How to Generate Knowledge from Single Case Research on Innovation?

"The article starts with some specifications of the question raised in its title. These specifications makes clear that in practice this is a question of providing some partial, supplementary knowledge which is useful for those who are involved in processes of organisational change and innovation. Then follows a few methodological considerations, which emphasises the complementary role of the researchers versus to actors within enterprises in the kind of action research projects presented in this article. The case presented is one of broad participation in organisational innovation, based on an action research project in a Norwegian enterprise. It is shown that contrary to common belief, the broad participation in the discussions and the preparation of the foundations for the decision making by the top management is of great importance both to the employees and to the enterprise, even though the final decision on organisational choice was quite different from what was wanted and expected by the employees and the middle management. In the final section it is argued that the possibility of making use of knowledge generated from single case research on innovation is immensely enhanced when the diffusion of knowledge takes places as an aspect of national programmes of innovation. This is because then not only the general validity of but also the general interest of such knowledge are much greater." (author's abstract

Constructive Practice and Critical Theory: The Contribution of Action Research to Organisational Change and the Discourse on Organisations

"This article presents a new perspective on the question of how action research may contribute to improving the discourse on organisations. The three first sections deal mainly with some important features of action research, following from action research methods used in projects that comprise organisational change. On the basis of a distinction between practical discourse and theoretical discourse, the point is made that while descriptive research (like organisation theory) takes place mainly as a theoretical discourse, action research also enters the arenas of practical discourse. What kind of knowledge is required, and what kind of experience is made in practical discourses, is elaborated by one example of an action research from a Norwegian international corporation. It is argued that in order to cause practical change, the power of knowledge is dependent on the power of judgment. On this basis, the three last sections deal with this question how knowledge and experience from action research may contribute to the improvement of organisation theory. Initially, a short historical account on the development of organisation theory is presented. It is shown that the split of the discourse on organisations, into a theoretical and practical discourse, has had some unintended and unnoticed consequences as regards the style of writing in organisation theory. This style of writing has resulted in a discourse on organisation which is rich in very general perspectives and concepts, but which nevertheless remains too poor in content. Thus, the conclusion is that for the time being, one of the most important contributions from action research to the discourse on organisations will be to make organisation theory become subject to criticism that may provoke changes in the style of writing organisation theory." (author's abstract

Den sene Foucault â til senere bruk? â frimodige betraktninger

AbstractIt is common knowledge that during the last phase of his life, Foucault was intensively occupied with studying texts from the period of the Greek-Roman antiquity, as part of the lifelong project he himself termed ââ¬Å ââ¬Â¦ the history of ââ¬Ëveridictionsââ¬â¢, understood as the forms according to which discourses capable of being declared true or false are articulated concerning a domain of thingsââ¬Â. His intention with these studies never was to write a history of truth telling that any truth is historically conditioned. Rather, his motive was to understand why ââ¬Åthere is so little truth in truthââ¬Â, as he once expressed it. Departing from a recently published edited version of a series of lectures on the concept of parrhesia (fearless speech), which Foucault performed during the fall 1983, one year before his death, this article presents some of the main topics of the works of the late Foucault.Keywords: Fearless speech; technologies of the self; aesthetics of existence; trut

The Northern Ireland civic forum and a politics of recognition

The challenge of dealing with diversity within democracy and of creating a new political culture in a divided society is the starting point of this paper. Using theories of recognition, these questions are examined in relation to the Northern Ireland Civic Forum. The main question posed is to what extent the Civic Forum has contributed to a new political culture that accepts diversity, but also a common interest beyond diversity, or whether it has become a new arena within which the conflict plays itself out. The paper concludes that in its approach and composition the Forum represents something other than a new arena of conflict, but has yet to play a central role in creating a new political culture. It is an institution that may be able to deal with diversity in a less antagonistic way, creating a space where issues of common interest and diversity can be explored. In time it could play a part in improving the horizontal relationships in Northern Ireland.Not applicableti, ke - TS 09/07/1

Action research for democracy - A Scandinavian approach

Many proponents of action research for democracy seem to presuppose that to anchor action research in democratic ideals is a sufficient base for action researchers to legitimate their democratic purposes and intentions. This article starts out from the presupposition that anchoring action research in democratic ideals is in fact idealism, and argues the case that action research for democracy has to be anchored in some democratic institution of society to have a real legitimacy base for engaging in co-operation with others on democratic development. From this point of departure, a Scandinavian approach for democracy that aims at impact on society as well as social science is presented. The article presents just selected aspects of this tradition. The presentation is based on the presumption that some of the aspects, that seem to be relevant only within a Scandinavian context, may in fact have general relevance for any other approach of action research for democracy

