Frimann, Søren

Hersted, Lone

Søbye, Anne

English

    Aalborg UniversitetOrganizational Learning through Action ResearchHansen, Lone Hersted; Frimann, Søren; Søbye, AnnePublication date:2018Link to publication from Aalborg UniversityCitation for published version (APA):Hansen, L. H., Frimann, S., & Søbye, A. (2018). Organizational Learning through Action Research. Abstractfrom Aktionsforskning –tradition og fornyelse , Aalborg, Denmark.General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright ownersand it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.            ? Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.            ? You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain            ? You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ?Take down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us at vbn@aub.aau.dk providing details, and we will remove access tothe work immediately and investigate your claim.Downloaded from vbn.aau.dk on: December 27, 2020Abstract:  Organizational Learning through Action Research   By Lone Hersted, Søren Frimann, Department of Learning and Philosophy, Aalborg University, and Anne Søbye, Center for Deafblindness and Hearing Loss   Contact information: Lone Hersted, assistant professor, email address: lhersted@learning.aau.dk Søren Frimann, associate professor, email address: frimann@learning.aau.dk  Anne Søbye, development consultant, email address: anne.soebye@rn.dk   Key words Action research, dialogue, organizational learning, management learning, tacit knowledge.    Introduction This abstract presents the framework concerning a forthcoming paper based on an action research project where we discuss to what extent and how action research can support organizational learning and change processes in relation to organizational knowledge building and knowledge sharing. The project draws on the dialogue tradition within action research (Coghlan et al.; 2010; Reason & Bradbury, 2001; Ripamonti et al 2016) and social constructionist ideas (Cunliffe 2002, 2004; Gergen 2003, 2015; Gergen & Thatchenkery (1996); Cunliffe & Shotter, J. (2006), Shotter 2013; McNamee 2014, Ripamonti et al 2016).  Organizational context The project was developed and carried out in close collaboration between The Center for Deafblindness and Hearing Loss, CDH and Aalborg University. CDH is a national, comprehensive service for both children, young people and adults with either deafblindness or hearing loss. The center is located in Northern Denmark.   Aims of the project Because of on increased focus on, and demand for, knowledge production and knowledge sharing within the organization the overall aim of the project is to examine and discusses if and how action research can offer a frame for reflexivity, learning knowledge production and knowledge sharing across the organization. How can action research support and sustain organizational change and an identity as a “knowledge based organization” through the active involvement of employees and managers in reflexive conversations?   Through the active engagement of employees and managers the projects seeks to build bridges between practice and theory and pay special attention to the verbalization and externalization of tacit knowledge (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995; Polanyi, 2009).  Research question: The research is based on the following overall question: How can we share and co-create knowledge through dialogical and reflexive processes in a collaborative setting for organizational learning through the active involvement of employees and managers, including as well the sharing of knowledge throughout the organization? In addition, we are curious to examine whether action research as an inquiry for learning and change can act as an alternative to the New Public Management paradigm. In NPM focus usually is kept on top-down implementation of evidence-based knowledge in pedagogical practice.  Findings and concluding remarks Our preliminary findings show that there is a great potential in working with action research for organizational knowledge building and bridge building between practice and theory, because this inquiry actively involves participants in experimenting, exploring and verbalizing their own professional practice. Furthermore joint action, mutual inspiration and knowledge sharing through reflexive dialogues inspire participants to seek knowledge from relevant literature and research within their professional field.  Literature Chia, R. (1996). The Problem of Reflexivity in Organizational Research: Towards a Postmodern Science of organization. In: Organization 3(1) pp. 31-59. Coghlan, D. & T. Brannick (2010). Doing Action Research in Your Own Organization. 3rd ed. London: Sage Crevani, L., Lindgren, M., & Packendorff, J. (2007). Shared Leadership: A postheroic perspective on leadership as a collective construction. In: International Journal of Leadership Studies, 3(1), pp. 40-67. Cunliffe, A. (2002). Reflexive Dialogical Practice in Management Learning. In: Management Learning 2002, 33(1) pp. 35-61, March 2002. Sage Publications. Cunliffe, A.L. (2004). On Becoming a Critically Reflexive Practitioner. In: Journal of Management Education, 28 pp. 407–426. Cunliffe, A.L., & Shotter, J. (2006). Wittgenstein, Bakhtin, Management and the Dialogical. In: D. M. Hosking & S. McNamee (Eds.): The Social Construction of Organization (pp. 226-241). Malmö, Sweden: Liber & Copenhagen Business School Press. Gergen, K. J. (2003). Knowledge as socially constructed. In: Gergen, M. and Gergen, K.J. (Eds.). Social Construction: A Reader. (pp.15-17). London: Sage. Gergen, K.J. (2015). From Mirroring to World-Making: Research as Future Forming. Winner of the 2014 essay competition, Independent Social Research Foundation, London, UK. In: Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 45, 2015, pp. 287-310. Gergen, K.J. & Thatchenkery, T. (1996). Organizational Science in a Postmodern Context. In: Journal of applied Behavioral Science vol. 32, pp. 356-378. McNamee, S. (2014). Research as Relational Practice: Exploring Modes of Inquiry. In: G. Simonand A. Chard (Eds.), Systemic Inquiry: Innovations in Reflexive Practice Research pp. 74-94. London: Everything is Connected Press. McNiff, J. and Whitehead, J (2011). All you need to know about action research. Second Edition. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington: Sage Publications. Nonaka, I. & Takeuchi, H. (1995). The Knowledge-Creating Company. Oxford: Oxford University Press (s. 56 – 73).  Nonaka, I, Chia, R., Holt, R. & Peltokorpi, V. (2014). Wisdom, management and organization In: Management Learning 2014, Vol. 45(4) 365–376.  Polanyi, M. (2009): The Tacit Dimension. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Reason, P. & H. Bradbury (2008): The SAGE Handbook of Action Research. London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi and Singapore: Sage Publications. Ripamonti, S, Galuppo, L., Gorli, M., Scaratti, G. and Cunliffe, A. (2016). Pushing Action Research toward Reflexive practice. In: Journal of Management Inquiry 2016, vol. 25(1) pp. 55-68. Schön, D.A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books. Schön, D.A. (1987). Educating the Reflective Practitioner: Towards a new design for teaching and learning in the professions. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass. Shotter (2015). Undisciplining Social Science: Wittgenstein and the Art of Creating Situated Practices of Social Inquiry. In: Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour 2015. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Tsoukas, H. & Chia, R. (2002). On Organizational Becoming: Rethinking Organizational Change. In: Organization Science, 13(5), pp. 567-582. Wittgenstein, L. (1953/2009). Philosophical Investigations. Revised 4th edition by P.M.S. Hacker and J. Schulte. West Sussex (UK): Wiley-Blackwell.  

Organizational Learning through Action Research

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Organizational Learning through Action Research

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