Action Research in Organizations

Abstract

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Innovative behaviors: A survey about their associated effects in a dynamic environment

“…Regardless of job position or educational background, every employee can contribute to innovation (Kristiansen & Bloch-Poulsen, 2010;Segarra-Ciprés et al, 2019). Thus, from a behavioral perspective, innovation is fostered by employees' innovative behaviors (Griffin et al, 2007;Parker & Collins, 2010).…”

Action Research in Organizations

“…The project steering group, henceforth referred to as the project board or PB, was identical to the sales, production and development management team plus the CEO, whom we knew from an earlier collaboration at Bang & Olufsen (Kristiansen & Bloch-Poulsen, 2005). At the first meeting with the PB, there were tensions between them and us.…”

“…Employees and managers rejected this metaphor because, as an image of an employee, gold suggested someone unable to think for themselves. Together, we developed a theoretical and practical understanding of the manager as a midwife (Kristiansen & Bloch-Poulsen, 2005). We therefore believe that there is much new and varied knowledge to be gained by inviting employees and managers to participate directly in the theoretical part of the research process.…”

“…This is the case whether we are looking at representative democracy with representatives on company boards, at democracy from above in the form of partially self-managing groups, or at deliberative democracy with the opportunity for co-influence. Our scepticism derives from our practical experience in action research projects of creating space for many different voices and interests and of generating opportunities for them to find out whether they can work towards shared goals through a democratic process of inquiry and decision making (Kristiansen & Bloch-Poulsen, 2013, 2014a, 2016.…”

“…We therefore imagine that the principles of dialogue as a whole could be seen as an invitation to dialogue with unintended effects. For example, we have seen how statements in action research processes were later used against the employees who made them to carry out reorganizations that were not to their advantage (Kristiansen & Bloch-Poulsen, 2005). We therefore fear that some of the participants in the dialogue conferences may have felt that they were in a safe space with enlarged boundaries of organizational freedom of speech.…”