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Action Research: What it is, Stages & Examples

The best way to get things accomplished is to do it yourself. This statement is utilized in corporations, community projects, and national governments. These organizations are relying on action research to cope with their continuously changing and unstable environments as they function in a more interdependent world.

In practical educational contexts, this involves using systematic inquiry and reflective practice to address real-world challenges, improve teaching and learning, enhance student engagement, and drive positive changes within the educational system.

This post outlines the definition of action research, its stages, and some examples.

Content Index

What is action research?

Stages of action research, the steps to conducting action research, examples of action research, advantages and disadvantages of action research.

Action research is a strategy that tries to find realistic solutions to organizations’ difficulties and issues. It is similar to applied research.

Action research refers basically learning by doing. First, a problem is identified, then some actions are taken to address it, then how well the efforts worked are measured, and if the results are not satisfactory, the steps are applied again.

It can be put into three different groups:

• Positivist: This type of research is also called “classical action research.” It considers research a social experiment. This research is used to test theories in the actual world.
• Interpretive: This kind of research is called “contemporary action research.” It thinks that business reality is socially made, and when doing this research, it focuses on the details of local and organizational factors.
• Critical: This action research cycle takes a critical reflection approach to corporate systems and tries to enhance them.

All research is about learning new things. Collaborative action research contributes knowledge based on investigations in particular and frequently useful circumstances. It starts with identifying a problem. After that, the research process is followed by the below stages:

Stage 1: Plan

For an action research project to go well, the researcher needs to plan it well. After coming up with an educational research topic or question after a research study, the first step is to develop an action plan to guide the research process. The research design aims to address the study’s question. The research strategy outlines what to undertake, when, and how.

Stage 2: Act

The next step is implementing the plan and gathering data. At this point, the researcher must select how to collect and organize research data . The researcher also needs to examine all tools and equipment before collecting data to ensure they are relevant, valid, and comprehensive.

Stage 3: Observe

Data observation is vital to any investigation. The action researcher needs to review the project’s goals and expectations before data observation. This is the final step before drawing conclusions and taking action.

Different kinds of graphs, charts, and networks can be used to represent the data. It assists in making judgments or progressing to the next stage of observing.

Stage 4: Reflect

This step involves applying a prospective solution and observing the results. It’s essential to see if the possible solution found through research can really solve the problem being studied.

The researcher must explore alternative ideas when the action research project’s solutions fail to solve the problem.

Action research is a systematic approach researchers, educators, and practitioners use to identify and address problems or challenges within a specific context. It involves a cyclical process of planning, implementing, reflecting, and adjusting actions based on the data collected. Here are the general steps involved in conducting an action research process:

Identify the action research question or problem

Clearly define the issue or problem you want to address through your research. It should be specific, actionable, and relevant to your working context.

Review existing knowledge

Conduct a literature review to understand what research has already been done on the topic. This will help you gain insights, identify gaps, and inform your research design.

Plan the research

Develop a research plan outlining your study’s objectives, methods, data collection tools, and timeline. Determine the scope of your research and the participants or stakeholders involved.

Collect data

Implement your research plan by collecting relevant data. This can involve various methods such as surveys, interviews, observations, document analysis, or focus groups. Ensure that your data collection methods align with your research objectives and allow you to gather the necessary information.

Analyze the data

Once you have collected the data, analyze it using appropriate qualitative or quantitative techniques. Look for patterns, themes, or trends in the data that can help you understand the problem better.

Reflect on the findings

Reflect on the analyzed data and interpret the results in the context of your research question. Consider the implications and possible solutions that emerge from the data analysis. This reflection phase is crucial for generating insights and understanding the underlying factors contributing to the problem.

Develop an action plan

Based on your analysis and reflection, develop an action plan that outlines the steps you will take to address the identified problem. The plan should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART goals). Consider involving relevant stakeholders in planning to ensure their buy-in and support.

