Driving the Bus from the Rear Passenger Seat: Control Dilemmas of Participative Action Research

Author: Sense Andrew  

Publisher: Routledge Ltd

ISSN: 1464-5300

Source: International Journal of Social Research Methodology, Vol.9, Iss.1, 2006-02, pp. : 1-13

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

What do you do when you want to participate and let the other participants in a participative action research study ‘lead' the process, but feel you know what needs to be done and are motivated to ‘lead' the process yourself? What are some of the key issues for the participant action researcher to consider in relation to this nexus? I might suggest it is like trying to drive the bus from the rear passenger seat—wanting to genuinely participate as a passenger but still wanting some degree of control over the destination. This paper presents reflective empirical ‘practice data' supporting insights into this dilemma concerning control and participation faced by participative action researchers. The dilemmas and concluding considerations presented are founded on a two-year participative action research study on learning within a project team undertaking an organizational change project.