Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the dynamics of critical thinking (CT) in contrast with Six Sigma and the “5 Whys” approach that is used by many managers to conduct “Root cause analysis” in business process improvements. Design/methodology/approach – The research...

Purpose – The paper seeks to develop a coherent model for the application of action research to problems in the field of management. Design/methodology/approach – An extensive review of the literature was undertaken. Findings – No model of the process of conducting an action research...

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to justify the research programme and describe the conclusions. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is a summary of the aims and results of the research published in two special issues of Journal of Management Development . It argues that there are...

Purpose – This paper seeks to develop a coherent model for small business principals to understand their management behaviour, with the intent to move their focus from an operational to a strategic perspective. Design/methodology/approach – Action research (AR) was undertaken to develop the...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a coherent model for small business principals to understand the strategic process and to be able to create and implement strategy for their own business. Design/methodology/approach – Action research (AR) was undertaken to develop a system...

Purpose – To implement the concepts developed in this action research (AR) programme in a single company and monitor the results. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper the ideas canvassed in earlier papers regarding the inductive frame and the deductive frame are applied to a single...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report and reflect on a decade‐long action experiment to devise a form of business education for sustainability that helps managers act as “pro‐sustainability” agents of change. It offers one example of practice in this evolving field, for...

In designing consultant‐driven management development interventions, personality issues typically are viewed as moderating variables, if they are considered at all. Reports on two “action‐research” oriented, team‐building interventions, based on Jungian theory as operationalized by the...

Defines “action research” and “action learning” as forms of emancipatory and democratic learning, and describes their use as a model of professional development which empowers the individual as both learner and critically reflective social researcher. Some of the issues in developing an...

This paper examines how the findings of a wider research effort, designed to examine the effect of change processes on the waterfront in Fremantle, Western Australia, gave rise to another research project. This second research project is described in full as an action research. The paper...