Implement the action plan

Put your action plan into practice by implementing the identified strategies or interventions. This may involve making changes to existing practices, introducing new approaches, or testing alternative solutions. Document the implementation process and any modifications made along the way.

Evaluate and monitor progress

Continuously monitor and evaluate the impact of your actions. Collect additional data, assess the effectiveness of the interventions, and measure progress towards your goals. This evaluation will help you determine if your actions have the desired effects and inform any necessary adjustments.

Reflect and iterate

Reflect on the outcomes of your actions and the evaluation results. Consider what worked well, what did not, and why. Use this information to refine your approach, make necessary adjustments, and plan for the next cycle of action research if needed.

Remember that participatory action research is an iterative process, and multiple cycles may be required to achieve significant improvements or solutions to the identified problem. Each cycle builds on the insights gained from the previous one, fostering continuous learning and improvement.

Explore Insightfully Contextual Inquiry in Qualitative Research

Here are two real-life examples of action research.

Action research initiatives are frequently situation-specific. Still, other researchers can adapt the techniques. The example is from a researcher’s (Franklin, 1994) report about a project encouraging nature tourism in the Caribbean.

In 1991, this was launched to study how nature tourism may be implemented on the four Windward Islands in the Caribbean: St. Lucia, Grenada, Dominica, and St. Vincent.

For environmental protection, a government-led action study determined that the consultation process needs to involve numerous stakeholders, including commercial enterprises.

First, two researchers undertook the study and held search conferences on each island. The search conferences resulted in suggestions and action plans for local community nature tourism sub-projects.

Several islands formed advisory groups and launched national awareness and community projects. Regional project meetings were held to discuss experiences, self-evaluations, and strategies. Creating a documentary about a local initiative helped build community. And the study was a success, leading to a number of changes in the area.

Lau and Hayward (1997) employed action research to analyze Internet-based collaborative work groups.

Over two years, the researchers facilitated three action research problem -solving cycles with 15 teachers, project personnel, and 25 health practitioners from diverse areas. The goal was to see how Internet-based communications might affect their virtual workgroup.

First, expectations were defined, technology was provided, and a bespoke workgroup system was developed. Participants suggested shorter, more dispersed training sessions with project-specific instructions.

The second phase saw the system’s complete deployment. The final cycle witnessed system stability and virtual group formation. The key lesson was that the learning curve was poorly misjudged, with frustrations only marginally met by phone-based technical help. According to the researchers, the absence of high-quality online material about community healthcare was harmful.

Role clarity, connection building, knowledge sharing, resource assistance, and experiential learning are vital for virtual group growth. More study is required on how group support systems might assist groups in engaging with their external environment and boost group members’ learning. 

Action research has both good and bad points.

• It is very flexible, so researchers can change their analyses to fit their needs and make individual changes.
• It offers a quick and easy way to solve problems that have been going on for a long time instead of complicated, long-term solutions based on complex facts.
• If It is done right, it can be very powerful because it can lead to social change and give people the tools to make that change in ways that are important to their communities.

Disadvantages

• These studies have a hard time being generalized and are hard to repeat because they are so flexible. Because the researcher has the power to draw conclusions, they are often not thought to be theoretically sound.
• Setting up an action study in an ethical way can be hard. People may feel like they have to take part or take part in a certain way.
• It is prone to research errors like selection bias , social desirability bias, and other cognitive biases.

LEARN ABOUT: Self-Selection Bias

This post discusses how action research generates knowledge, its steps, and real-life examples. It is very applicable to the field of research and has a high level of relevance. We can only state that the purpose of this research is to comprehend an issue and find a solution to it.

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Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ’s)

Action research is a systematic approach to inquiry that involves identifying a problem or challenge in a practical context, implementing interventions or changes, collecting and analyzing data, and using the findings to inform decision-making and drive positive change.

Action research can be conducted by various individuals or groups, including teachers, administrators, researchers, and educational practitioners. It is often carried out by those directly involved in the educational setting where the research takes place.

