Notably, EA authors hold numerous roles, many of which are associated with the
compulsory educational (school) system. This, in turn, might imply a strong
practical orientation in the field and thus a larger emphasis on instruction. Like
social sciences scholars (Coser, 1971), some EA authors are consultants to public
and governmental agencies (but not to industries), appointments that demonstrate
practitioners and policy-makers do value the knowledge base produced in the field.
Additionally, despite recent structural changes in higher education (Baruch and
Hall, 2004), EA authors still occupy many academic roles in their institutions. It has
been noted in this study that many have held a host of roles inside and outside the
higher education system, perhaps because more highly educated employees are
likely to perceive fewer obstacles in finding alternative employment, as Joiner and
Bakalis (2006) maintain.