Richard Badham, Karin Garrety and Michael Zanko
This paper seeks to raise for discussion and reflection some of the key dynamics of action research projects‐in‐practice. It focuses in particular on how action researchers broker…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to raise for discussion and reflection some of the key dynamics of action research projects‐in‐practice. It focuses in particular on how action researchers broker academic and client interests, and how this brokering shifts over time.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on participant observation, drawing on the reflective and processual accounts of action researchers involved in a collaborative academic–industry–government project.
Findings
The paper argues that the scope of action research projects to effectively address the needs of both audiences is compromised by managerialism in universities and organizations. However, the emergent and chaotic nature of action research provides opportunities for researchers to overcome some of these limitations.
Research limitations/implications
The paper provides a model and case analysis to support critical reflection amongst action researchers.
Practical implications
If the argument of the paper is accepted, then action researchers are required to pay greater attention to the dangers of managerialism in universities, and explore how such dangers can be overcome.
Originality/value
The originality of the paper lies in its self‐critical sociological reflexivity. Its value depends on whether or not this is found to be valuable by action researchers.
Details
Keywords
Richard Badham, Karin Garrety and Christina Kirsch
The political nature of technology design and implementation is explicitly addressed in “human centred” projects to introduce technologies that support job enrichment, group…
Abstract
The political nature of technology design and implementation is explicitly addressed in “human centred” projects to introduce technologies that support job enrichment, group autonomy and industrial democracy. Yet the political meaning of such projects does not simply manifest itself in pure form from the methods employed or the intentions of the humanistic actors but, rather, from the complex configuration of these and other factors present in the design and implementation context. Illustrates this theme in an analysis of a case study human centred project. Argues that an improved understanding of the configurational politics surrounding such projects is not only an important research area but is also of practical significance in improving humanistic and other interventions in innovation processes in modern organisations.