The steps of action research typically include identifying a problem, reviewing relevant literature, designing interventions or changes, collecting and analyzing data, reflecting on findings, and implementing improvements based on the results.

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Action Research: Steps, Benefits, and Tips

Introduction

History of action research, what is the definition of action research, types of action research, conducting action research.

Action research is an approach to qualitative inquiry in social science research that involves the search for practical solutions to everyday issues. Rooted in real-world problems, it seeks not just to understand but also to act, bringing about positive change in specific contexts. Often distinguished by its collaborative nature, the action research process goes beyond traditional research paradigms by emphasizing the involvement of those being studied in resolving social conflicts and effecting positive change.

The value of action research lies not just in its outcomes, but also in the process itself, where stakeholders become active participants rather than mere subjects. In this article, we'll examine action research in depth, shedding light on its history, principles, and types of action research.

Tracing its roots back to the mid-20th century, Kurt Lewin developed classical action research as a response to traditional research methods in the social sciences that often sidelined the very communities they studied. Proponents of action research championed the idea that research should not just be an observational exercise but an actionable one that involves devising practical solutions. Advocates believed in the idea of research leading to immediate social action, emphasizing the importance of involving the community in the process.

Applications for action research

Over the years, action research has evolved and diversified. From its early applications in social psychology and organizational development, it has branched out into various fields such as education, healthcare, and community development, informing questions around improving schools, minority problems, and more. This growth wasn't just in application, but also in its methodologies.

How is action research different?

Like all research methodologies, effective action research generates knowledge. However, action research stands apart in its commitment to instigate tangible change. Traditional research often places emphasis on passive observation , employing data collection methods primarily to contribute to broader theoretical frameworks . In contrast, action research is inherently proactive, intertwining the acts of observing and acting.

The primary goal isn't just to understand a problem but to solve or alleviate it. Action researchers partner closely with communities, ensuring that the research process directly benefits those involved. This collaboration often leads to immediate interventions, tweaks, or solutions applied in real-time, marking a departure from other forms of research that might wait until the end of a study to make recommendations.

This proactive, change-driven nature makes action research particularly impactful in settings where immediate change is not just beneficial but essential.

Action research is best understood as a systematic approach to cooperative inquiry. Unlike traditional research methodologies that might primarily focus on generating knowledge, action research emphasizes producing actionable solutions for pressing real-world challenges.

This form of research undertakes a cyclic and reflective journey, typically cycling through stages of planning , acting, observing, and reflecting. A defining characteristic of action research is the collaborative spirit it embodies, often dissolving the rigid distinction between the researcher and the researched, leading to mutual learning and shared outcomes.

Advantages of action research

One of the foremost benefits of action research is the immediacy of its application. Since the research is embedded within real-world issues, any findings or solutions derived can often be integrated straightaway, catalyzing prompt improvements within the concerned community or organization. This immediacy is coupled with the empowering nature of the methodology. Participants aren't mere subjects; they actively shape the research process, giving them a tangible sense of ownership over both the research journey and its eventual outcomes.

Moreover, the inherent adaptability of action research allows researchers to tweak their approaches responsively based on live feedback. This ensures the research remains rooted in the evolving context, capturing the nuances of the situation and making any necessary adjustments. Lastly, this form of research tends to offer a comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand, harmonizing socially constructed theoretical knowledge with hands-on insights, leading to a richer, more textured understanding.

Disadvantages of action research

Like any methodology, action research isn't devoid of challenges. Its iterative nature, while beneficial, can extend timelines. Researchers might find themselves engaged in multiple cycles of observation, reflection, and action before arriving at a satisfactory conclusion. The intimate involvement of the researcher with the research participants , although crucial for collaboration, opens doors to potential conflicts. Through collaborative problem solving, disagreements can lead to richer and more nuanced solutions, but it can take considerable time and effort.

Another limitation stems from its focus on a specific context: results derived from a particular action research project might not always resonate or be applicable in a different context or with a different group. Lastly, the depth of collaboration this methodology demands means all stakeholders need to be deeply invested, and such a level of commitment might not always be feasible.

