Move Your Research From The Ivy Tower To The Board Room: A Primer On Action Research For Academics, Consultants, And Business Executives
Wenhong Zhang, Alec Levenson, Craig Crossley
Human Resource Management · 2015 · Volume 54 · Issue 1
Abstract
Today there is a large divide between the vast majority of management research that is conducted and the opportunities for doing work that is useful for both research and practice. Action research offers a great opportunity to bridge the divide, with benefits for all involved. For academic researchers, action research can increase access to important research sites that otherwise would remain off-limits, while simultaneously increasing the relevance and scope of the research issues addressed. For researchers and practitioners who work in organizations, and for external consultants, action research offers a way to scientifically evaluate important organizational issues using scientific methods. These methods provide a type of external validity and support for actions that otherwise could be dismissed as representing a biased internal agenda. Moreover, internal researchers who engage in action research enable the sharing of insights that can benefit practitioners in other organizations as well as the research community. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Keywords
research methods and design, qualitative research methodology, quantitative research methodology, organizational change, organizational development, organizational effectiveness
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