Professional Development through Action Research: Case Examples in South African Higher Education

This paper identifies the quality characteristics of a professional development (PD) program on action research (AR) and presents the results of a second-order evaluation of such a program. Three case examples in South African higher education demonstrate how AR methodology has been applied to design, conduct and evaluate the PD program and to identify new ways of learning and improving professional practice in higher education. From data analysis, we distinguish six factors significant in contributing to the quality of the PD program in all three universities: facilitator expertise, adaptive planning, responsive evaluation, critical events, application, and self-efficacy. On the basis of the evaluation results, we present five models: (1) the AR workshop cycles; (2) characteristics of a quality PD program; (3) a PD program on and through AR; (4) three levels of reflection on AR; and (5) meta-action research.

Towards an Understanding, Through Action Research, of the Socio-Organizational Issues Impacting on Mobile Technology Adoption and Diffusion Within a Small-to-Medium South African Construction Company

We investigated, through an action research approach, social issues that impact on mobile technology adoption and diffusion in a professional construction management team of a small-to-medium sized South African construction company. The outcome of the study resulted in a framework of thinking that integrates social factors at individual and organisational levels that impacted on the adoption of mobile technologies in the organisation. At the methodological level the study is part of a limited collection of papers that used AR in the study of technology adoption and diffusion and it presents an example of the capability of AR as a method to allow for the integration of the social contexts of users into adoption frameworks.     

户外增强现实系统关键技术及其应用的研究

增强现实技术是虚拟现实技术发展的一个重要分支，具有虚实结合、实时交互、三维注册的新特点，户外增强现实系统是近年来增强现实技术方面的一个新的研究方向，建立一个成功的户外增强现实系统的的最大障碍是缺少在户外条件下的准确跟踪技术。本文分析了实现户外增强现实系统的关键技术及其与室内增强现实系统的区别并讨论了户外增强现实系统的进展及应用。     

An Action Research Study for Elaborating and Implementing an Electronic Waste Collection Program in Brazil

The objective of this study was to conduct Action Research (AR) to create and implement a WEEE management program that was in line with the BNPSW regulations. The city chosen for this study was São João del Rei (SJDR) located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Using AR it was possible to structure a WEEE management program that involved stakeholders from the city administration, the Federal University of São João del Rei, and representatives from the private sector. The program ultimately collected 1710 kg of WEEE that received an environmentally appropriate destination. Although no major difficulties were observed with respect to the AR process itself, some challenges were encountered. Lack of infrastructure and hesitance on behalf of the public with respect to implementing WEEE Reverse Logistics were complicating factors. The action research as methodology proved to be highly efficient in dealing with e-waste reverse logistics. It resulted in faster decision making, in turn generating better results. Good decisions were repeated and errors were corrected. The Action Research project highlighted the need for raising public awareness about WEEE disposal. It also showed that the public was ultimately interested in participating and contributing to the proposed WEEE management program. The awareness of the population has led to a significant increase in the amount of collected waste. The model resulting from this research serve as a reference for decision makers in implementing similar programs around the world and to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the subject.

     

Research and Reflection: Potential Impact on the Professional Development of Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Students

In occupational therapy education in South Africa, community service (CS) focuses learning opportunities during fieldwork placements. CS therefore enabled the researcher to utilise successive small scale research projects to guide learning of students during fieldwork while simultaneously developing the occupational therapy service at a residential care facility. This community setting provided a powerful environment through which research, in combination with opportunities for reflection, contributed to nurturing skills needed by these future health professionals. A technical action research (AR) approach incorporated AR cycles and opportunities for structured reflection. Therefore situations were created for the students to embrace experiential learning. Experiential learning in the form of anticipatory reflection, reflection-in-action, reflection on reflection and retrospective reflection impacted on the quality of the students’ work. Besides encouraging unique leaning opportunities for students when engaging in research during their fieldwork placement, engagement in AR cycles simultaneously improved service delivery to residents in the facility. Key benefits of this investigation were that fieldwork education utilising AR cycles within a CS situation promoted students to identify voids in their theoretical background as well as practice skills; to apply reflective practice that could contribute to their personal and professional development; and to utilize learning opportunities optimally. Despite positive gains showed by this study, the role of power relations between the researcher as fieldwork educator and the students prohibited the AR cycles from being more emancipatory in nature and should be addressed in follow-up studies.     