Examples of action research

To illustrate, let's consider a few scenarios. Imagine a classroom where a teacher observes dwindling student participation. Instead of sticking to conventional methods, the teacher experiments with introducing group-based activities. As the outcomes unfold, the teacher continually refines the approach based on student feedback, eventually leading to a teaching strategy that rejuvenates student engagement.

In a healthcare context, hospital staff who recognize growing patient anxiety related to certain procedures might innovate by introducing a new patient-informing protocol. As they study the effects of this change, they could, through iterations, sculpt a procedure that diminishes patient anxiety.

Similarly, in the realm of community development, a community grappling with the absence of child-friendly public spaces might collaborate with local authorities to conceptualize a park. As they monitor its utilization and societal impact, continual feedback could refine the park's infrastructure and design.

Contemporary action research, while grounded in the core principles of collaboration, reflection, and change, has seen various adaptations tailored to the specific needs of different contexts and fields. These adaptations have led to the emergence of distinct types of action research, each with its unique emphasis and approach.

Collaborative action research

Collaborative action research emphasizes the joint efforts of professionals, often from the same field, working together to address common concerns or challenges. In this approach, there's a strong emphasis on shared responsibility, mutual respect, and co-learning. For example, a group of classroom teachers might collaboratively investigate methods to improve student literacy, pooling their expertise and resources to devise, implement, and refine strategies for improving teaching.

Participatory action research

Participatory action research (PAR) goes a step further in dissolving the barriers between the researcher and the researched. It actively involves community members or stakeholders not just as participants, but as equal partners in the entire research process. PAR is deeply democratic and seeks to empower participants, fostering a sense of agency and ownership. For instance, a participatory research project might involve local residents in studying and addressing community health concerns, ensuring that the research process and outcomes are both informed by and beneficial to the community itself.

Educational action research

Educational action research is tailored specifically to practical educational contexts. Here, educators take on the dual role of teacher and researcher, seeking to improve teaching practices, curricula, classroom dynamics, or educational evaluation. This type of research is cyclical, with educators implementing changes, observing outcomes, and reflecting on results to continually enhance the educational experience. An example might be a teacher studying the impact of technology integration in her classroom, adjusting strategies based on student feedback and learning outcomes.

Community-based action research

Another noteworthy type is community-based action research, which focuses primarily on community development and well-being. Rooted in the principles of social justice, this approach emphasizes the collective power of community members to identify, study, and address their challenges. It's particularly powerful in grassroots movements and local development projects where community insights and collaboration drive meaningful, sustainable change.

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Engaging in action research is both an enlightening and transformative journey, rooted in practicality yet deeply connected to theory. For those embarking on this path, understanding the essentials of an action research study and the significance of a research cycle is paramount.

Understanding the action research cycle

At the heart of action research is its cycle, a structured yet adaptable framework guiding the research. This cycle embodies the iterative nature of action research, emphasizing that learning and change evolve through repetition and reflection.

The typical stages include:

• Identifying a problem : This is the starting point where the action researcher pinpoints a pressing issue or challenge that demands attention.
• Planning : Here, the researcher devises an action research strategy aimed at addressing the identified problem. In action research, network resources, participant consultation, and the literature review are core components in planning.
• Action : The planned strategies are then implemented in this stage. This 'action' phase is where theoretical knowledge meets practical application.
• Observation : Post-implementation, the researcher observes the outcomes and effects of the action. This stage ensures that the research remains grounded in the real-world context.
• Critical reflection : This part of the cycle involves analyzing the observed results to draw conclusions about their effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
• Revision : Based on the insights from reflection, the initial plan is revised, marking the beginning of another cycle.

Rigorous research and iteration

It's essential to understand that while action research is deeply practical, it doesn't sacrifice rigor . The cyclical process ensures that the research remains thorough and robust. Each iteration of the cycle in an action research project refines the approach, drawing it closer to an effective solution.

