Action Research
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Action research for practising managers
Steven French
Coffs Harbour Centre for Enterprise Development and Research, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, Australia
Abstract
Purpose – The paper seeks to develop a coherent model for the application of action research to problems in the field of management. Design/methodology/approach – An extensive review of the literature was undertaken. Findings – No model of the process of conducting an action research programme is extant in the literature. Several scholars have commented on this anomaly. Action research has many applications and the methodological choice should be determined by the research problem. This paper provides a working model for researchers in the field of management to apply to their research problem, given that they have a reasonable understanding of the problem and can develop their research question by conducting a literature review. Practical implications – Researchers in the field of management can rely on the academic validity of following this model. Originality/value – The ideas of several respected researchers in the field of action research have been combined to provide a coherent approach to the conduct of an action research programme. Keywords Management research, Action research, Research methods Paper type Technical paper
AR for practising managers
187
Introduction Action research (AR) theory suggests that the AR process starts with a notion in the practitioner’s mind that a change in practice is justified. This paper will explore a model of AR that can be applied to research in the area of management when experience and a literature review has enabled the researcher to have a reasonable idea of the problems to be investigated. In deciding upon an AR methodology, it is necessary to identify several issues (these can be found in detail in French, 2009b) and then
Action research for practising managers
Steven French
Coffs Harbour Centre for Enterprise Development and Research, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, Australia
Abstract
Purpose – The paper seeks to develop a coherent model for the application of action research to problems in the field of management. Design/methodology/approach – An extensive review of the literature was undertaken. Findings – No model of the process of conducting an action research programme is extant in the literature. Several scholars have commented on this anomaly. Action research has many applications and the methodological choice should be determined by the research problem. This paper provides a working model for researchers in the field of management to apply to their research problem, given that they have a reasonable understanding of the problem and can develop their research question by conducting a literature review. Practical implications – Researchers in the field of management can rely on the academic validity of following this model. Originality/value – The ideas of several respected researchers in the field of action research have been combined to provide a coherent approach to the conduct of an action research programme. Keywords Management research, Action research, Research methods Paper type Technical paper
AR for practising managers
187
Introduction Action research (AR) theory suggests that the AR process starts with a notion in the practitioner’s mind that a change in practice is justified. This paper will explore a model of AR that can be applied to research in the area of management when experience and a literature review has enabled the researcher to have a reasonable idea of the problems to be investigated. In deciding upon an AR methodology, it is necessary to identify several issues (these can be found in detail in French, 2009b) and then