In the reviewed literature, a case is made for participatory action research and explanation given on its composition and on how it enhances the quality of research (Greenwood et al, 1993). They define participatory action research as a type of research that brings together a member of the organization (insider) and an expert research to carry out the research process.
Gibbons et al (1994) talks about the knowledge production mode as well as a number of author later (Huff and Huff, 2001; Huff, 2000; Starky and Madan, 2001; Tranfield and Starky, 1998). The definition is articulated into ‘traditional’ or mode 1 (pursuit of scientific truths), and ‘interactive’ or mode 2 (production of knowledge by application) (Huff, 2000). Mode 3 and mode 1.5 is also referenced by Huff (2000). It is worth noting that no specific mode fit my organization exactly: I see a lot of mode 2 as management wants to solve problems quickly to reduce loss.
In the problem solving process, innovations (their spread or lack of spread), pro-innovation biases, and their influencers will be encountered. From review literature, Abrahamson (1991) teaches us how to handle these and how to prevent pro-innovation biases by using a matrix and rejecting assumptions.
Critically reflecting on my wicked problem, some thoughts were investigated and in some cases evidence: these were reviewed.
First to consider is if a metaphor (or school of thought) can adequately represent the totality of our organizational life. This
A participatory research methodology was implemented to address the research goal. This method was appropriate for this investigation, given that the
When deciding upon a research design it was the need to ‘question the nature of knowledge and the extent to which knowledge can represent the interests of the powerful and serve to reinforce their positions in society’ (Baum, MacDougall, & Smith, 2006: 854) that led to using participatory action
Practitioner action research is unique because the practitioners/researchers are their own subjects or informants. The importance of investigating and recording what works is particularly important in light
Action research is simply defined as research in action in an institution (Argryis and Schon, 1996). Lewin (1997) is the researcher behind change theory. Understanding the tenets behind change theory and its application to this product would or would have not demonstrated the student attitudes toward other cultures when researching other cultures. The theoretical underpinnings of action research are based on the following three steps by Kurt Lewin (1997) called a process of change or Change theory: Plan, action, and results. Change theory rallies for a three-step process by disassembling a negative mindset in order to modify it for a new way of thinking. These three steps consist of unfreezing, changing, and then freezing (Lewin, 1997). Under
This requires action research which is associated with a series of planning actions by the researcher(s) and research participants. The main elements of the research process at this stage of the research include the gathering of data, feedback on results, and cooperative action planning, Jonathan T and Ewan I, 2014. Researching includes exploiting resources which are available by the university such as library books, library multimedia resources and internet to search for journals and website to help with essays, Manchester (2007).
Gareth Morgan's 1998, Images of Organization, is an attempt to identify metaphors as tools to visualize organizational life. When managers use metaphors to view an organization they can increase their capacity to be open, flexible, and suspend judgment until a comprehensive view emerges. Once a comprehensive view is available, a manager can then build a storyboard indicating an organization's dominate frame of view and its supporting lenses. The storyboard or line can then be used for insight or leverage points in answering different organizational concerns and situations.
A well thought out critique of one’s actions or thinking is immensely valuable. While hearing this constructive criticism may be uncomfortable, the information one gains from another’s insights is advantageous. When my colleague and I were discussing our self-assessments two points of importance came to light. First, the thirst for knowledge and never being satisfied with the amount of material I have learned is a strength of mine and a path in which I will continue to travel down. Secondly, issues in my thinking process in which I thought were minor, became major areas of concern. In particular, my preexisting unconscious biases are impairing my thinking and could potentially be detrimental to my patients in the future. However, if I can confront
Action research is a practical or real-world approach to a profession inquiry in a social setting. Educational professionals may use this approach to evaluate an existing teaching method or review a new method that may be considered for use in the classroom. Action research can be implemented using mixed methods and conducted my an individual or in collaboration with other professionals.
Action research - Action research is characterized by one’s participation in an effort to make a change in an existing organization while simultaneously collecting data with the intent to improve the strategies and practices
The use of metaphor in organizational research is to highlight features of a process by way of comparing and contrasting. The metaphor provides a method to analyze parallels between the metaphor and the organization, at the same time, throwing light on the differences by way of comparing the phenomenon using different metaphors. The metaphor allows the researcher to analyze the same incident from various paradigms. Additional
| Action Research- an informal, qualitative, interpretive, reflective and experimental methodology that requires all the participants to be collaborative researchers. Action research is carried out be people who usually recognize a problem or limitation in their workplace situation and, together,
This paper summarizes an action research project of our organization looking into an oversight of operations, revealing key experiences of stakeholders that cultivated themes. Through this effort, a central point formed warranting implementation and innovation changing policies and procedures (contract) within the organization. Action researcher gathered data on interworking relationships and culture by quantitative and qualitative methods for the purpose of streamlining operations and enhancing work relations as well as the effectiveness of individual performances for the benefit of the individuals and organization’s well-being (Stringer 2014). Key stakeholders were selected as the center focus of participants as to further learn and understand the perspectives and experience the stakeholder’s qualities, convictions, and hypothetical viewpoints as the researcher perceived them as their reality to be in the daily interworking of the organization. Further contents of this paper will reveal that the action research and the participants demonstrated a shared understanding of the mechanism behind action research methodology with a common purpose of project deliverables in its intended use for the targeted application of evaluation results.
Action Research is way of learning things with different types of means. Some learn new things by doing it (O 'Brian, 1998). It could be through collaborative inquiry, participatory research, action learning or through contextual action (O’Brian, 2001). Basically, Action Research involves group of people working towards the same goals. For example, the company X created a group of 5 people to figure out the problem the company is facing such as to figure out ways that caused poor performance. In this case, they should identify what the major problem is, take steps to gather data and information, analyze them and work together to come with the best solution. Once they come up with the plan, they use that to see if their efforts are good enough to solve the issues. In this case, management decides whether it’s successful or not. If they are unsatisfied, they can ask the group to try again (O’Brian, 2001). In Action research, the researcher and the client work together in order to meet or achieve the targeted goals (Padak, 2015). There are different stages associated with this research such as identifying questions what are the major issues that need immediate care, collecting data and information from various sources so that one can understand what the real problem is. The real problem can only be found if you do immense research, analyze all the data and information and share the results with others in the research team (Padak, 2015).
Action research, which has been a frequently used research method recently, is considered a fruitful research approach used by academicians and teachers to obtain systematic and scholarly information, and to develop current applications in different fields of education. Generally considered as a qualitative research method, action research makes use of both qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Its primary purpose is to understand instructional processes, to manipulate the instruction and develop it further. Action
The overall structure of various types of organizations can be framed by using metaphorical images, which help to clarify the way that organizations operate. Morgan (2006) discusses several of these metaphorical images, including the image of an organization as a machine and the image of an organization as an organism. Each image is unique, but there are some similarities and many differences between the two. In order to understand each image meaningfully, the two images will be introduced, explained, compared, and contrasted in this paper. A personal perspective follows this, outlining which image would be chosen if only one image were available as the single way to structure an organization.