The role of the action researcher

The action researcher stands at the nexus of theory and practice. Not just an observer, the researcher actively engages with the study's participants, collaboratively navigating through the research cycle by conducting interviews, participant observations, and member checking . This close involvement ensures that the study remains relevant, timely, and responsive.

Drawing conclusions and informing theory

As the research progresses through multiple iterations of data collection and data analysis , drawing conclusions becomes an integral aspect. These conclusions, while immediately beneficial in addressing the practical issue at hand, also serve a broader purpose. They inform theory, enriching the academic discourse and providing valuable insights for future research.

Identifying actionable insights

Keep in mind that action research should facilitate implications for professional practice as well as space for systematic inquiry. As you draw conclusions about the knowledge generated from action research, consider how this knowledge can create new forms of solutions to the pressing concern you set out to address.

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The SAGE Encyclopedia of Action Research

• Edited by: David Coghlan & Mary Brydon-Miller
• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd
• Publication year: 2014
• Online pub date: December 22, 2014
• Discipline: Anthropology
• Methods: Action research , Action science
• DOI: https:// doi. org/10.4135/9781446294406
• Keywords: action learning , community development , inquiry , knowledge Show all Show less
• Print ISBN: 9781849200271
• Online ISBN: 9781446294406
• Buy the book icon link

Reader's guide

Entries a-z, subject index.

Action research is a term used to describe a family of related approaches that integrate theory and action with a goal of addressing important organizational, community, and social issues together with those who experience them. It focuses on the creation of areas for collaborative learning and the design, enactment and evaluation of liberating actions through combining action and research, reflection and action in an ongoing cycle of cogenerative knowledge. While the roots of these methodologies go back to the 1940s, there has been a dramatic increase in research output and adoption in university curricula over the past decade. This is now an area of high popularity among academics and researchers from various fields—especially business and organization studies, education, health care, nursing, development studies, and social and community work. This encyclopedia brings together the many strands of action research and addresses the interplay between these disciplines by presenting a state-of-the-art overview and comprehensive breakdown of the key tenets and methods of action research as well as detailing the work of key theorists and contributors to action research.

Front Matter

• Editorial Board
• List of Entries
• Reader's Guide
• About the General Editors
• About the Associate Editors
• About the Editorial Board
• Contributors
• Introduction

