A Discipline-Spanning Overview of Action Research and Its Implications for Technology and Innovation Management

Guertler, M; Sick, N; Kriz, A

A Discipline-Spanning Overview of Action Research and Its Implications for Technology and Innovation Management

Guertler, M

Sick, N

Kriz, A

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Publisher:: Carleton University
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Technology Innovation Management Review, 2019, 9 (4), pp. 48 - 65
Issue Date:: 2019-04-29

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Guertler, M https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7062-6349	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Sick, N https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0713-6918	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Kriz, A https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2667-456X	en_US
dc.date.issued	2019-04-29	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Technology Innovation Management Review, 2019, 9 (4), pp. 48 - 65	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/138040
dc.description.abstract	The iterative and learning character of action research is particularly beneficial for exploring complex socio-technical problems in technology and innovation management (TIM). In this respect, action research allows both rigorous and relevant research due to parallel solving of real-world problems, capability building, and gaining scientific insights. However, the use of action research within TIM research is surprisingly limited. Action research also is not a homogeneous research methodology since each research discipline, such as education and organizational science, has its own action research streams, which are often only loosely linked. A systematic overview of those action research traditions and specific best practices is still missing, which complicates a systematic transfer and use of action research in TIM. This article addresses this essential gap by building a cross-disciplinary overview of action research streams based on a bibliometric analysis using Scopus. The analysis includes relevant disciplines with action research traditions, their development over time, and the most influential journals, authors, institutions, and countries. Along with this discipline-spanning analysis, the article investigates particular TIM benefits and challenges of action research. The two key contributions of this article are: 1) a discipline-spanning overview of action research and its evolution and 2) an analysis of its implications for TIM research. These contributions build the basis for strengthening the use of action research in TIM. In the medium-term, action research has the capacity to link academia and industry more closely and, in doing so, assists important endeavours of translating more of our research outcomes into practice.	en_US
dc.publisher	Carleton University	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Technology Innovation Management Review	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.22215/timreview/1233	en_US
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	A Discipline-Spanning Overview of Action Research and Its Implications for Technology and Innovation Management	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	9	en_US
utslib.for	0915 Interdisciplinary Engineering	en_US
utslib.for	1503 Business and Management	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Information, Systems and Modelling
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	true	en_US
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	9	en_US

Abstract:

The iterative and learning character of action research is particularly beneficial for exploring complex socio-technical problems in technology and innovation management (TIM). In this respect, action research allows both rigorous and relevant research due to parallel solving of real-world problems, capability building, and gaining scientific insights. However, the use of action research within TIM research is surprisingly limited. Action research also is not a homogeneous research methodology since each research discipline, such as education and organizational science, has its own action research streams, which are often only loosely linked. A systematic overview of those action research traditions and specific best practices is still missing, which complicates a systematic transfer and use of action research in TIM. This article addresses this essential gap by building a cross-disciplinary overview of action research streams based on a bibliometric analysis using Scopus. The analysis includes relevant disciplines with action research traditions, their development over time, and the most influential journals, authors, institutions, and countries. Along with this discipline-spanning analysis, the article investigates particular TIM benefits and challenges of action research. The two key contributions of this article are: 1) a discipline-spanning overview of action research and its evolution and 2) an analysis of its implications for TIM research. These contributions build the basis for strengthening the use of action research in TIM. In the medium-term, action research has the capacity to link academia and industry more closely and, in doing so, assists important endeavours of translating more of our research outcomes into practice.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/138040