Journal of IOA: Ombuds as a Resource for Collaborative Research

Nancy E. Day (Professor Emerita at the University of Missouri – Kansas City and former Faculty Ombudsperson), Mary Sue Love (Associate Professor in at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and former Ombudsperson), and Gregory K. Stephens (faculty at Texas Christian University and Ombudsman for the Academy of Management) have published an article in the Journal of the International Ombudsman Association. The full article, "Ombuds Interventions in Encouraging Covenantal Research Collaborations: I Am with You Always, Now and Beyond the End of Our Study," is now available online.

Here's the abstract:

Given the proliferation of coauthored research, organizational Ombudspersons are likely to encounter increasing numbers of conflicts among researchers. We suggest that covenantal, rather than contractual, collaborations will create long-term, productive research relationships more effectively. Using sacred covenants as our foundational principles, we describe how research collaborations can become covenantal and how organizational Ombuds can help research active visitors forge these relationships. Characteristics of sacred covenants, such as a
shared purpose, an expanded time frame, mutually defined expectations, strong emotional bonds, and shared commitment to team norms and ethical behavior are fundamental building blocks of covenantal research collaborations.

We use the example of Nobel Prize-winning researchers Kahneman and Tversky’s relationship and its demise to illustrate these principles and conclude with recommendations for Ombuds working with researchers to create and nourish covenantal research relationships.

(JIOA.)

Related posts: Journal of IOA Now Available Through EBSCO; Journal of IOA Moves to Piecemeal Publication Schedule; Journal of IOA Opens Access for 2019; Journal of IOA Seeks Book Reviewers; Journal of IOA Call for Papers: Special Issue on Sexual Harassment.

See also: University of Missouri–Kansas City Appoints First Faculty Ombuds; Academy of Management Creates Ombuds Program.