Establishing a strong theoretical understanding of business action research: Focusing on networking learning and leadership

Abstract

Purpose

Describes how a group of practitioner‐scholars developed a network learning organization and provided the leadership for establishing a better theoretical understanding of business action research.

Design/methodology/approach

Case study. Draws on literature review, on interviews with those involved in the group and on the findings from a similar initiative in the UK.

Findings

As companies face increasingly turbulent and difficult economic circumstances, they have sought to devise more effective ways of overcoming the multitude of problems that they face. Business action research, with its emphasis on learning by doing allows those involved in problem solving to identify the issues, present ways of dealing with them and, in conjunction with others, readjust the results through evaluation. However, this concentration on practice often results in business organizations failing to reflect on their activity and to develop a theoretical understanding of action research. An initiative, the Business Action Research cohort, was established in 2002 to provide an environment in which intellectual activity could take place and a better understanding gained of how to apply action research in the workplace. This article records the experience of the BARC team that comprised of a network of practitioner‐scholars based at Monash Univerity, Australia. It describes their establishment of a learning network that was focused on creating actionable knowledge and details how the original members of the PhD cohort acted as members and leaders to subsequent intakes of prospective PhD students.

Practical implications

Details the establishment of a learning network; identifies the problems. Will be of use to others wishing to establish a similar network for mature students.

Social implications

Details the establishment of a learning network and how intellectual development of the group can provide business action research with a solid theoretical base.

Originality/value

Identifies those theories that have relevance for business action research.

Citation

(2010), "Establishing a strong theoretical understanding of business action research: Focusing on networking learning and leadership", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 24 No. 5, pp. 33-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777281011069835