Facilitation as Midwifery: Facilitation and Praxis in Group Learning

This paper is an inquiry into practice for the purpose of reflection and theory proposal. We discuss the way in which we, as facilitators of action research/learning groups in diverse contexts, confront the challenge of assisting people to work and learn together in authentically collaborative ways. We each describe our very different respective practice examples (Eileen's based on productive and defensive routines; Judith's on sociodramatic exploration) and then collectively discern some substantial similarities in the way that we work. We have likened these similarities to the midwifery process, i.e., "colaboring" or facilitating the birth of whole and healthy group process in which honest and bilateral interactions of action and reflection occur. Finally, we present a meta-reflective account of the way that we have confronted the challenges of working together to write this article. We present this account as a model of a series of five deepening levels of challenge in collaborative learning. These levels reflect the challenge associated with a growth in awareness of both our own process of working together, and that of every other group with which we work.     

Communicative Action through Collaborative Inquiry: Journey of a Facilitating Co-Inquirer

As complex and rapidly changing organisational contexts present a significant challenge for the management and organisational development of professionals, this paper explores a particular journey of one facilitator/co-inquirer (participant) in a collaborative inquiry (CI) intervention driving culture change within the UK's Civil Service. Through such experience it is argued that CI represents an intensive and effective inquiry based change strategy involving collaborative interaction between the co-inquiring facilitator and client. The philosophical history and richness of CI is explored as a prelude to outlining the learning and development of the co-inquirers involved in this project and the observed impact of CI on the organisation. Of note is that over an extended period of time, the facilitator assumes the two roles of inquirer and subject of inquiry, and through such a dual responsibility, gains a deeper understanding of the challenges they face and the nature of the solutions that would require further attention. It is concluded that co-inquirers effectively contribute both to scientific knowledge and the solving of real life practical problems. This document may not be copied in any form, in whole or in part, without the express permission of one of the authors.     

Establishing a Co-operative Inquiry Group: The Perspective of a “First-Time” Inquirer

Systemic Practice and Action Research - This paper gives a detailed account of the activities I engaged in when establishing a co-operative inquiry (CI) group of 12 young women managers. I feel...     

N维足码选择定位法——一种新的群决策方法

在二维足码选择定位法的基础上,建立ｎ 维足码选择定位法,形成了一个能解决二维到ｎ 维的更全面的综合排序的群决策方法．     

The Children's Planning Initiative: Researching Decision-Making for Children

This paper recounts the story of how a number of workers involved in the care of children decided that they needed to do more than improve their skills and began instead to question some of the assumptions on which child care planning processes are built. The paper records a growing consciousness about the value of action research in developing alternative models of decision-making. It leads us from early questioning, through model creation, and on into testing the model in a new and complex organizational setting. While other voices are quoted, the paper recounts the story from the viewpoint of two actors, practitioner/manager and consultant.     

THE AHP： A MULTICRITERIA DECISION MAKING METHODOLOGY FOR SHIFTWORK PRIORITIZING

1. Introduction The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for decision-making uses objective mathematics to process the inescapably subjective and personal preferences of an individual or a group in making a decision. With the AHP, we construct hierarchies that have a first level of strategic or politic criteria, then expand each one of these criteria into more specific subcriteria until reach the terminal criteria, the behavior indicators. Later, makes judgments or performs measurements on pai…     

团队型文化对赛汝(SERU)生产及运营绩效的影响:中国制造业的实证分析

SERU生产是以人为中心的、基于社会-技术实践交互作用的复杂生产系统.适配的组织文化可以为SERU生产的成功实施提供重要支持.本文构建了团队型文化、SERU生产与企业运营绩效之间关系的概念模型,并探讨了环境不确定性的调节效应.基于357份来自中国制造企业的调研数据进行实证检验,研究发现团队型文化对SERU生产有显著正向影响,是SERU生产实施的重要前因.环境不确定性对团队型文化与SERU生产之间的关系,以及SERU生产与运营绩效之间的关系有显著调节效应.特别地,环境不确定性强化了团队型文化与SERU生产的多能工运用的关系,以及多能工运用与运营绩效之间的关系.这些结论不仅丰富了SERU生产理论,也为企业实施SERU生产提供了理论指导.