Action learning and action research to alleviate poverty

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role played by action learning in a collaborative action research project to alleviate poverty in a city region in the UK. Researchers from two universities worked with 12 large anchor organisations to investigate procurement and employment practices that positively impacted inclusive growth within the city region, and therefore had a positive effect on poverty, and spread those practices more widely. A core group of representatives from the 12 participating organisations met in action learning sets to share the results of their investigations, to design a model of good practice, and to develop and support action plans. The paper summarises the results of the project, examines the different methodologies that were employed, and reviews the contribution made by action learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Action learning
• poverty
• action research
• anchor institutions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

George Boak is a senior lecturer in leadership and innovation at York St John University. He has worked on aspects of individual and organisational development for over 25 years, with managers and professionals from the health service and other public sector organisations, and from a wide range of private sector companies. He is particularly interested in how change can be brought about in complex organisations.

Jeff Gold is a professor of Organisation Learning at York St John University and a visiting professor at Portsmouth University. He is a strong advocate of the need for actionable knowledge that is rigorously developed but relevant for practice. He has designed and delivered a wide range of seminars, programmes and workshops on talent management and development, change, strategic learning, futures and foresight, management and leadership development with a particular emphasis on participation and distribution.

David Devins is a professor at Leeds Beckett University with more than 20 years of academic and applied research experience. He has designed and successfully implemented research projects underpinned by a variety of methods including quasi-experimental approaches, quantitative and qualitative longitudinal surveys, case studies, biographies with critical incident analysis and high-level semi-structured interviewing. His current interests lie in the role of action research methodologies in taming wicked problems and supporting organisational innovation and change.

Additional information

Funding

This research project was funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York.