How to Develop an Impactful Action Research Program: Insights and Lessons from a Case Study

Abstract

Action research holds great potential for helping bridge the gap between research and practice. By working closely together, researchers and practitioners can develop tangible customized solutions based on research findings. It becomes possible to go beyond generic best practices that might need adaptation for successful implementation and use, or that may not apply at all in some contexts. In this article, the mechanisms through which action research can create the desired change and impact in both industry and academia are illustrated by describing the relevance and contribution of the main steps of a longitudinal action research program in a Canadian manufacturing company. The authors share four guiding principles and six success factors that were revealed intuitively in the course of this multi-year research program. Their hope is to contribute to a better understanding of how it is possible to develop an adaptive action research methodology to increase the potential for research relevance and organizational change.

Keywords

• action research
• guiding principles
• Innovation management
• research practice gap
• success factors