| Authors: Avison, D., Baskerville, R., & Myers, M. Date: 2001 Title: “Controlling Action Research Projects” Journal: Information Technology and People, 14(1) Pages: 28 - 45 |
| Information systems research methodologies, action research, control, interpretivist perspective, case study, field study, action science, intensive research |
| Action research, which emphasizes collaboration between researchers and practitioners, is a qualitative research method that has much potential for the information systems (IS) field. Action research studies of information systems phenomena are now beginning to be published in the IS research literature. However, the rigor of many action research studies in IS can be improved. When action research has been published, the findings have been frequently emphasized at the expense of the process. In this paper, we look at the process in action research projects, and look at some of the key choices and alternatives in controlling action research. We discuss three aspects of control: the procedures for initiating an action research project, those for determining authority within the project and the degree of formalization. We analyze seven recent action research projects in IS and from this analysis distil recommendations for determining these control structures. These recommendations will be important to those researchers applying action research in information systems. |