Action Research

Action research is ideal in executive education and organisational development. It aligns with learning on the job and putting new ideas into action. These concepts are reviewed and refined for continuous learning and improvement. It is a research methodology that works with people and for people, in contrast to other methodologies that are done to people.

Action research approaches the subject with a cyclical approach that has four stages: plan – act – observe – reflect. Action research is very similar to action learning as they share the four staged cycle, however action learning develops the expertise based on understanding from doing something whereas action research arguably focuses more on the questions of the nature of what and why actions are taken: What are we really doing? What are we really observing? What does this mean? What is the key issue at play here? These are typical introspective questions for action researchers.

A Qualitative Approach

Action research in organisations mostly qualitative which is ideal in areas such as determining what to do with staff and satisfaction survey results. It is also takes a keen interest in the metrics that are in organisations – but as Einstein said: Not everything that is measured is important, and not everything that is important can be measured.

Reporting

If you are having difficulty determining the purpose of your monthly or quarterly reporting in aspects of Human Resource Management or strategic planning you will be impressed with the effectiveness of action research to upskill your organisation.

Behavioural Change

A very important aspect of action learning and action research is that it leads to behavioural change. A commonly applied evaluation is that the only evidence of real learning is behavioural change as the newly acquired knowledge in put into action.

ALARA

Paul is a member of ALARA - the Action Learning Action Research Association of Australia. This a chapter of the world wide network of Action Learning and Action Research practitioners..