Critical evaluation of appreciative inquiry
Action Research, 4 (4):
401-418 (December 2006)M3: Article; Grant, Suzanne 1 Email Address: slgrant@waikato.ac.nz Humphries, Maria 1 Email Address: mariah@waikato.ac.nz; Affiliations: 1: Department of Strategy and Human Resource Management, Waikato Management School, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand; Source Information: Dec2006, Vol. 4 Issue 4, p401; Subject Term: ACTION research; Subject Term: CRITICAL theory; Subject Term: ORGANIZATIONAL change; Subject Term: SOCIAL systems; Subject Term: SOCIAL change; Subject Term: SOCIAL ethics; Subject Term: SOCIAL psychology; Subject Term: SOCIAL interaction; Subject Term: SOCIAL processes; Author-Supplied Keyword: appreciative inquiry; Author-Supplied Keyword: critical theory; Author-Supplied Keyword: emancipation; Author-Supplied Keyword: transformation; Number of Pages: 18p; DOI: 10.1177/1476750306070103; Document Type: Article.Abstract
Despite increased applications and scholarship, appreciative inquiry remains a research method with little self-reflection or critique to evaluate the process as an action research method. Perhaps counter-intuitively, we propose that critical theory provides one useful lens through which to develop an appreciative evaluation of the process. We begin this article with a brief introduction to appreciative inquiry (Ai) as it is presented in the literature. Calls for evaluation of the process are acknowledged, as are the few evaluations/critiques of Ai we have found in literature. We discuss how critical theory may be applied to an evaluation of appreciative inquiry bridging an apparent paradox between the negativity associated with the former and the positive focus of the latter. An initial application of Critical Appreciative Process (CAP) is described to illustrate how the integrated use of appreciative inquiry and critical theory deepens insight and recognition of the complexity in human endeavours. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR Copyright of Action Research is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts); Despite increased applications and scholarship, appreciative inquiry remains a research method with little self-reflection or critique to evaluate the process as an action research method. Perhaps counter-intuitively, we propose that critical theory provides one useful lens through which to develop an appreciative evaluation of the process. We begin this article with a brief introduction to appreciative inquiry (Ai) as it is presented in the literature. Calls for evaluation of the process are acknowledged, as are the few evaluations/critiques of Ai we have found in literature. We discuss how critical theory may be applied to an evaluation of appreciative inquiry bridging an apparent paradox between the negativity associated with the former and the positive focus of the latter. An initial application of Critical Appreciative Process (CAP) is described to illustrate how the integrated use of appreciative inquiry and critical theory deepens insight and recognition of the complexity in human endeavours. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR Copyright of Action Research is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts)
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