Keynote – Beyond theory: how a professor–practitioner alliance is bridging the research–practice divide in knowledge management [Forum special series]

This article is part of a special series of summaries of keynotes and presentations from the KM Triversary Forum 2025.

In the field of knowledge management, scholars and practitioners often operate in parallel worlds: academics develop conceptual frameworks and models, while professionals grapple with the realities of applying knowledge in dynamic organizational contexts. In other words, despite a shared passion for understanding and improving how knowledge flows, the two spheres seldom meet in a truly productive way.

Moreover, it is worth mentioning that the gap between KM theory and practice is not important merely on the academic side; it has tangible consequences. When scholarly models remain untested in real-world environments, organizations miss opportunities to apply evidence-based approaches. Conversely, when practitioners rely solely on intuition or fragmented knowledge, their initiatives may lack strategic coherence.

Our collaboration was born from the desire to change that! What united us from the very beginning was a deep belief that KM needs to speak both the language of research and the language of practice and, sometimes, even invent a new one together. However, bridging this divide requires more than communication, it demands co-creation: universities and practitioners need to engage in long-term, trust-based collaborations that allow research to respond to practical needs and practice to inform conceptual advances.

So, we asked ourselves: What if research and practice could co-evolve instead of purely co-existing?

Our answer was to build trust, share curiosity, and work side by side, not as professor and practitioner, but as partners learning from each other. Thus, the dialogue between us, over time, evolved into what we like to call a professor–practitioner alliance, where research questions are sharpened by real-world problems and practical insights become sources of academic discovery. By doing so, we have learned to listen beyond our disciplines, to translate, to adapt, and to disagree constructively.

Over time, a few key lessons stood out:

• Empathy, trust, and honest communication became the foundation of our collaboration.
• When rigor meets relevance, knowledge becomes more meaningful and impactful.
• We learned to simplify without oversimplifying, making complex ideas accessible.
• By combining our lenses, we could advise not only organizations but also policymakers on how to make evidence-based decisions.

When we first met, we didn’t imagine that a simple exchange between a university professor and a KM practitioner would turn into a long-term collaboration, several publications, and – more importantly – a friendship grounded in curiosity, respect, and shared purpose. What started as an experiment became a conviction: the KM community needs more bridges! Thus, we invite others to reach across boundaries, share expertise, and embrace co-creation.

Biographies:

Professor Luna Leoni is an Associate Professor in Management at the Tor Vergata University of Rome (Italy). At the same university, she is a Professor of Management of Creative Firms” and “Knowledge Management Foundations” as well as Vice Coordinator of the “Master in Economics and Management of Cultural and Tourist Activities”. Her main research interests are creativity, knowledge management, servitization, and tourism. Moreover, she is a Council Member of the European Association for Research on Services (RESER) and Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Information and Operations Management Education (IJIOME). Luna’s research findings have appeared in top-tier business, management, and tourism journals.

Ginetta Gueli is a seasoned knowledge and project manager specializing in digital transformation, education, and knowledge management, with extensive experience in both national and international organizations such as Boston Consulting Group (BCG), IOM | United Nations, ITA Airways (ex Alitalia), Valore D – Diversity & Inclusion, Chetcuti Cauchi Law Firm, and Hudson Holding/Nike, among others. Ginetta is a member of the
KM4Dev Core Group, and part of the SIKM Leaders and SIKM Leaders Boston communities. She also served as Executive Producer and speaker for KMLobby at Pioneer Knowledge Services, a platform focused on producing knowledge management talk shows and podcasts. She has collaborated with the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the University of Brescia on research
exploring the relationship between Knowledge Management and Artificial Intelligence. She has also designed and delivered KM master classes for both university students and professional learners.

Presentation resources: PowerPoint slides and video recording (coming soon).

Header image source: Author provided.

Artificial intelligence (AI) statement: An artificial intelligence tool (i.e., ChatGPT) was used to create some of the illustrative images included in this presentation. The use of AI was limited to visual generation, while all conceptualization, analysis, and interpretation were carried out by the authors.

References:

Leoni L., Gueli G. (2025), AI-empowered knowledge management (KM) processes: what effects on decision-making?, RealKM Magazine, https://realkm.com/2025/01/08/ai-empowered-knowledge-management-km-processes-what-effects-on-decision-making/

Leoni, L., Gueli, G., Ardolino, M., Panizzon, M., & Gupta, S. (2024). AI-empowered KM processes for decision-making: empirical evidence from worldwide organisations. Journal of Knowledge Management, 28(11), 320-347.

Ardolino, M., Bacchetti A., Leoni L., Gueli G. (2023). Il knowledge management a supporto dell’AI per migliorare le performance delle aziende manifatturiere, AI4Business – Digital360. Disponibile al link: https://www.ai4business.it/intelligenza-artificiale/il-knowledge-management-a-supporto-dellai-per-migliorare-le-performance-delle-aziende-manifatturiere/

Leoni, L., Ardolino, M., El Baz, J., Gueli, G., & Bacchetti, A. (2022). The mediating role of knowledge management processes in the effective use of artificial intelligence in manufacturing firms. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 42(13), 411-437.

Leoni L., Ginetta G. (2022), Interested in AI to improve your manufacturers’ performance and resilience? KM processes are what you need!, RealKM Magazine. Disponibile al link: https://realkm.com/2022/12/03/interested-in-ai-to-improve-your-manufacturers-performance-and-resilience-km-processes-are-what-you-need/

Leoni L., Gueli, G. (2021), The impact of digital transformation on knowledge management processes, Proceedings of the 31st RESER Conference “The disruptive role of AI, data and ecosystems in services”, Heilbro (Germany, virtual), Fraunhofer IAO press, 14-15 October 2021. Doi: 10.24406/publica-fhg-412936