Action research projects: one step ahead in the researcher-practitioner relationships

Abstract

This study pretends to highlight the usefulness of developing action research (AR) projects as a way to develop a set of integrated studies based on a dual contribution: academic and managerial ones. The concept of AR Project goes one step ahead in terms of AR methodology as an extended case study. We describe an specific AR Project associated to a doctoral theses in the field of innovation intermediation. As main results, we have learned from this experience that (1) the relationship between researchers and practitioners must be collaborative and based on trust and commitment, (2) an AR Project is broader and more complex than a case study, (3) the diffusion of research results must be differentiated for practitioners and academics, and finally, (4) the AR Project is an open and collaborative innovation practice.