Dialogues in innovation: Interactive learning and interactive research as means for a context sensitive regional innovation policy

Theoretical and empirical studies that demonstrate and discuss the importance of interactive learning for releasing the innovation potential within national as well as regional innovation systems have been steadily increasing since Lundvall’s first publications on this topic in the late eighties. More recently, studies that emphasise the importance of context-sensitive regional innovation policies for releasing the innovation potential have added new arguments for the importance of interactive learning in regional innovation systems. However, innovation researchers operating at the national and/or regional level still seem not to consider themselves as the kind of actors who might enter into any kind of processes of interactive learning with other institutional actors. Against this backdrop, this article develops the argument that interactive research will provide new knowledge on how to realise context-sensitive innovation policies, by supporting interactive learning for the purpose of realising the innovation potential of regions. Such interactive research may take on many forms, but one common methodological aspect will be some kind of participation in dialogues on innovation

Action research for democracy - A Scandinavian approach

Many proponents of action research for democracy seem to presuppose that to anchor action research in democratic ideals is a sufficient base for action researchers to legitimate their democratic purposes and intentions. This article starts out from the presupposition that anchoring action research in democratic ideals is in fact idealism, and argues the case that action research for democracy has to be anchored in some democratic institution of society to have a real legitimacy base for engaging in co-operation with others on democratic development. From this point of departure, a Scandinavian approach for democracy that aims at impact on society as well as social science is presented. The article presents just selected aspects of this tradition. The presentation is based on the presumption that some of the aspects, that seem to be relevant only within a Scandinavian context, may in fact have general relevance for any other approach of action research for democracy

A Kind Word and a Gun : Counterinsurgency in Three Provinces on the Border of Afghanistan and Pakistan

This thesis examines how the American counterinsurgency effort is developing in three provinces of northeastern Afghanistan: Kunar, Nangarhar and Nuristan. Also, it examines what features of the relationship between Pakistan and the United States that are affecting the counterinsurgency effort there. The focus is not only on internal issues within the provinces but also on whether and how external issues, mainly security issues originating from Pakistan’s border areas, are compounding difficulties to the current counterinsurgency effort in these provinces. Both the military as well as the civilian aspects of the counterinsurgency effort are subject to analysis. The analysis of the military aspects of the effort focuses primarily on problems related to civilian casualties and the location of firefights. The analysis of what can be considered the more civilian aspects focuses mainly on three issues: The engagement of the civilian population in reporting on so-called “improvised explosive devices” (IED), the use of insurgent courts vs. the use of government courts to solve local disputes, and the safety of Afghan government officials in the provinces. Having to deal closely with culture is one of the features of counterinsurgency that differentiates it from other types of military campaigns. Among other things, the analyses of the cultural aspects show the importance of making the civilian population that supports the insurgents “see” that the government is a better alternative than the insurgents. In Afghanistan, the counterinsurgents’ ability to produce visible and viable results, whether those are well-building programs or large governmental programs, is at the core of making the population that supports the insurgents “see” why the government should be supported. To be able to achieve this mission, the counterinsurgents, which in the case of Afghanistan are outsiders, must be aware of the “human terrain” that they operate within. Finally, the thesis finds that there are a number of interrelated aspects of the relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan that affect the counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan, both directly and indirectly. It seems clear that not only the military, but also the economic support from U.S. to Pakistan, is of indirect importance. There are strong indications that the economic problems facing Pakistan create the soil for recruiting youth to extremist groups. Recruitment to these groups will also have consequences for the operations in Afghanistan, in particular in the eastern provinces that border Pakistan, and where the insurgents operate on both sides. Pakistan’s use of proxy groups, which also operate on both sides of the border, affects the counterinsurgency operations both directly and indirectly, because the U.S. considers the use of proxy groups as a sign of the Pakistani government’s lack of ability or even will to exert political control in their own country. On the other hand, the effect of drone strikes in Pakistan, specifically in the eastern provinces, seems to be that the U.S. undermines its own credibility in the operations in Afghanistan. In short, the instability in the relations between the U.S. and Pakistan seems to contribute to maintaining the political instability within Pakistan, which in turn makes the U.S. even more reluctant to give military and economic support to Pakistan. This somewhat vicious circle may very well increase the strength of the insurgent groups that have safe havens in Pakistan, and thus worsen the conditions for the counterinsurgency operations in eastern Afghanistan