that is defined. Most students learning from professors will not go into academics themselves—so how do academics best prepare them for their future careers, whatever that may be? Whether academic research actually produces anything that is useful to the practice of business, or even whether it is its job to do so, are questions that can provoke vigorous arguments on campus.
The debate, which first flared during the 1950s, was reignited in August, when AACSB International, the most widely recognised global accrediting agency for business schools, announced it would consider changing the way it evaluates research. The news followed rather damning criticism in 2002 from Jeffrey Pfeffer, a Stanford professor, and Christina Fong of Washington University, which questioned whether business education in its current guise was sustainable. The study found that traditional modes of academia were not adequately preparing students for the kind of careers they faced in current times. The most controversial recommendation in AACSB's draft report (which was sent round to administrators for their comment) is that the schools should be required to demonstrate the value of their faculties' research not simply by listing its citations in journals, but by demonstrating the impact it has in the professional world. New qualifiers, such as average incomes, student placement in top firms and business collaborations would now be considered just as important as academic publications.
AACSB justifies its stance by saying that it wants schools and faculty to play to their strengths, whether they be in pedagogy, in the research of practical applications, or in scholarly endeavor. Traditionally, universities operate in a pyramid structure. Everyone enters and stays in an attempt to be successful in their academic field. A psychology professor must publish competitive research in the top neuroscience journals. A Cultural Studies professor must send graduate students on new field research expeditions to be taken seriously. This research is the core of a university's output. And research of any kind is expensive—AACSB points out that business schools in America alone spend more than $320m a year on it. So it seems legitimate to ask for what purpose it is undertaken.
If a school chose to specialise in professional outputs rather than academic outputs, it could use such a large sum of money and redirect it into more fruitful programs. For example, if a business school wanted a larger presence of employees at top financial firms, this money may be better spent on a career center which focuses on building the skills of students, rather than paying for more high-level research to be done through the effort of faculty. A change in evaluation could also open the door to inviting more professionals from different fields to teach as adjuncts. Students could take accredited courses from people who are currently working in their dream field. The AACSB insists that universities answer the question as to why research is the most critical component of traditional education.
On one level, the question is simple to answer. Research in business schools, as anywhere else, is about expanding the boundaries of knowledge; it thrives on answering unasked questions. Surely this pursuit of knowledge is still important to the university system. Our society progresses because we learn how to do things in new ways, a process which depends heavily on research and academics. But one cannot ignore the other obvious practical uses of research publications. Research is also about cementing schools'—and professors'—reputations. Schools gain kudos from their faculties' record of publication: which journals publish them, and how often. In some cases, such as with government-funded schools in Britain, it can affect how much money they receive. For professors, the mantra is often "publish or perish". Their careers depend on being seen in the right journals.
But at a certain point, one has to wonder whether this research is being done for the benefit of the university or for the students the university aims to teach. Greater publications will attract greater funding, which will in turn be spent on better publications. Students seeking to enter professions out of academia find this cycle frustrating, and often see their professors as being part of the "Ivory Tower" of academia, operating in a self-contained community that has little influence on the outside world.
The research is almost universally unread by real-world managers. Part of the trouble is that the journals labour under a similar ethos. They publish more than 20,000 articles each year. Most of the research is highly quantitative, hypothesis-driven and esoteric. As a result, it is almost universally unread by real-world managers. Much of the research criticises other published research. A paper in a 2006 issue of Strategy & Leadership commented that "research is not designed with managers' needs in mind, nor is it communicated in the journals they read... For the most part it has become a self-referential closed system [irrelevant to] corporate performance." The AACSB demands that this segregation must change for the future of higher education. If students must invest thousands of dollars for an education as part of their career path, the academics which serve the students should be more fully incorporated into the professional world. This means that universities must focus on other strengths outside of research, such as professional networks, technology skills, and connections with top business firms around the world. Though many universities resisted the report, today's world continues to change. The universities which prepare students for our changing future have little choice but to change with new trends and new standards.
Questions
Questions 27–29 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Questions 30–31 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Questions 32–36 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 3?
Write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts with the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
Questions 37–40 Matching Sentence Endings
Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-E, below.
