Paid Academic Services With Mercy And Compassion: Phenomenologizing The Lived Experiences Of Research Mercenaries In The Philippines

Research, in the midst of internationalization of education, becomes one of the most prolific areas of the criteria for teacher retention and promotion in the academia; however, issues and concerns had sprung since then as to authorship authenticity because of the mushrooming of research mercenaries. This study is designed to explore the indulgence of research mercenaries in their quest of helping their protégées in exchange of reasonable costs. Qualitative data were gathered from the informants’ interview. Data were processed through document trail among the informants to ascertain the veracity of the transcribed responses, reflections, and observations. Thematic analysis revealed four themes on the experiences of research mercenaries: need to augment income, mercy and compassion, professional indulgence, and research, the IN thing to be promoted. It is concluded that research mercenaries are working in a symbiotic manner among their protégées where they adopt them as their academic disciples and this practice will continue to flourish until there is inequity on the capacity of professionals on the academic work and works that they do