Session 2:
Action research
• Action research
• Types of research and intervention
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 1
Session objectives
Understand Collect Analyze Evaluate
How to frame What data are What is the
How to make
a problem or required to quality of the
the most of
a research address this approach?
these data?
question? issue?
Conceptual stage
Understand what a research intervention is
• Understand the difficulties...
• ... the approach
• Learn to manage expectations to avoid pitfalls
• Learn to evaluate an action research approach
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 2
Action research
Research WITH people
The role of the researcher
Practitioner participation
A practical problem
Scientific approach
Compliance with ethical rules
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 3
Action research
Research
Education Action
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 4
Paradigms
Constru Positivis
ctivism m
• Subjective reality
• Search for a • Objective reality
plausible • Searching for a true
explanation explanation
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 5
Some examples of projects
Validation of a hiring process in a police
department
Evaluation of a remote working policy in various
organizations
Design and planning of new services in a medical
clinic
Implementing a quality improvement process in a
factory
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 6
Action research or...
Research
Action research Consulting
(positivist)
• Generating • Generating • Meet an
theoretical practical organizational
Objective knowledge knowledge need
• Generalization • Focus on process • Sell
• Actor
The • Observer • Objectivity
• Actor
researcher's • Subjectivity linked
• Neutral • Participation in
role to expertise
the field
• Scientific
• Scientific • Scientific
principles
principles principles
Approach • Rigor
• Rigor • Rigor
• Pragmatism
• Ethical rules • Ethical rules
• Ethics
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 7
Action research approach
Wide variety
o Ex: Diagnosis of a problem and recommendations
o Ex: Experimentation and evaluation
o Ex: Practice evaluation and recommendations
o Ex: Implementation or revision of a policy
Different goals but common approach
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 8
Action research challenges
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 9
Action research challenges
Management reluctance:
o Objectives: practical, short-term, results
o Resistance to change and criticism
o Disrupt the organization
Choice of site:
o Identifying a problem
o Involvement of participants
o Management approval
o Time of intervention
o Negotiating an intervention framework
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 10
Action research challenges
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 11
Action research challenges
Skepticism from the academic community:
o Small number of observations
o Subjectivity of the researcher
o Theory/practice dichotomy
Ethical issues
o Free and informed consent of participants
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 12
Research action approach
Selecting a problem
Understanding the environment
Diagnosis, intervention guidelines
Tool selection
Intervention
Collaboration
practitioner-researcher Evaluation
Communication
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 13
Conceptual stage
Selecting a problem
Organization benefits, usefulness
The researcher's interest
Feasibility
Participation of the organization
o Research participants ("subjects")
o Management
Understanding the problem
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 14
Conceptual stage
Understanding the environment
Understanding the objectives :
o of the organization
o of the intervention
Understand how the organization works
Knowing the players in the field
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 15
Conceptual stage
Diagnosis, intervention guidelines
Specify intervention mandate
Refine the project
o Who is involved? What are the responsibilities?
o What are the objectives? What are the deliverables?
o What are the deadlines?
o What are the limits?
o What are the conditions for success?
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 16
Methodological stage
Tool selection
Intervention tools:
o Interviews (individual, group)
o Observation
o Questionnaires
o Literature search
o Implementation tools
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 17
Empirical stage
Intervention
Depends on decisions taken at the methodological
stage
Modifications, adapting to the field
o Frequent back-and-forth between design and practice
o Modifying tools
o Learning loop
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 18
Empirical stage
Evaluation
Achieving objectives
o of the intervention
o of the organization
Realism of recommendations
Learnings
Return on investment
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 19
Looking back
Communication
Continuous learning transfer
Recommendations
Process feedback and improvements
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 20
Action research limitations
Unique experience
o Difficult to generalize
Field-related compromises
o Compromise on the scope of intervention
o Compromise on schedule
o Methodological compromises
o Hazards beyond the control of the operator
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 21
Managing expectations
From the participants
o Establish the researcher's credibility
o Be very clear about ethical rules
o Define the intervention from the outset
o Set a timetable
o Be sensitive to the cost of recommendations
o Be sensitive to organizational constraints
o Joint development of objectives and limits
o Realistic suggestions
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 22
Managing expectations
From the community (scientific and professional)
o The importance of rigor
o The importance of transparency
o Maintaining objectivity
From the researcher
o Understand and accept the constraints of the
intervention
© Bourhis, Rebolledo, & Cossette 2019 60302A – Research and Intervention in Management 23
