Table II Three approaches to action... | Emerald Publishing

Table II

Three approaches to action research in service research

Approach features	Practice-enhancing	Concept developing	Theory-enhancing
Knowing–doing: analytical focus	Evaluation of “what works” in the studied context	Identifying broad normative implications	Extracting theoretical links and relations
Knowing–doing: outcomes	Descriptive insights, examples or ideas	Models and guidelines	New knowledge, research agendas and theoretical frameworks
Knowing–doing: challenges to overcome	Too much involvement in practical affairs	Developing concepts derived from earlier research without sufficient analysis of problem–solution match	Theory development removed from reality
Access: collaboration	Proximity to those who experience and know the problem	Methods experts and people working with development in organizations Reciprocal learning	Knowledge experts in relevant disciplines and functions
Access: research quality criteria	Democratic validity, outcome validity, catalytic validity, process validity	catalytic validity, democratic validity, process validity	Dialogic validity and process validity
Skills: researcher	Systematic intervention methods	Using management methods and concepts	Creative and reflective skills Broad repertoire in method and theory
Skills: positionality	Advantageous to insiders to ensure sustained focus on the practice system	Balancing insiders and outsiders researcher–practitioner support and mentoring is bidirectional	Advantageous to outsiders to ensure sustained focus on the research system
Examples of service studies	Improving poor service quality	Service blueprinting	Exploit conceptual synergies; e.g. service improvement process closely related to the research process

Approach features	Practice-enhancing	Concept developing	Theory-enhancing
Knowing–doing: analytical focus	Evaluation of “what works” in the studied context	Identifying broad normative implications	Extracting theoretical links and relations
Knowing–doing: outcomes	Descriptive insights, examples or ideas	Models and guidelines	New knowledge, research agendas and theoretical frameworks
Knowing–doing: challenges to overcome	Too much involvement in practical affairs	Developing concepts derived from earlier research without sufficient analysis of problem–solution match	Theory development removed from reality
Access: collaboration	Proximity to those who experience and know the problem	Methods experts and people working with development in organizationsReciprocal learning	Knowledge experts in relevant disciplines and functions
Access: research quality criteria	Democratic validity, outcome validity, catalytic validity, process validity	catalytic validity, democratic validity, process validity	Dialogic validity and process validity
Skills: researcher	Systematic intervention methods	Using management methods and concepts	Creative and reflective skillsBroad repertoire in method and theory
Skills: positionality	Advantageous to insiders to ensure sustained focus on the practice system	Balancing insiders and outsiders researcher–practitioner support and mentoring is bidirectional	Advantageous to outsiders to ensure sustained focus on the research system
Examples of service studies	Improving poor service quality	Service blueprinting	Exploit conceptual synergies; e.g. service improvement process closely related to the research process