Reader’s Guide

• Alinsky, Saul
• Argyris, Chris
• Bateson, Gregory
• Boal, Augusto
• Chataway, Cynthia Joy
• Dewey, John
• Emery, Fred
• Fals Borda, Orlando
• Freire, Paulo
• Gadamer, Hans-Georg
• Horton, Myles
• Kincheloe, Joe
• Lewin, Kurt
• marino, dian
• Martín-Baró, Ignacio
• Nielsen, Kurt Aagaard
• Noffke, Susan
• Schön, Donald
• Toulmin, Stephen
• Whyte, William Foote
• Wittgenstein, Ludwig
• Academic Discourse
• Appreciative Intelligence
• Authenticity
• Bakhtinian Dialogism
• Community of Inquiry
• Communities of Practice
• Conscientization
• Critical Friend
• Critical Reference Group
• Double-Loop Learning
• Empowerment
• Engaged Scholarship
• Heteroglossia
• Knowledge Democracy
• Non-Indigenous Ally
• Organizational Culture
• Positionality
• Subalternity
• Sustainability
• Systems Thinking
• Tacit Knowledge
• Technical Action Research
• Tempered Radical
• Transformative Learning
• Epistemology
• Experiential Knowing
• Experiential Learning
• Extended Epistemology
• Hawaiian Epistemology
• Māori Epistemology
• Practical Knowing
• Covenantal Ethics
• Ethics and Moral Decision-Making
• Feminist Ethics
• Indigenous Research Ethics and Practice
• Institutional Review Board
• Capacity Building
• Citizen Participation
• Co-Generative Learning
• Environmental Justice
• Knowledge Mobilization
• Local Self-Governance
• Social Accountability
• Social Justice
• Women's Political Empowerment
• Action Evaluation
• Advocacy and Inquiry
• Autobiography
• Bricolage Process
• Citizen Report Card
• Citizens' Juries
• Cognitive Mapping
• Collaborative Data Analysis
• Community Dialogue
• Community Mapping
• Computer-Based Instruction
• Concept Mapping
• Conflict Management
• Convergent Interviewing
• Critical Reflection
• Democratic Dialogue
• Descriptive Review
• Development Coalitions
• Dialogue Conferences
• Digital Storytelling
• Discourse Analysis
• Fishbone Diagram
• Focus Groups
• Listening Guide
• Microplanning
• Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue
• Narrative Inquiry
• Organizational Storytelling
• Participatory Monitoring
• Research Circles
• Search Conference
• Social Audit
• Stakeholder Analysis
• Storytelling
• World Café, The
• Action Learning
• Action Science
• Anti-Oppression Research
• Appreciative Inquiry and Research Methodology
• Appreciative Inquiry and Sustainable Value Creation
• Arts-Based Action Research
• Asset-Based Community Development
• Citizen Science
• Classroom-Based Action Research
• Clinical Inquiry
• Collaborative Action Research
• Collaborative Developmental Action Inquiry
• Collaborative Management Research
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Community-Based Research
• Comprehensive District Planning
• Co-Operative Inquiry
• Critical Action Learning
• Critical Participatory Action Research
• Critical Utopian Action Research
• Dialogic Inquiry
• Ethnography
• Evaluative Inquiry
• Feminist Participatory Action Research
• First Person Action Research
• Grounded Theory
• Indigenist Research
• Indigenous Research Methods
• Interactive Research
• Intervention Research in Management
• Large-Group Action Research
• Learning History
• Living Life as Inquiry
• Oral History
• Participatory Action Research
• Participatory Design Programming
• Participatory Governance
• Participatory Learning and Action
• Participatory Rapid Appraisal
• Participatory Rural Appraisal
• Participatory Theatre
• Participatory Urban Planning
• Performed Ethnography
• Practice Development
• Practitioner Inquiry
• Pragmatic Action Research
• Process Consultation
• Qualimetrics Intervention Research
• Quantitative Methods
• Reflective Practice
• Second Person Action Research
• Soft Systems Methodology
• Strategic Planning
• Strengths-Based Approach
• Systemic Action Research
• Systems Psychodynamics
• Theatre of the Oppressed
• Third Person Action Research
• Transpersonal Inquiry
• Work-Based Learning
• Youth Participatory Action Research
• Cycles of Action and Reflection
• Data Analysis
• Disseminating Action Research
• Gender Issues
• Generalizability
• Information and Communications Technology and Organizational Change
• Integrating Grounded Theory
• Intersubjectivity
• Meta-Methodology
• Mode 1 and Mode 2 Knowledge Production
• Reliability
• Transferability
• Antigonish Movement
• Centre for Action Research in Professional Practice
• Collaborative Action Research Network
• Community Design Centres
• Community-University Partnership Programme
• Community-Campus Partnerships for Health
• Community-University Research Partnerships
• Cornell Participatory Action Research Network
• Dig Where You Stand Movement
• Disabled People's Organizations
• Global Alliance for Community-Engaged Research
• Gonogobeshona
• Grameen Bank
• Highlander Research and Education Center
• Institute of Development Studies
• International Council for Adult Education
• International Participatory Research Network
• Jipemoyo Project
• Maya Women of Chajul
• Mondragón Co-Operatives
• Norwegian Industrial Democracy Movement
• Office of Community-Based Research
• Research Initiatives, Bangladesh
• Social Movement Learning Movement
• Society for Participatory Research in Asia
• Tavistock Institute
• Work Research Institute, The
• World Congresses of Action Research
• Action Turn, The
• Communitarianism
• Critical Constructivism
• Critical Pedagogy
• Critical Race Theory
• Critical Realism
• Frankfurt School
• Hermeneutics
• Phenomenology
• Philosophy of Science
• Phrónêsis
• Positive Organizational Scholarship and Appreciative Inquiry
• Téchnê
• Action Anthropology
• Adult Education
• Agriculture and Ecological Integrity
• Community Development
• Criminal Justice Systems
• Design Research
• Development Action Research
• Educational Action Research
• Environment and Climate Change
• Health Care
• Health Education
• Health Promotion
• Higher Education
• HIV Prevention and Support
• Human Rights
• Information Systems
• Insider Action Research
• Inter-Organizational Action Research
• Labour-Managed Firms
• New Product Development
• Operations Management
• Organization Development
• Participatory Disaster Management
• Project Management
• Regional Development
• Subaltern Studies
• Voluntary Sector
• Workers' Participation in Occupational Health and Safety
• Work-Family Interventions
• Dissertation Writing
• Facilitation
• Supervising Action Research Theses and Dissertations
• Teaching Action Researchers
• Christian Spirituality of Action
• Confucian Principles
• Islamic Practice
• Jewish Belief, Thought and Practice
• Karma Theory
• Liberation Theology
• Mindful Inquiry
• Theological Action Research
• Activity Theory
• Complexity Theory
• Constructivism
• Field Theory
• Liberation Psychology
• Living Theories
• Post-Colonial Theory
• Postmodernism
• Relational-Cultural Theory
• Social Constructionism
• Social Learning
• Socio-Technical Systems
• Symbolic Interactionism
• Theories of Action
• Asset Mapping
• Force Field Analysis
• Geographic Information Systems
• Ladder of Inference
• Ladder of Participation
• Learning Pathways Grid

