EGADE Doctoral Impact Forum Sparks a Conversation on the Future of Research and Its Impact
By JOSÉ ÁNGEL DE LA PAZ | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL
What does it truly mean for research to have impact? How can doctoral education prepare researchers to address Latin America's most pressing challenges? And how can knowledge move beyond academic journals to influence organizations, public policy, and society?
These questions shaped the EGADE Doctoral Impact Forum, held on July 17 in Monterrey, where nearly 80 students, alumni, faculty members, researchers, and guests reflected on the future of research and its potential to generate meaningful impact in organizations and contribute to the region's sustainable development.
Throughout the day, participants engaged in panel discussions, a keynote lecture, a well-being workshop, and networking activities designed to strengthen the doctoral community and promote research with impact.
The Legacy and Future of Doctoral Programs
The opening panel, "The Legacy and Future of Doctoral Programs," moderated by Ricardo Buitrago, National Director of Doctoral Programs at EGADE Business School, featured Horacio Arredondo, Dean of EGADE Business School; Ernesto Amorós, Associate Dean of Faculty and Research; and Lourdes Dieck-Assad, Dean Emerita of the School.
One of the central themes was the impact of artificial intelligence on doctoral education. For Arredondo, rather than diminishing the relevance of doctoral studies, these technologies require institutions to rethink their priorities.
He explained that artificial intelligence can automate part of the methodological and analytical work, creating an opportunity to devote more time to formulating meaningful research questions and gaining deeper insight into the challenges facing organizations and society.
Amorós agreed that the growing availability of information and digital tools allows researchers to focus their efforts on understanding complex phenomena and generating useful knowledge.
"What doctoral students can do today is use all these tools to delve deeper and help solve the major challenges organizations face," he said.
He added that technology does not replace intellectual work but instead demands stronger analytical skills, critical thinking, and collaboration among researchers.
Dieck-Assad emphasized that the essence of doctoral education remains unchanged: asking questions that inspire researchers while addressing real-world needs.
"These times call for your intelligence and your passion for solving problems and answering questions that, without you, will remain unanswered," she said.
The Dean Emerita also underscored the role of faculty as mentors throughout the demanding doctoral journey and the importance of supporting students in developing research that contributes solutions to today's most pressing challenges.
Impact Is Measured by Its Usefulness
As the forum's keynote speaker, Herman Aguinis, Avram Tucker Distinguished Scholar and professor at the George Washington University School of Business, delivered the keynote lecture "How to Define, Measure, and Reward Research Impact."
Recognized as one of the world's most influential scholars in management, Aguinis argued that research impact should be understood not as an abstract concept but as the usefulness that knowledge creates for different audiences.
He explained that a scientific article may be valuable to fellow researchers, while a textbook may have greater value for students and an executive education program for business leaders.
In his view, research should generate different forms of knowledge for different audiences, just as companies develop products for different markets.
Following this reasoning, he argued that business schools need to recognize diverse forms of academic contribution and avoid evaluating performance solely by the number of scientific publications.
If an institution seeks to influence society, he added, its incentive systems should also recognize activities such as student education, executive education, knowledge dissemination, and participation in public policy design.
He also emphasized the need to bridge not only the gap between research and practice, but also the gap between what business schools recommend to organizations and the practices they adopt within their own institutions.
A Community Committed to Research Impact
The forum also featured the panel "Doctoral Studies and Employability: Beyond an Academic Career," with Jatinder J. Singh, Director of the EGADE Full-Time MBA and research professor; José Tadeo Olivarria Rivera, alumnus of the PhD in Administrative Sciences (DCA); and José Antonio Núñez, research professor at EGADE Business School.
The session was moderated by Claudia Quintanilla, professor at EGADE Business School and member of the Consumer Science and Marketing Strategy Research Group.
Another featured session, "Interdisciplinary Doctoral Research and Social Impact: Building Solutions to Complex Problems," brought together Eduardo Ortegón Williamson, DCA student and CEO of Monterrey Water and Sewer Services; Catalina Vélez Argumedo, DCA alumna and Senior Engineering Director at Mondelēz International; and Alicia Galindo, Director of the Master in Finance at EGADE Business School Monterrey and research professor.
The panel was moderated by Laura Zapata, professor at EGADE Business School and member of the Organization, Strategy, and Sustainability Research Group.
As part of the program, Lenin Adolfo Zamorano Martínez, Director of Mentoring and Well-being at Tecnológico de Monterrey, led the workshop "Impostor Syndrome and Researcher Burnout," focused on the personal and emotional challenges faced by those pursuing research careers.
The EGADE Doctoral Impact Forum brought together students, alumni, faculty, and researchers from EGADE Business School's doctoral programs to exchange experiences, strengthen professional connections, and reflect on how to expand the impact of research.
