Can action research sustain longitudinal change? A case study of Lumpaya community, Thailand

ABSTRACT

We evaluated the effects of an action research intervention thirteen years after its initial implementation in the Lumpaya Community in Thailand. Through a longitudinal process, we determined if the positive results found five years after the initial research team conducted its intervention continued eight years after the first evaluation. Two group interviews were conducted with seven committee members of the Lumpaya floating market who were major players in the project thirteen years previously. Observation was also used with a tour of the community. The process used in the initial project was continuing and had been strengthened, including continuing collaboration of community members, the use of action research, the extension of partnerships with other communities, and the use of advanced technologies. The initial implementation had produced positive long-term changes and had led to sustainable development. Human resource development (HRD) had tremendous value for the community when using action research to promote community HRD (CHRD) and social HRD (SHRD) growth.

KEYWORDS:

• Action research
• community development
• social development
• sustainability
• poverty
• national HRD
• Thailand

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, Thailand [under Grant $1000].