The Role of Research

Abstract

I gradually came to realize the importance of what might be considered as cutting-edge, and that research would be a means to this. Meaningful research for me signified being absolutely factual and honest, while always also striving to emphasize the practical relevance of results and conclusions. As such, my vision was to advance the state of the art, particularly in the following fields: shipping, family business, strategic planning and education. Further, results from research tended to provide bi-polar “answers”, long-term and short-term, top-line and bottom-line. This kind of bi-polarity or juxtapositions contributed to both the research process as well as the understanding of and respect for the ultimate results of the research. This is reality—the continual arrival, existence, balancing and managing of bi-polarity.