Construction of Social Development Index as a Theoretical Research Practice in Action Research by Using Soft Systems Methodology

This paper provides an illustration of the application of Soft Systems Methodology to construct social development index, based on a sociological concept of development proposed by Wirutomo et al. (Pengembangan Indeks Pembangunan Sosial (IPS) Bagi Sektor Informal di Perkotaan: Menuju Kebijakan Inklusif bagi Usaha Kecil, 2011). An action research (AR) is conducted in the field of street vendor promotion program perceived to be representing the social development practice. While the improvement of fundamental elements of societal life, i.e., social structure, culture, and social process can be identified in the field of street vendor promotion program, it is believed that the same development aspects can be explored at many other development sectors. A preliminary social development index is conctructed by using a single sector development program. It is expected that through a further research agenda, a comprehensive social development profile equipped with its related index can be presented. The findings of this SSM-based AR can be considered ??as primary ??thesis?? derived from ??messes?? or ??surprising facts?? of a real world problematic situation?? as described by Stephens et al. (Syst Pract Action Res 22:463?C474, 2009). As an AR practice, this research is a research interest, instead of a problem solving interest in AR (McKay and Marshall, Inf Technol People 14:46?C59, 2001); it is also a theoretical research practice, instead of a business change practice/empirical research practice and regular business practice (Cronholm and Goldkuhl, The 2nd European Conference on Research Methods in Business and Management (ECRM 2003), 2003), and it is an interpretative actions and theory development actions as mentioned by Cronholm and Goldkuhl (The 2nd European Conference on Research Methods in Business and Management (ECRM 2003), 2003). This paper also provides an illustration of a variant relationship between P and A as introduced by McKay and Marshall (Inf Technol People 14:46?C59, 2001), which is ??there are some elements of P that overlap with some elements of A??.     

Augmented reality system for aiding engineering design process of machinery systems

The paper presents the application of augmented reality for aiding product design and development of machinery systems.Augmented reality technology integrates an interactive computer-generated word with an interactive real word in such a way that they appear as one environment.AR technology can enhance a user's perception of the real world with information that is not actually part of the scene but is relevant to the user's present activity.Presented in the AR system is a mode for changing views of data-...     

Application of Scenario-based Approaches in Leadership Research: An Action Research Intervention as Three Sets of Interlinked Practices

This article illustrates how scenario planning (SP) and scenario analysis as can be conceptualised as practices contributing to an action research (AR) investigation of leadership development. The project described in this article was intended to strengthen leadership capacity in Australia’s rapidly changing aged care and community care sector. A research team comprising academics from three universities and managers from two faith-based not-for-profit organisations providing aged and community care participated in this study. As part of the research, two sets of scenario-based workshops were held: the first, to identify possible futures using SP; and the second, to deal with plausible scenarios these organisations are likely to face with the changes happening in the aged care environment in Australia by using scenario analysis. Although the researchers did not consider a link between practice theory and AR during the SP phase, practice theory became useful during the scenario analysis phase. The article includes a brief literature review followed by a discussion on the relationship between AR and practice theory. The processes used in the two sets of scenario workshops are then described in detail along with the data collected and analysed. The article concludes with some reflections on the use of scenarios in practice as well as an acknowledgment that practice theory would be useful in investigating leadership capability development.     

Communicating Through Theatre: How Organizational Theatre Engages Researchers and Industrial Companies

In this article, we focus on the communicative aspects in action research (AR), and how we as action researchers have been inspired by working with a theatre company in enterprise development. The theatre showed us a different landscape concerning communication in the enterprise development process. We discuss how communication in AR traditionally is handled, and challenge AR by introducing how a theatre company creates engagement and involvement in the development process. Action researchers can enhance their research activity through using communication forms borrowed from theatrical performance in order to inspire and increase participants’ involvement in change processes.

Complexity,Democracy and Sustainability: Promoting Water Security Through Systemic Online Negotiations

Water conflicts constitute an important example of some of the most complex and critical environmental issues the 21st century is facing. Recently, much research effort has been put into managing the various dimensions of water issues in a more holistic way through Integrated Water Management approaches. In parallel, numerous water conflicts have arisen and isolated methods and institutional responses have been developed to deal with them. In this paper, I explain why integrating issues of water security within water management considerations is important, in order to prevent water conflicts from arising. I also advocate the use of Information and Communication Technologies as inclusive, democratic systems of water governance. After exploring how and why systems methods and ICTs could contribute to taking the complexity of water issues into account as well as promoting a democratic and sustainable mode of water management, the paper presents an online systemic water conflict management method. This is the initial result of a joint research project between the systems department of the Open University and the PCCP-IHE programme of UNESCO. It shows that working with systems methods and ICTs can help transform traditionally linear modes of negotiation into collaborative learning, holistic, interest-based modes of negotiations. Without using such an approach, that enables the integration of water management, hydropolitics and online governance, the management of (complex and systemic) water conflicts, despite the development of alternative dispute resolution methods, is at risk of remaining linear, mostly based on hard data, un-participatory and non-systemic in nature.

