The Varieties of Action Research

1
Action and Case Research in Management and
Organizational Contexts

• The Varieties of Action Research

2
Learning Outcomes

• To reinforce the learning we have already done
  about Action Research (AR)
• Elaboration of some of the different forms of AR
• A chance to reflect on those you might use.

3
Co-operative inquiry

• Basis of co-operative inquiry
• Action research is only possible with, for and
  by persons and communities, ideally involving all
  stakeholders both in the questioning and sense
  making that informs the research and in the
  action which is its focus.

Reason, P. and Bradbury, H., (Eds.), (2001 p.2).
Handbook of Action Research Participative
Inquiry and Practice, London Sage.
4
Co-operative inquiry

• Proposes a new expanded epistemology
• Experiential knowing (face to face encounters
  etc.)
• Presentational knowing,(story, picture,
  sculpture)
• Propositional knowing,(concepts/ideas)
• Practical knowing (knowing in action in the
  world).

Reason, P. and Bradbury, H., (Eds.), (2001
p.10). Handbook of Action Research Participative
Inquiry and Practice, London Sage.
5
Co-operative inquiry

• Proposes a new ontology
• The participatory evolutionary reality
  represents an ontology based on cosmic
  interconnectedness and co-evolution
• Practical being and acting represents the
  combination of knowing and being in the world.

Reason, P. and Bradbury, H., (Eds.), (2001
p.10). Handbook of Action Research Participative
Inquiry and Practice, London Sage.
6
Co-operative inquiry

• A stress on democratic principles and human
  flourishing.
• Implications for a sustainable relationship with
  the natural world.

Reason, P. and Bradbury, H., (Eds.), (2001p.10).
Handbook of Action Research Participative
Inquiry and Practice, London Sage.
7
Associated with the work of Paulo Freire and
Orlando Fals-Borda
Participative action research (PAR)

• Participative action research (PAR) has been
  developed by intervening in situations of
  oppression.
• It is the most political and radical version of
  action research.

Reason, P. and Bradbury, H., (Eds.), (2001
p.10). Handbook of Action Research Participative
Inquiry and Practice, London Sage.
8
Orlando Fals-Borda

• His views are characterised by
• value-neutrality and aloofness in
  investigation
• Recognised that science is socially constructed
• Becoming highly anti-positivist, which he saw as
  producing masses of redundant information for
  social integration.

Reason, P. and Bradbury, H., (Eds.), (2001
p.10). Handbook of Action Research Participative
Inquiry and Practice, London Sage.
9
Orlando Fals-Borda

• Developed a praxis-inspired commitment to the
  under-privileged/oppressed
• He sought to theorize and obtain knowledge
  enriched through direct involvement, intervention
  and insertion in processes of social action
• This led to full participation of those being
  researched.

Reason, P. and Bradbury, H., (Eds.), (2001
p.10). Handbook of Action Research Participative
Inquiry and Practice, London Sage.
10
Orlando Fals-Borda

• A new research paradigm
• In sum the alternative paradigm appears to
  confirm previous PR work, especially in the South
  of the world, by combining praxis and ethics,
  academic knowledge and practical wisdom, the
  rational and the existential, the regular and the
  fractal.

Reason, P. and Bradbury, H., (Eds.), (2001
p.10). Handbook of Action Research Participative
Inquiry and Practice, London Sage.
11
Action Science

• Also known as theory of action
• Originating from the work of Chris Argyris and
  Donald Schön
• Focuses on defensive routines
• Theories in use
• Single and double loop learning.

Argyris, C. and Schön, D.A. (1978).
Organisational learning a theory of action
perspective. Reading, MA Addison Wesley.
12
Action Science

• Definition of learning as the systematic
  detection and correction of error
• Error is defined as the inability to achieve
  desired ends.

Argyris, C. and Schön, D.A. (1978).
Organisational learning a theory of action
perspective. Reading, MA Addison Wesley.
13
Action Science

• Defensive routines
• Based on double binds
• These prevent learning
• Therefore they prevent change

Argyris, C. and Schön, D.A. (1978).Organisational
learning a theory of action perspective.
Reading, MA Addison Wesley.
14
Action Science

• Theories in use and espoused theories
• Undiscussability
• Power based relations between managers and workers

Argyris, C. and Schön, D.A. (1978).
Organisational learning a theory of action
perspective. Reading, MA Addison Wesley.
15
Action Science

• Single loop learning
• Double loop learning
• Organisational learning
• Successful change

Argyris, C. and Schön, D.A. (1978).
Organisational learning a theory of action
perspective. Reading, MA Addison Wesley.
16
Appreciative Inquiry

• Based on the idea of appreciating the wonder of
  organisations
• Appreciating what is.

Cooperider, D.L. and Srivastva, S., (1987
pp.129-169). Appreciative inquiry in
organisational life. In W.A. Passmore and R.W.
Woodman (eds.), Research in organizational change
and Development, Vol. 1 Greenwich CT JAI Press
pp. 129-69.
17
Appreciative Inquiry

• Cooperrider and Srivastva originally formulated
  the concept of appreciative inquiry in response
  to the tendency for action research to fail to
  address second order, social organizational
  transformation, (where organizational paradigms,
  norms, ideologies or values are changed in
  fundamental ways).

Cooperider, D.L. and Srivastva, S., (1987 pp.
129-169). Appreciative inquiry in organisational
life. In W.A. Passmore and R.W. Woodman (eds.),
Research in organizational change
and Development, Vol. 1 Greenwich CT JAI Press.
18
Appreciative Inquiry - the 4-D cycle

• DISCOVERY - Appreciating the best of what is
• DREAM - Envisioning what could be
• DESIGN - Constructing what could be
• DESTINY - Sustaining what will be.
• All based on an initial POSITIVE TOPIC CHOICE

Ludema, J.D., Cooperrider, D.L., and
Barrett,F.J.(2001 pp.189-199). Appreciative
Inquiry the power of the unconditional positive
question. In P. Reason and H. Bradbury (Eds.),
Handbook of Action Research Participative
Inquiry and Practice, London Sage.
19
References

• Argyris, C. and Schön, D.A. (1978).
  Organisational learning a theory of action
  perspective. Reading, MA Addison Wesley.
• Argyris, C. and Schön, D.A. (1996).
  Organisational learning II theory, method and
  practice. Reading MA Addison Wesley.
• Burnes, B. (2004). Kurt Lewin and the planned
  approach to change a reappraisal. Journal of
  Management Studies, 41 (6), 977-1002.
• Lewin, K., (1946). Action research and minority
  problems. Journal of Social Issues, 2, 34-46.
• Ludema, J.D., Cooperrider, D.L., and Barrett,
  F.J.(2001 pp.189-199). Appreciative Inquiry the
  power of the unconditional positive question. In
  P. Reason and H. Bradbury (Eds.), Handbook of
  Action Research Participative Inquiry and
  Practice, London Sage.
• Reason, P. and Bradbury, H., (Eds.), (2001).
  Handbook of Action Research Participative
  Inquiry and Practice, London Sage.
• Smith, M.K., (2004). Kurt Lewin groups,
  experiential learning and action research.
• Accessed January 2005 at http//www.infed.org/thin
  kers/et-lewin.htm.