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Action Research

• Reference work entry
• First Online: 22 November 2023
• Cite this reference work entry

• Chahid E. Fourali 7  

28 Accesses

Action research is a form of enquiry that integrates theory and action to address real life problems. It enables practitioners to systematically evaluate and improve their practice. The number of types of action researches has multiplied over the last 50 years (Fourali 2016 ) or so and, accordingly, so did the number of definitions offered. These usually refer to the following characteristics of AR:

Use of an iterative model (e.g., Kolb’s model) for systematically analyzing, testing, and reviewing the reality being faced

Involve the participation of stakeholders with a purpose of co-design of solution

Support in depth analysis of faced situation that goes beyond addressing the symptoms

May refer to several disciplines to help understand and address the faced problems

Is inclusive and ethically informed

Various authors were identified as the originators of action-led research and learning. These included Kurt Lewin, Reg Revans, and Kolb. Fourali argued that the...

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Coghlan, D., & Brannick, T. (2005). Doing action research in your own organization . London: Sage.

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Fourali, C. (2016). The promise of social marketing: A powerful tool for changing the world for good . London: Routledge.

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Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed . New York: Herder & Herder.

McNiff, J., & Whitehead, J. (2011). All you need to know about action research (2nd ed.). London: Sage.

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London Metropolitan University, London, UK

Chahid E. Fourali

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Correspondence to Chahid E. Fourali .

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Guildhall Faculty of Business and Law London Metropolitan University, London Metropolitan University, London, UK

Samuel O. Idowu

BFH - Bern, Bern, Switzerland

René Schmidpeter

College of Business, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, USA

Nicholas Capaldi

International Training Centre of the IL, International Labor Organization, Turin, Italy

Liangrong Zu

Department of Economics, Society and Politics, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy

Mara Del Baldo

Instituto Politécnico da Guarda, Guarda, Portugal

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Department of Quality Management and Standardization, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia

Ivana Mijatovic

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Fourali, C.E. (2023). Action Research. In: Idowu, S.O., Schmidpeter, R., Capaldi, N., Zu, L., Del Baldo, M., Abreu, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sustainable Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25984-5_143

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25984-5_143

Published : 22 November 2023

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-031-25983-8

Online ISBN : 978-3-031-25984-5

eBook Packages : Business and Management Reference Module Humanities and Social Sciences Reference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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