Sasin Research Seminar -International Research Collaboration on Research Impact Assessment Series The second International Research Collaboration on Research Impact Assessment Series was held online on July 22, 2021. The topic was “Measuring Research Impact”. The talk began with each speaker introducing themselves and what their organizations are doing to foster research impact. The speakers were: Dan LeClair, CEO of the Global Business School Network (GBSN); Geoff Perry, Chief Officer (Asia Pacific) AACSB International; and Michel Kalika, Director of the Business School Impact System (BSIS). The discussion began by looking at how to measure the impact of research beyond academia. Geoff Perry started by discussing how business schools are increasingly wanting to have a societal impact as a result of their research and activities. He pointed out it is not always about measurement – it is also about pathways and connections to impact as the results might not be seen for years. He said that with a principles-based approach, there is more than one answer for how measuring impact is achieved. It also depends on the goals, type of research, and the target audience. Another factor is what’s being measured – is it an article, researcher, department or school? Consequently, specifying measurement can be too prescriptive, but there are other ways to look at it. There has been a growth in ‘Altmetric’ that can measure impacts in the non-academic arena. Impact can be seen in areas such as government policy and ideas picked up in the media. Funding can be a proxy for impact as people pay for results. Case studies can also give a good insight into the reach and impact of research. Dan LeClair discussed popular Altmetric and how digital technology allows the measurement of usefulness and impact. Impact implies change, which can be negative or positive. It’s the idea that something would not have changed without the study. Therefore, it is important to note if the work has been useful in helping people understand an issue. There is also too much focus on individuals and articles instead of what schools do. He then discussed problems arising from how research can be oriented when there is still academic freedom and tenure. He had found that external entities such as NGOs and businesses feel that academia could be more relevant and accessible. They also prefer scholars to be engaged and independent. The alignment of business school research to the questions most beneficial to society is very hard to do. The infrastructure that connects schools with each other and various kinds of organizations does not exist. Geoff Perry added that impact changes when working with external stakeholders as it forces researchers to conceptualize what they are trying to do. It differs from pure academia. Michel Kalika pointed out that change is needed. If business schools don’t face the impact of research, they’ll have problems. Research is helpful for teaching, and in the future, the way we teach will change. The world is currently facing several crises, and the question needs to be asked – do business schools provide answers for society? To measure impact, it is necessary to distinguish between academic impact, managerial and societal impact, and regional impact. You also need to look at the input, activity, output, and finally, impact – change needs to have been instigated. Impact is a journey, and there needs to be an understanding of what the impact is, who has been impacted, and where the impact has taken place. The discussion then turned to the best methods and current trends relating to the best approach for schools to have impact. The three speakers agreed there needs to be a balance between academic freedom and guidance from the schools. Outstanding research often comes from individual passion, but the trend is toward schools driving the overall themes for faculty research. Consequently, there needs to be strategies and frameworks in place, but they shouldn’t be too prescriptive. Schools need to identify their mission, and research should align with it. Schools have to acknowledge faculties are a diverse group with multiple skills, and that impact isn’t achieved simply by writing articles. The talk was incredibly informative and was followed by a lively Q&A about topics such as the future of research, information dissemination, and different target audiences.