Handbook of Action Research by Peter Reason

Handbook of Action Research by Peter Reason

Draws together different strands of action research and demonstrates their applications and shows their interrelations. This book informs readers about both quantitative and qualitative approaches in social inquiry. It is intended as a resource for scholars and professionals engaged in social and political inquiry and organizational research.

`This is truly a significant workNot only has action research reached maturity, but in the context of the postmodern constructionist debates its scope has been dramatically expanded, its conceptual underpinnings deepened, and its forms of practice enormously enriched. The present confluence of humanism and pragmatism has inspired lively conversations between us; the work has the potential to transform the very idea of social science′ - Kenneth J Gergen, author of An Invitation to Social Construction and Mary Gergen, author of Feminist Reconstructions in Psychology

`A wholly new kind of human inquiry is emerging. It is to do with taking our own, previously ignored, spontaneously responsive, living involvements with our surroundings seriously. Rather than with views and perspectives, rather than with a one-way manipulative understanding, gained by merely observing movements from a distance, it is concerned with quite a different kind of participatory, experiential understanding - the kind of understanding we have when playing a part in an activity which also to an extent `plays′ us. Workers are beginning to bring to light the many different knowledges present to us in the different practical ways in which we can be relationally involved with the others and othernesses around us. Everything changes when we get up close and personal. All that is solid melts into air! In this exciting Handbook, Reason and Bradbury have collected together a large number of the central workers in this new and developing sphere of participative inquiry. Overall, in the detailed explorations they conduct, just as in becoming familiar with a new and strange landscape, they help us get to know our `way about′ in its rich and intricate `landscape′. Literally, this is a landmark volume′ - John Shotter, University of New Hampshire

`The Handbook of Action Research is truly a remarkable book. We are greatly indebted to the editors Peter Reason and Hilary Bradbury, who managed to avoid the usual tower of Babel, and succeeded to forge and orchestrate the somewhat incoherent mosaic of action research, with its many voices, into an intelligent comprehensive and logical whole. This handbook provides a much needed clarification of a critical transition in the social sciences′ - Hans van Beinum, General Editor of Concepts and Transformation, International Journal of Action Research and Organizational Renewal.

`A remarkable reframing of action research that engages the spirit as well as the mind, in inquiry that matters, shared among inquirers who matter. "Validity" as we once knew it will never be the same after these improvements. Wonderfully provocative!′ - Karl Weick, University of Michigan

′A valuable resource for both researchers and for research methods courses′ - Dr Ruth Northway, Nurse Researcher

I retired in 2009 from an academic career at the University of Bath in which my primary contribution was to the theory and practice of participatory action research. I was Director of the Centre for Action Research in Professional Practice (CARPP) and co-founder of the MSc in Responsibility and Business Practice. In these programmes we pioneered graduate education based on collaborative, experiential and action-oriented forms of inquiry. Hilary Bradbury Huang, Ph.D., is Professor in the Management Division of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Her research, scholarly activism and teaching focus on the human and organizational dimensions of creating healthy communities. At OHSU she teaches in the healthcare MBA and physician leadership development programs.  She also develops the action research approach to Community Based Participatory Research for Health.  Hilary is editor-in-chief of Action Research Journal.  She co-edited the bestselling Handbook of Action Research (Sage, 2001; 2008) with Peter Reason.  Her journal articles have appeared in Organization Science, Sloan Management Review & Journal of Management Inquiry, among others. Previously Hilary was Research Associate Professor at University of Southern California and Director of Sustainable Business Research at the Center for Sustainable Cities. Before that she was Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University.  She lives with her family in Portland, OR. Hilary Bradbury, Ph.D., is Director of Sustainable Business Programs at University of Southern California Center for Sustainable Cities, www.sustainablecities.edu. She brings her expertise in action research to work with businesses on issues of sustainability. Prior to this she was Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University| Weatherhead School of Management in Cleveland, Ohio. She has published widely in journals including Organization Science and Academy of Management Executive. She is editor of Action Research and co-editor with Peter Reason of the bestselling Handbook of Action Research (Sage, 2001, 2006, 2008). Hilary is multi lingual, having grown up in Ireland and having worked in Germany, Switzerland and Japan. She lives in LA with her family. The project that takes most of her time now is SEER (Sustainable Enterprise Executive Roundtable). SEER enables collaborative learning among Southern California business leaders so that more sustainable practices result, benefiting the environment and the bottom line, through projects that promote sustainable development.SEER is committed to developing actionable knowledge and measurable positive impact. www.seer.net. Also see: www.Bradbury-Huang.net.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780761966456
ISBN 10	0761966455
Title	Handbook of Action Research
Author	Peter Reason
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	SAGE Publications Inc
Year published	2000-11-07
Number of pages	512
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.