About - Dean - Speeches & Writing - Why We Research

Imagine graduation. For some, it feels like just yesterday. For others, it might seem like a lifetime ago. Perhaps it was a beautiful spring day in May. Or maybe it rained. Knowing Charlottesville, it was likely hot — oppressively hot, especially while wearing a head-to-toe black gown.

Regardless of the weather, your graduation — whether you are a young alumnus or one of our more seasoned graduates — began with the familiar strains of "Pomp and Circumstance." Parents and loved ones stood in anticipation of seeing their soon-to-be graduates. Then, before the students ever appeared, a multicolored multitude filled the aisle as the faculty processed. Robes of varying colors and styles passed by — some subdued, some outlandish, some adorned with elaborate regalia. Hats of all types sat atop their heads — simple mortarboards, jaunty “chef's hats” and even an occasional crown that would make the pope proud.

Who are these people, and why are they dressed so funny?

Arguably, only three professions routinely avail themselves of ceremonial robes: priests, judges and professors. Being a professor is a unique calling. A professor can be many things — teacher, mentor, scholar, manager, opinion-shaper, expert, counselor, committee member (oh, a member on so many, many committees). In my previous post, I shared why, at Darden, we take our teaching and mentoring mission so seriously. We invest in and celebrate teaching excellence. We work closely with our students as mentors and guides.

But a professor is more than a teacher. As the son of a high-school teacher, I say this with all due respect to a noble and critical profession. Professors are something slightly different: we are also scholars dedicated to advancing knowledge through our research.

We spend years learning the craft of research as doctoral students. We toil to publish our work in peer-reviewed journals. We travel the world to share our work at conferences and seminars. We work assiduously to build scholarly reputations that extend around the globe. Research can be a long and arduous process.

Critical to our work is identifying the underlying causes and mechanisms behind outcomes. We curate detailed observations of practice. We conduct experiments. We build and estimate models. Our work can sometimes seem narrow or esoteric, but it is through the gradual accumulation of knowledge that we build real understanding. Through our research, we seek insights and patterns that transcend the buzzwords and fads of the moment.

Research advances our mission in several ways.

First, we are scholars in order to advance our teaching. Research and teaching are two sides of the same coin. The courses we offer, the cases we write, the questions we pose in class — all are informed by our scholarship. Students at a leading business school like Darden should expect nothing less than to be taught by professors who are world-renowned, leaders in their respective fields. Professors who are not only sharing established best practices but are also actively shaping our collective understanding of impactful management and policy. Research helps us stay on the cutting edge of practice and ensures that our students have the knowledge and skills to meet the ever-changing needs of business.

Second, the impact of our scholarship extends well beyond our teaching. At Darden, we place particular emphasis on speaking to and influencing the world of practice. We pursue research that is both rigorous and relevant. Through our writing, speaking and outreach, we engage audiences larger and more geographically dispersed than we could ever reach in the classroom. We have an impact on business practice and public policy in the United States and around the world. We consult with CEOs and business leaders. We speak before the Federal Reserve and with policymakers.

In a world awash in armchair pundits and self-professed gurus, the professors’ currency is the rigor with which we conduct our inquiries. We build expertise through our sustained engagement with the world via our research. Our authority in policy and management discussions is derived from the insights we generate through this rigorous scholarship.

Finally, we do research to advance the state of knowledge in its own right. This is a noble pursuit that transcends whatever practical impact our work may have in the moment. It is human nature to want to understand and make sense of our world. Through our scholarship, we advance this understanding, providing insights into how markets, organizations, individuals, technologies, and broader society interact and progress.

In the words of the University of Virginia’s founder, Thomas Jefferson, “this institution will be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind. For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead.” At Darden, our research is one of the primary ways we live out that commitment — for our students, for the world of practice, and for the broader society we aim to serve.

Up next in this series: Why we serve.