Presentation on Action

Research
By: Ms. Ambika Goyal
Table 8.2, p.277
 Action Research - 1
• Action research is central to EACH
STAGE of the OD process.
• It is a collaborative effort between the
leaders and facilitators of any change
and those who have to enact it.
• It involves diagnosis, data gathering,
feedback of data to the client group,
data discussion, action planning, and
action.
• Therefore, action research is, as its
name suggests, a combination of
research and action.
 Action Research - 2
• Action research involves collecting data
relevant to the situation of interest,
feeding back the results to those who
must take action, collaboratively
discussing the data to formulate an
action plan, and finally, taking the
necessary action.
 Action Research Model for OD

Key executive perception

Action (new
of problems
behaviours)
Data gathering
Consultation with behavioural (reassessment of
scientist consultant state of system)
Action planning
(determine objectives
Data gathering and
and how to get there)
diagnosis by Feedback
consultant
Discussion and work on
data feedback and data
Further data gathering by client group Discussion and work
on feedback and
Feedback to key client emerging data
or client group Feedback to
client group
Action planning
Joint action planning
(objectives of OD Data gathering
programme and means
Action
of attaining goals, eg
team building
Etc

Source: French and Bell, [1999]

 Shepard’s Action Research
Model

Objective Action Action

Step 1 Step 2

Planning Fact Planning

Finding
 Shepard’s Action Research
Model
Shepard highlights the relations among goals, planning and action. Both
Shepard and French emphasize that action research is research inextricably
linked to action.
AR model is also viewed as approach to problem solving, where we note the
following features:
• normative nature of this model
• centrality of objectives
• different role requirements of consultant vis-à-vis client.
This model also adds to the richness of knowledge, derived every time the
action research is carried out.