The Role of Action Research (AR) in Environmental Research: Learning from a Local Organic Food and Farming Research Project

We expand on the FMA model of inquiry elucidated by Checkland and Holwell (Syst Pract Act Res 11:9, 1998) and identify three kinds of research: interactive Action Research (AR), extractive participatory research, and traditional science, that were integrated into an interdisciplinary agro-environmental research project involving researchers from eight countries around the Baltic Sea. The research project held the goal of creating scientific understanding of the ecological, economic and social effects of the sustainable development of local food systems, while also having the explicit goal of implementing change in the studied systems. Based on our experience working as action researchers in the project, we highlight the role that normative goals and facilitation process competence play in complex interdisciplinary research projects. Our reflections focus on project design, including the relation between AR and other kinds of research when employed in a single project, and includes reflections on preconditions for stakeholder participation in AR projects.     

Action Engagement: Improving Researchers’ Involvement in Action Research Projects

This article presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of Action Engagement. This is a methodological approach implying that researchers involve themselves in the organization by working as ordinary employees. Our problem statement is this: How will Action Engagement improve the quality of action research? Given the fact that the researcher has limited time to use in the initial phase, we intend to show that Action Engagement is an effective introduction to the daily organizational life. The data is from an automotive supplier and two hospitals in Norway. The analysis contributes to the field of action research in two respects. First, it offers a detailed and varied understanding of how a broad empirical basis can be obtained in an action research (AR) project. Second, it presents an empirically grounded understanding of how this method can be used to achieve increased credibility and trust in ways that enable the researcher to bring in new and important aspects in organizational dialogues.     

Participatory Action Research and the Development of Critical Creativity: A “Natural” Combination?

This paper focuses on the research strategy that I employed during doctoral studies. An overarching framework of Action Research (AR) was used in the development of a complementary approach to creative studies. At the time of the studies AR seemed to be a natural choice and I did not overly concern myself with exploring as to why that was the case. However, I recognize the value of contemplating the appropriateness of research strategy and, in this paper, now reflect on some of the parallel strands implicit in AR and in critical creativity that I now realize served to enrich the overall research process.     

Computer Simulation Within Action Research: A Promising Combination for Improving Healthcare Delivery?

Action research (AR) is increasingly being used to study the improvement of healthcare delivery. Ensuring that all the stakeholders in the AR are willing to take action, however, can be difficult. Especially in healthcare contexts, action plans may challenge the autonomy of the healthcare professionals and the positions of the different stakeholder groups. Does the use of computer simulation techniques within the AR promote action taking by all the stakeholders? We performed an AR experiment with computer simulation in a university hospital’s emergency department in the Netherlands. A simulation model was designed that replicated the actual healthcare delivery process in the study setting. Together with representatives from the medical and nursing staff and department management, we used the model to discuss improvement actions. The team designed an improvement scenario that fundamentally rearranged the task division between the physicians and the nurses. The promising projections in the simulation model motivated the team to try the scenario in reality. The implementation was successful, although it generated much concerns and discussion. The new task division successfully improved patient length of stay (LOS) in the ED. The results achieved by the single team turned out to have lasting effects on the other stakeholders in the ED. Our AR experiment with computer simulation promoted action taking by all the stakeholders. Computer simulation within AR is a promising combination for improving healthcare delivery.     

Social Media as a Mean for Improved Technical Communication

Technical communication (TC) is an important activity in order to provide the users of technical artifacts with necessary information concerning the operation and maintenance of the products they are using. In the current working procedures of TC, however, the users become too passive. They are just receivers of information. Further, there is no effective feedback from the users to the producers of the information. In order to overcome those problems we here propose an application of social media (SM) in future TC. By using SM as a complementary channel for TC it becomes possible for technology firms to boost their competitive advantage and to improve the quality and completeness of their TC. This technique, however, is still more of a potential and less of a reality. Several problems, mostly concerning security and confidentiality remain to be solved. The empirical base for this work comes from TIC, an EU-funded development project involving several Swedish technology companies. Published research results are somewhat scattered but several sources coherently indicate both the need and potential for SM as a vehicle in TC. By scanning the net it is further possible to identify a number of seemingly successful applications of SM in such applications.     

