Integral Research and Innovation: Transforming Enterprise and Society

Citation

Fourie, I. (2011), "Integral Research and Innovation: Transforming Enterprise and Society", Online Information Review, Vol. 35 No. 3, pp. 507-509. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684521111151540

When reviewing scholarly and professional publications, one often learns new things: new developments, new technologies and interesting bits and pieces of information. It is seldom, however, that one feels privileged to be introduced to a significant scholarly manuscript and review a work that actually makes a difference. Integral Research and Innovation is such a work: it has the ability to change research foci and approaches in a professional field (something that is so often argued, but hardly ever addressed in full on the “how‐to” level).

As a substantial publication of 423 pages, Integral Research and Innovation offers a wealth of information that can influence research practices and paradigms in the social sciences. It consists of 17 chapters in four parts. These parts cover an orientation to social innovation, design for social innovation, paths toward social innovation and the institutionalising of social innovation. The chapters cover issues such as: new research and university paradigms, the four innovation paths of integral research, the integral research trajectory, originating integral research, from descriptive methods to phenomenology, from phenomenology to feminism, from feminist participatory research to action research, from narratives to hermeneutics, from hermeneutics to critical theory, from critical theory to co‐operative enquiry, from methods of theorising to critical rationalism, from critical rationalism to postmodernism, from postmodernism to socio‐technical design, from experimental and survey methods to empiricism, from empiricism to critical realism, and from critical realism to action research. It concludes with a chapter on integral research and innovation. From this list of topics one can begin to see the value of such a work in thinking creatively about, and in teaching, research.

A key contribution of Integral Research and Innovation is the depiction of four paths of research representing four corners of the earth (North, South, East and West) and encouraging researchers to look outside their comfort zones and personal preferences to what can be gained from alternative paths. The authors distinguish between the relational path (intrinsically Southern and aligned with humanism), the path of renewal (inherently Eastern and aligned with holism), the path of reason (Northern and aligned with rationalism) and the path of rationalisation (Western and aligned with pragmatism).

In their discourse the authors describe these four research perspectives or research paths through a brief discussion of the orientation of the method, key tenets of the method, a bit more detail on the method, global variations regarding the method, comments on how the method features in practice, a conclusion and some references. This presentation “recipe” is employed for each method, which makes it easy for the reader to follow the line of argument and to notice differences and links between methods, as well as the value of individual methods.

In addition the authors argue for a double‐layered research trajectory entailing an analytic research‐oriented approach that serves to differentiate research method from methodology, and methodological critique from action research. Further, they argue for a transformative innovation‐oriented trajectory that starts with social “origination” (linked to research method), building towards social foundation (linked to research methodology), onto emancipation (linked to research critique), and ultimately social transformation (linked to action research).

After explaining their own journey of discovery towards an integral approach to research and innovation, the authors offer their critique of the present‐day university. Some of the concluding suggestions on shifting research and innovation paradigms include: moving from individual research to research communities, from social research to integral innovation; moving from recasting method as “origination”; moving from Northern/Western domination to four‐world integration; and reconnecting the sciences and the humanities.

Given the quality and novelty of arguments in this work, it is highly recommended to all involved in research in the social sciences as researchers, research supervisors and those teaching courses in research methods.