A. it progresses as we learn innovative ways of doing things.
B. the trends and standards are changing.
C. their jobs depend on it.
D. they care about their school rankings and government funds.
E. it helps students to go into top business firms.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q27 | C | The most controversial recommendation in AACSB's draft report (which was sent round to administrators for their comment) is that the schools should be required to demonstrate the value of their faculties' research not simply by listing its citations in journals, but by demonstrating the impact it has in the professional world | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that AACSB wants schools to prove that their professors' research is useful by showing the real-world effect it has on jobs and businesses, and not just by counting how often other academic papers mention it. Answer Explanation: The answer means that AACSB wants universities to show how their research really helps in the business world, not just how many times it is mentioned in academic papers. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the passage states that AACSB recommends that schools show how their research affects the 'professional world' instead of just counting how many times it's mentioned. This means they want to see the real 'impact' or influence of the research outside of academic journals. |
| Q28 | A | AACSB justifies its stance by saying that it wants schools and faculty to play to their strengths, whether they be in pedagogy, in the research of practical applications, or in scholarly endeavor | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that AACSB explains its new idea by stating that it wishes for universities and their teachers to use their strong points, like being good at teaching (pedagogy), doing research for real-world use, or doing academic studies. Answer Explanation: The answer means that AACSB wants universities and their teachers to use their best skills and do what they are good at. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the passage clearly states that AACSB's reason for its recommendation is to allow schools and teachers to 'play to their strengths'. This means they want teachers to focus on what they do best, whether it's teaching, doing practical research, or traditional academic study. The main idea is to let each school and teacher use their special skills or 'advantage' effectively. |
| Q29 | A | A paper in a 2006 issue of Strategy & Leadership commented that "research is not designed with managers' needs in mind, nor is it communicated in the journals they read... For the most part it has become a self-referential closed system [irrelevant to] corporate performance." | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage shares a comment from a paper in the 'Strategy & Leadership' journal. This comment says that research is not made for what managers need and that it is not written in places managers read. It also says that research has become a closed system that does not help how well companies perform. Answer Explanation: The answer says that the author mentions the journal 'Strategy & Leadership' to show that research is not important for how well companies perform. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the passage uses a quote from a paper in 'Strategy & Leadership' to explain why a lot of business school research is not helpful for real companies. The quote directly states that research has become a 'self-referential closed system [irrelevant to] corporate performance,' meaning it doesn't help businesses improve. |
| Q30 | — | — | |
| Q31 | B / D | The news followed rather damning criticism in 2002 from Jeffrey Pfeffer, a Stanford professor, and Christina Fong of Washington University, which questioned whether business education in its current guise was sustainable. The study found that traditional modes of academia were not adequately preparing students for the kind of careers they faced in current times | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that Jeffrey Pfeffer and Christina Fong gave strong negative feedback in 2002. They thought that the way business schools taught students was not good enough for the future. Their study showed that the old ways of teaching at universities did not make students ready for the types of jobs they would have today. Answer Explanation: The answer choices B and D are correct. This means that Jeffrey Pfeffer and Christina Fong believed that schools teaching business were not doing a good job, and that students were not ready for their jobs after studying at universities. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer choices B and D reflect the findings from Jeffrey Pfeffer and Christina Fong's study. The passage states that their criticism 'questioned whether business education in its current guise was sustainable' (choice B). It also explicitly mentions that their study 'found that traditional modes of academia were not adequately preparing students for the kind of careers they faced in current times' (choice D), meaning students were not well-prepared for their jobs. |
| Q32 | FALSE | The debate, which first flared during the 1950s, was reignited in August, when AACSB International, the most widely recognised global accrediting agency for business schools, announced it would consider changing the way it evaluates research | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the discussion, or 'debate', about business school research first started, or 'flared', in the 1950s. This shows it is an old discussion, not a new one. It was then 'reignited', meaning it became active again recently, but it didn't just start. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'FALSE'. This means the idea that academic research helps businesses is not a recent or new discussion. It has been talked about for a long time. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'FALSE' because the passage clearly states that the debate about whether academic research is useful for business started a long time ago. The exact words in the passage indicate that it 'first flared during the 1950s', which means it began many years ago, not recently. The passage also mentions it was 'reignited' later, suggesting it was brought up again, not started anew. |
| Q33 | FALSE | The most controversial recommendation in AACSB's draft report (which was sent round to administrators for their comment) is that the schools should be required to demonstrate the value of their faculties' research not simply by listing its citations in journals, but by demonstrating the impact it has in the professional world | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the most important idea in AACSB's new plan was shared with 'administrators' (people in charge at schools or organizations). They were asked to give their 'comment' (their opinions or feedback). This means the report was looked at and given feedback by people outside the original writing team, making the original statement 'not reviewed externally' false. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'FALSE'. This means the statement 'AACSB's draft report was not reviewed externally' is incorrect. The report *was* looked at by people outside the main group that wrote it. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage states that the AACSB's draft report was sent to administrators to get their thoughts. This shows that the report *was* reviewed and commented on by people outside the direct team who wrote it. So, it was reviewed 'externally' by these administrators. |
