“Doubting with”: An opportunity to renew the debate on researcher–practitioner collaboration

Abstract

This article explores “doubting with” in collaborative management research. Extending methodological reflections on collaboration between researchers and practitioners, this article, drawing on the foundations of the pragmatist inquiry, stresses the central role of doubt and the doubtful situation in overcoming difficulties that are encountered in problem-oriented approaches. We propose guidelines for “doubting with” in collaborative research, highlighting how it transforms modes of researcher–practitioner collaboration and the opportunities it provides to restore possibilities of action with a broader social dimension. We emphasize how “doubting with” addresses the challenges of collaboration and the key implications for management research regarding the importance of keeping doubt alive in our inquiries and of doubting with practitioners.