ACTION RESEARCH An alternative way of conceiving and executing research

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ACTION RESEARCHAn alternative way of conceiving
and executing research

• N.L. NARASIMHA REDDY
• POVERTY LEARNING FOUNDATION

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ACTION RESEARCH

• Once huge lorry entered a road tunnel. The
  tunnels roof was a centimeter lower than the
  lorrys. The lorry became struck in the tunnel
  entrance.
• Traffic was blocked.
• ARRIVED PONDERED
• Police Dismantle
  lorry
• Tunnel expert Dismantle tunnel
• Traffic expert Dismantle both
  
• Then a small boy stepped out the crowd that had
  gathered.
• Why do not let the air out of tyres he asked.

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ACTION RESEARCH

• IS A QUEST FOR ANSWERS
• The Steady Movement, historically, to move from
  a systematic set of observations and
  comparisons to increasingly technical
  interpretations of reality

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Approach 1Needs based Development
Village exists since 1960 No right on land Conflict between Forest department and people Identification of habitation Time line analysis Observant participation (Socio-political and economic phenomenon)
Problem analysis (1997) Forest Department and people Conflict between Forest and revenue Department Dialogue process Information on spaces available
JFM area demarcated Collaborative space emerged Providing information Process documentation
Collective action (SHG) SHG bank linkages, Electricity, road, Drinking water, etc Periodic dialogue and demand Process documentation
Conflict over VSS Corruption of VSS president Affected SHG Focused interview with Leadership and key members
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Approach 2 Change Management
Watershed Plus Designing change Revisited indicators Experience gathering QPA, PSA Stakeholder Consultations
Pilot phase Information management Capacity building Facilitation of action learning Partnership management Baseline Success stories Process Documentation Case Studies Intervention process tracking
Institutional learning phase DCBC as change agents Role facilitation Interface meetings
Scaling up Re-designing In-depth thematic studies Institutional analysis Process documents
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Approach 3 Learning and Influencing Policy

• Action research for Learning
• Stakeholder analysis in three states In India
• Learning - Networks
• Other experiences - Working groups
• Locating gaps, spaces and opportunities in policy
• National workshop

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OBJECTIVES

• Learning to design and implement.
• Ongoing search for a change process and
  management into socio economic development.
• To be part of action and find possible ways
  forward

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Research vis-à-vis Action Research
Research Action Research
Focus Theoretical and conceptual understanding Action
Purpose Understand better Facilitation of change
Post facto Concurrent be part of action
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• Believes in Ownership
• Increasing knowledge which enables events and
  phenomena.
• Focus on increasing awareness, so that
  researchers and participants engage more fully
  with the realities of their situations.
• Freedom to pursue multiple objectives and to
  adopt objectives to the situation at hand.
• Solutions are fully owned by key participants.

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COMPONENTS OF ACTION RESEARCH

• 1. Action Research project Both process and
  results can be immediate and direct benefit to
  a community.
• Better able to articulate problems and initiate
  the search for solutions.

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COMPONENTS OF ACTION RESEARCH

• 2. Involve the community in the entire project,
  from the formulation of problem and the
  interpretation of the finding to planning
  corrective action based upon them reality of
  community

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COMPONENTS OF ACTION RESEARCH

• 3. Action Research sees data collection,
  analysis and reflection as part of a cycle, of
  which action is key element.
• Research questions arise originally from the
  experience of people working in the field and
  reflecting on their work.
• Action Research usually involves introducing new
  practice, and then testing how well it goes.
• Action Research is seen as a kind of experiment,
  in a real life setting.
• Implementation is real test in Action Research

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COMPONENTS OF ACTION RESEARCH

• Action is seen as a part of a total
  educational experience which serves
• To determine community needs and
• to increase awareness of problems and commitment
  to solutions within the community.

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COMPONENTS OF ACTION RESEARCH

• 4. Combine community participation in decision
  making with method of social investigation
• 5.Liberation of human creative potential and
  mobilization of human resources for the solution
  of social problems

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COMPONENTS OF ACTION RESEARCH

• 6. Research for more accurate and consistent
  explanation for social and political realities.
• Go beyond success stories/ Much larger than
  success.
• searcher becomes an integral part of educational
  / Development planning
• As a dialogue over time and not as a statistic
  picture of reality at one point in time.

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ACTION RESEARCH IDEOLOGICAL IMPLICATION

• What is reality of landlords and perhaps
  even
• some government officials is not
  necessity reality
• for tenants.
• a Re- affirmation of the political nature of
  all
• we do
• b To make the choice to work only for people
• at an early stage.

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WHAT DOES IT OFFER?

• An alternative way of conceiving and executing
  research.
• Suit needs of our work.
• Suit to our own values more closely.
• Serving interests of those with and for whom we
  work.
• People concerned with the issue will be involved
  in research process

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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

• Advantages
• Generalist and project staff
• The choice of methods and techniques
• The out comes of Action Research.
• Study as you are implementing
• Concurrent be part of action
• Produces new behaviour which helps in project
  growth.

• Disadvantages
• Rarely gives policy understanding externalities
  etc.
• The relations between participants and
  researchers-role definition affect the outcomes.
• New behaviour may block possibilities-if
  researcher does not facilitate alternatives.

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QUESTIONS

• How research of this nature initiated?
• What are the links of this work with political
  organizations?
• What is participation?
• How can control of research be effectively
  maintained by the poor?
• Given economic realities, where does people find
  the time to become involved in work of this
  nature?

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EXPECTED RESULT

• TRANSFERING POWER TO LANDLESS LABOUR OR THE POOR
• Linking research and action with the poorest
  classes.
• To produce search for alternative approaches
  with participation of the poor in an analysis of
  their own reality
• whose ideas will never be read in the
  journals
• or discussed in conferences.
• Or Economic Planning Ministries where
  
• Government Policies are being set.
• Generation of knowledge, awareness and social
  change