Full Description
The Fourth Edition of this best-selling book is packed full of practical, expert advice on how to navigate the murky waters of ethics, politics and management in your own organization. Multidisciplinary in its approach to action research, the book sets out a step-by-step template for researchers to follow and adapt. Coghlan and Brannick:Introduce and contextualize action research as a method Provide guidance on how to design and implement your action research project Explore interlevel dynamics Discuss role duality and access Suggest effective ways to analyze your data Provide helpful tips on how to disseminate your findings. The book and supporting companion website are the ideal resource for students, researchers and practitioners hoping to generate real change through their action research project and will be particularly relevant to those studying Business and Management, Nursing and Health, Education and Sociology.
Contents
PART ONEIntroducing Action ResearchInquiring in your own organizationA brief introduction to action researchThree audiences, voices or practicesEnacting action research cyclesThe action research cyclesPre-step: context and purposeMain stepsMeta-learningQuality and rigour in action researchConclusionsRecommended readingExercise 1.1: Enacting the action research cyclesKnowing in ActionKnowing and learningGeneral empirical methodAuthenticityAction science and collaborative developmental inquiry as first-person practiceSecond-person skillsConclusionsRecommended readingExercise 2.1 First-person knowing in actionExercise 2.2 Keeping a journalExercise 2.3 Developing inquiry skillsUnderstanding Action ResearchAction Research as practical knowingThe foundations of action researchThe philosophy of action researchModalities of action researchOrganization development through action researchConclusionsRecommended readingPART TWO: IMPLEMENTATIONConstructing and Selecting Your Insider ProjectConstructing the action research projectSelecting the research projectWriting an insider action research proposalDeveloping the action researchConclusionsRecommended readingExercise 4.1 Questions for constructing and selectingExercise 4.2 Writing a thesis proposalDesigning and Implementing Your Action Research ProjectThe process of planned changePlanned change through action researchLearning mechanismsData generation as interventionThe role of technologyHow do you know when to stop?ConclusionsRecommended readingExercise 5.1 The process of implementationExercise 5. 2 Reflection for praxisInterlevel Dynamics in Insider Action ResearchInterlevel dynamics of changeInterlevel dynamics of strategyLevels of analysis in action researchConclusionsRecommended readingExercise 6.1 Applying interlevel dynamicsExercise 6.2 Change issuesExercise 6.3 The learning windowUsing Frameworks to Study Organizations in ActionOrganizational diagnosisSystems thinking and practiceChange and learningConclusionsRecommended readingExercise 7.1 Understanding Your OrganizationExercise 7.2 Using Systems ThinkingResearching Your Own OrganizationFocus of the researcher and systemQuadrant 1Quadrant 2Quadrant 3Quadrant 4Action Research at HomeConclusionsRecommended readingExercise 8.1 Assessing your research focusPreunderstanding, Role Duality and AccessPreunderstandingRole duality: Organizational and researcher rolesAccessConclusionsRecommended readingExercise 9.1 Assessing Your PreunderstandingManaging Ethics and Organizational PoliticsEthicsPoliticsIntegrating roles, politics and ethicsConclusionsRecommended readingExercise 10.1 Assessing ethics and politicsExercise 10.2 Force field analysisWriting up Your Insider Action Research WorkAn action research dissertationConstructing and writing your dissertationDisseminationPublishingConclusionsRecommended readingIn Conclusion
