Action research a Handbook for Students

participation in a certain action. Geraldyn Hynes, David Coghlan and Mary 
McCarron [2012] point out that assuming the epistemological approach, col-
lective participatory process of conducting action research is characterised by all 
participants understanding the process in which they are involved, and the fact 
that meanings are given to the observed phenomena together — and not only 
from the perspective of the knowledge and experience of the leading researcher. 
By emphasising this as the principal idea behind action research, Albert Cherns, 
Peter Clark and William Jenkins [1976, p. 35] challenge “the position of the 
social scientist as privileged observer, analyst, and critic.”
Participation according to this definition means full involvement combined 
with mutual understanding and acceptance of diversity and competences of the 
process participants. The characteristic feature of action research is acknowl-
edging the capability of every process participant to carry out every stage of the 
research, and accepting their right to make decisions, especially those which can 
influence their future in the organisation. In this sense, according to Kemmis 
[2008] action research has a socio-political dimension.
By adopting this assumption and understanding of participation, the re-
searcher embarking on action research decides to co-create a research communi-
ty in which they will be involved at each stage of the research process. Together, 
they form a particular community of practice. Yonthan Mirzahi defines it as 
a group of people who are involved in a certain action to both solve a specific 
problem and for mutual learning through regular interactions and exchange of 
thoughts [Coghlan, Brydon-Miller 2014, p. 135]. Going a step further in the 
attempt to define the community of practice, and referring to the organisation 
studies and knowledge management theory, we can present it as a community of 
people who not only share their passion and willingness to solve certain prob-
lems, but they also want to expand their knowledge through mutual community 
learning [Jeon, Kim, Koh 2011]. 
The characteristic feature of each community of practice is collecting, pro-
ducing and exchanging knowledge together. For numerous researchers this is 
even more important in action research than solving a specific problem [Coghlan 
2001]. Processes of exchange between (co-)participants of the research can occur 
overtly and directly, as well as unconsciously and indirectly, when various tasks 
are performed together. It should be clearly emphasised that the advantage of 
research communities comes from acknowledging their great diversity in terms 
of the knowledge, education and practical experience they have. Awareness and 

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4: The researcher and their relationships with (other) participants of action research
acceptance of this fact definitely allows for enriching the research process. Natu-
rally, for the researcher it means the need to acknowledge that their competences 
are no better or more important than those that other community members have, 
and only when combined, they form a particular added value which determines 
the exceptional usefulness of action research, both for the world of science as well 
as for management practitioners. Fully tapping into the potential of research com-
munities often depends on with whom and how we, as researchers, build relation-
ships in the environment of the organisation participating in the research.
In recent decades many new technologies and IT tools have emerged which, 
from the practical point of view, significantly facilitate researchers creating and 
managing research practices. With increasing frequency researchers use the In-
ternet, as well as social networking platforms, e.g. Facebook (which allows for 
creating a shared discussion group), or tools for storing and sharing resources 
(like Dropbox which facilitates file sharing), as well as Blogger (which enables 
sharing the record of one’s reflections with other users, and engaging them in 
a discussion). Considering the fact that often members of a research community 
represent various interest groups or even organisations, which poses a logisti-
cal difficulty to holding regular meetings, using the Internet enables staying in 
touch and regular exchange of thoughts which is crucial for the essence of the 
research community.
2. ETHICAL ASPECTS OF ACTION RESEARCH
Both the process of collecting information, and its application require researchers 
to act according to the so-called best research practices, i.e. taking into account 
ethical principles of conducting scientific research. Every researcher encounters 
numerous dilemmas and ethical challenges in their practice; it is an inevitable