Business Process Re-engineering in Practice—An Example of A Medium-Sized Slovenian Company in Difficulties

Among the contemporary and globally adopted management methods, Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) is the most influential one. Although it was developed in American social and economic environment, it has been widely practiced also in Europe. Experience has demonstrated though that uncritical application of the original American BPR substance to European entrepreneurial practice is as a rule inefficient, often even incompatible with the basic social values. The globally adopted BPR method of company re-engineering is aimed at an increase in competitiveness and must be specified expertly and in view of its substance or adapted to numerous social and economic factors, i.e., requisitely holistically. This article deals with the application of the BPR method in the case of a medium-sized Slovenian company in difficulties. It illustrates the criteria for the selection of a management method of an innovative business change management that is the most efficacious in the Slovenian economy. The BPR project realization is defined from the viewpoint of the given implementation projects and criteria, enabling continual evaluation of the attained results of company reorganization. It presents a good case of informal systemic, i.e., requisitely holistic thinking and action.     

STUDYING COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS

Complex adaptive systems(cas)-systems that involve many components that adapt orlearn as they interact - are at the heart of important contemporary problems.The study of cas posesunique challenges:Some of our most powerful mathematical tools,particularly methods involving fixedpoints,attractors,and the like.are of limited help in understanding the development of cas.This papersuggests ways to modify research methods and tools,with an emphasis on the role of computer-basedmodels.to increase our understanding of cas.     

Action Research on Operations Research for Street Children

This paper discusses an application of the CRASP model of Action Research (AR) on Operations Research (OR). The CRASP model portrays AR as a style of staff development that would lead to professionalism. It also advocates social responsibility, committed and informed action, and a critical approach. All of these concerns are inherent to the process of reflection and development characteristic of OR. As an OR practitioner I participate in this process of reflection and development and applied the CRASP model of AR in performing one application novel to OR, namely, OR for street children. Reflecting on this application of AR on OR for street children, some similarities between AR and OR surface, as well as some difficulties in applying AR on OR, thereby enriching both AR and OR. It is hoped that through collaborative reflection with other AR and OR practitioners, this paper will further our professional development.     

Virtual Action Research for Virtual Organisations?

Business organisations have always existed in a constantly changing environment. To survive it is necessary for them to adapt and adjust to the changes. When analysing complex entities, such as organisations, researchers have frequently adopted the methods of action research. But with the advent of greater use of information and communication technology businesses are changing in their composition and one practical manifestation of this is the rise of virtual teams. Virtual teams reflect the trend for an organisation to comprise ‘satellites’ or clusters of expertise in different parts of the globe. Such a transformation of what we can now take as an organisation creates new challenges for managers and for those inquiring into organisational problems. In this paper we attempt to address the question whether action research is any longer a valid way of organisational intervention for the researcher and consultant alike. In this paper we describe field research in which a soft method of Action Research was used during the analysis phase of IS development as a means of understanding the problem domain, identifying information requirements, evaluating technologies and reducing conflicts. The research was conducted between two institutions that were separated by several thousand miles and all participants connected from individual locations using virtual synchronous ICT. The study provided insight into the use of AR in virtual settings and as a means of conflict resolution in virtual teams. The findings have implications for IS development (which is increasingly conducted in virtual teams), education and management among others.     

基于AR模型的飞机尾流距离检测方法

尾流复杂的电磁散射特性使得传统基于快速傅里叶变换(fast Fourier transformation, FFT)的频域检测方法不适用。首先,基于FFT的谱估计方法频率分辨率较低,尤其在短脉冲序列条件下性能较差;其次,尾流作为一种频域扩展目标,其回波能量在频域较为分散,单通道或多通道求和检测都会损失较多能量。利用分辨率更高的自回归(autoregressive, AR) 模型进行谱估计,并基于AR流形上的距离定义一种距离检测器,将尾流谱整体进行检测,能充分利用尾流的多普勒信息,通过利用尾流数据对距离检测器和传统方法的检测性能进行仿真比较分析,验证了所提方法的有效性。