Lecture 7 (October 11th)

?The Action Research Cycle:

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Baskerville and Wood-Harper say that AR has three distinctive characteristics:

• The researcher is actively involved, with expected benefits for both the researcher and the organization
• The knowledge obtained can be immediately applied.
• The research is a cyclical process linking theory and practice

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Five AR evaluation criteria from Davidson et al, (2004): ¡±Principles of canonical action research¡±, Information Systems Journal, vol. 14, pp. 65-86.

• Collaborative aspect: a mutual understanding and committment
• The cyclical process model: progress through stages in a sequential and systematic manner
• Theoretical basis to guide research, relate findings to research literature
• Appropriate interventions
• Learning through reflection, drawing insights and identifying implications

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¡±Action research allows a researcher to test a working hypothesis about a phenomenon of interest by implementing and assessing change in a real-world setting.?By analyzing discrepancies between the hypothesized and actual changes [..] the researcher gains both practical and theoretical knowledge about the phenomenon.¡± Lindgren et al. (2004): Competence Management Systems, MISQ 28 (3),

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Checkland and Holwell: Research is ¡±organized use of rational thought¡±.There are three domains involved:
¨C Theoretical/conceptual ideas: Framework (F)
¨C?Methodology (M)
¨C?Area of interest (substantive/empirical domain) (A)

We can learn about all of these, i.e. they are all susceptible to change. Therefore: Your stand on all three must be established and clarified prior to the study for change/learning to be discovered. To ensure quality in AR research - The recoverability criterion: In AR we cannot achieve ¡±replicability¡± (natural science ideals), but should aim higher than ¡±plausibility¡±.? The process should be recoverable: you should make clear to interested observers the thought processes and models which enabled the team to make their interpretations and draw their conclusions.

Kalleberg¡¯s emphasis on quality:

• Formulation and justification of important research questions
• Collection and documentation of empirical material
• Quality of interpretation and argumentation (concepts)
• Justified responses to research questions
• (Publication of results)
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Quality in 1) documentation and 2) argumentation

One example project (Caroline Ngoma's Action Research project with HISP Zanzibar) was presented to illustrate how these criteria can be met.