STUDI ORGANIZZATIVI· 2023
An assessment of the scientific merits of action research
- 1,579citations
- 2023year
Short summary
Action research, though deficient by positivist standards, can establish scientific legitimacy through alternative philosophical traditions and its own appropriate criteria, not positivist ones.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Positivist science is insufficient for addressing practical organizational problems.
- Action research fails to meet the critical tests of positivist science.
- The appropriateness of positivist science as a benchmark for action research is questioned.
- Action research can be legitimized as science through non-positivist philosophical traditions.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
This article describes the deficiencies of positivist science for generating knowledge for use in solving problems that members of organizations face. Action research is introduced as a method for correcting these deficiencies. When action research is tested against the criteria of positivist science, action research is found not to meet its critical tests. The appropriateness of positivist science is questioned as a basis for judging the scientific merits of action research. Action research can base its legitimacy as science in philosophical traditions that are different from those which legitimate positivist science. Criteria and methods of science appropriate to action research are offered.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. STUDI ORGANIZZATIVI, 2023 · DOI ↗
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Field: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
Organizational Behavior and Human Resource ManagementBusiness, Management and Accounting