| Q34 | TRUE | And research of any kind is expensive—AACSB points out that business schools in America alone spend more than $320m a year on it | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that doing research costs a lot of money. It tells us that business schools in America spend over 320 million dollars every year for this research. Answer Explanation: The answer TRUE means that the statement is correct. It means that what the question says about how much money US business schools spend on research each year is accurate, according to the passage. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage clearly states the amount of money business schools in America spend on research. The third paragraph mentions a specific sum, confirming that the statement in the question accurately reflects this information. The keyword to notice is "$320m a year on it," which directly matches the question's detail. |
| Q35 | NOT GIVEN | If a school chose to specialise in professional outputs rather than academic outputs, it could use such a large sum of money and redirect it into more fruitful programs | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if a school decided to focus on 'professional outputs' (like preparing students directly for jobs) instead of 'academic outputs' (like publishing research papers), it could use money in different ways. This sentence talks about a *choice* a school *could* make, implying it is not what many schools are currently doing. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'NOT GIVEN'. This means the passage does not provide enough information to say if the statement is true or false. We cannot tell from the text if many universities currently aim for professional outputs. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'NOT GIVEN' because the passage talks about a *discussion* and *recommendations* for universities to focus more on 'professional outputs', but it does not state that *many* universities already do this. Instead, the passage highlights that universities traditionally focus on academic research and publications. It presents the idea of specializing in professional outputs as a *choice* a school *could* make in the future or a change that is being suggested by organizations like AACSB, rather than a common current practice. |
| Q36 | FALSE | Students seeking to enter professions out of academia find this cycle frustrating, and often see their professors as being part of the "Ivory Tower" of academia, operating in a self-contained community that has little influence on the outside world | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that students who plan to work in jobs outside of universities feel upset about how much professors focus on publishing research. These students think that professors live in their own academic world, like an 'Ivory Tower,' which does not really connect to or help students prepare for jobs in the real world. Answer Explanation: The answer 'FALSE' means that while more published research papers might help professors, they do not help students in the same way, or at all. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage explains that even though professors benefit greatly from publishing more research for their careers and the school's reputation, students often do not feel the same benefit. The passage states that students who want to work in jobs outside of school find this focus on publications 'frustrating' because they see it as having 'little influence on the outside world' and not helping them prepare for their future jobs. This shows a clear difference in how publications affect professors versus students. |
| Q37 | C | For professors, the mantra is often "publish or perish". Their careers depend on being seen in the right journals | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that professors often follow the idea of 'publish or perish,' which means they must publish their research or their careers will suffer. It also states directly that their jobs and professional paths depend on their work being published in important academic magazines. Answer Explanation: The answer means that professors do research because it is necessary for their jobs and future at the university. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer, 'their jobs depend on it,' is supported by the passage which explains the pressure on professors to conduct and publish research. The passage uses key phrases like 'publish or perish' to highlight that a professor's career advancement and stability are linked to their research output. This indicates that their professional survival and success depend on their academic research. |
| Q38 | D | Schools gain kudos from their faculties' record of publication: which journals publish them, and how often. In some cases, such as with government-funded schools in Britain, it can affect how much money they receive | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that schools get respect and a good name when their teachers publish research papers in important journals. Also, for schools that get money from the government, how much research they do can change how much money they receive. Answer Explanation: The answer means that schools help with academic research because they want to have a good reputation and get money from the government. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'D' because the passage explains that schools support academic research to improve their reputation, which can be thought of as their 'rankings,' and to secure funding. The passage states that schools 'gain kudos' (meaning good reputation or respect) from their professors' research publications and that, for some government-funded schools, research can 'affect how much money they receive.' This matches the idea of caring about school rankings and government funds. |
| Q39 | A | Our society progresses because we learn how to do things in new ways, a process which depends heavily on research and academics | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that our community gets better and grows because we find out how to do things differently and more effectively. This happens a lot because of studies and learning done by experts in universities. Answer Explanation: The answer means that our society gets better and moves forward because we keep finding new and smarter ways to do things, and this happens thanks to academic research. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the passage clearly states that society improves when people discover new methods and ideas, and this learning process relies a lot on research. The passage says, "Our society progresses because we learn how to do things in new ways, a process which depends heavily on research and academics." This directly supports the idea that research helps society move forward by teaching us innovative ways. |
| Q40 | B | Though many universities resisted the report, today's world continues to change. The universities which prepare students for our changing future have little choice but to change with new trends and new standards | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that many schools did not want to accept the new ideas from the AACSB. But it also says that the world is always changing. Schools that want to help students get ready for this changing future have no other option but to also change and follow the new ways and rules. Answer Explanation: The answer means that schools which do not want to follow the new rules from the AACSB *must* change because the world and the rules for education are always becoming new or different. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the passage explains that even though many universities did not like the AACSB's new ideas, they still need to change. This is because the world around us is always changing. To prepare students for the future, universities have no choice but to adapt to these 'new trends and new standards.' The passage clearly states that universities must evolve with the times to stay relevant. |