Research that Moves from Knowledge to Action

1
Research that Moves from Knowledge to Action

• Chapter 9

2

• A thought which does not result in an action is
  nothing much, and an action which does not
  proceed from a thought is nothing at all.
• -Georges Bernanos

3
The Potential of Action Research

• Researching real-world problems is about making a
  contribution that can lead to real change
• In most research approaches, however, this
  contribution is limited to knowledge
• Enter action research, which embeds the
  actioning of change into the research process

4
Action Research

• Action research covers a broad array of research
  strategies that are dedicated to the integrated
  production of knowledge and the implementation of
  change
• Action research
• addresses practical problems
• generates knowledge
• enacts change
• is participatory
• and relies on a cyclical process

5
The Action Research Process
6
Action Research Outcomes

• In business, education, and healthcare, action
  research can be a practical means for
• improving practice
• policy
• programmes
• In community development work, action research is
  also expressly used to empower community members
  

7
Participatory and Cyclical

• Because action research shares some key elements
  with quasi-experimentation and evaluative
  research, its important to understand how its
  dual agendas and its participatory and cyclical
  nature set it apart

8
Empowerment

• A common goal in action research is to empower
  practitioners to improve their practice by
  recognizing how they can make a contribution to
  their own learning and development

9
Action Research and Organizational Change

• Action research can be utilized at the
  organizational level to enact change
• But while action research can offer much to the
  management of organizational change, it is
  generally seen as a research strategy rather than
  a core management strategy

10
PAR

• Participatory action research (PAR) is explicit
  in its agenda of empowerment
• A central goal is to help community groups
  construct their own knowing in order to create
  and action their own plan for a better future

11
Challenges

• Facilitating a participatory process can be both
  rewarding and challenging
• Challenges include
• facilitating rather than directing
• managing a projects scope, pace, and momentum
• managing people
• working ethically
• being multi-skilled
• negotiating ownership