Social research in innovation and change management

Mark PaineSchool of Agri & Food Systems

Faculty of Land and Food Resources

University of Melbourne

KU05 Session: evaluating organizational context

Technology as problem; technology as solution

Dutch AMI

AMI and organics

Strategic Issues- Info Systems and Change

Research

Extension

Farm

• Adaptive

• Measure Change (measurement/evaluation)

• Understand Change Management (extension)

• Connectedness (regional, disciplines)

• Systems Aware

• Collaborative

• Policy Aware

Extension - central to innovation, understanding what is happening, will happen and why; making sense of stuff for all farmers (big farmers dealing with complexity need help)

Changes in the agricultural innovation regimes

First Green Revolution (1950-1960)

Second Green (1980-1990)

Key technologies Plant breeding, mechanisation, fertilisers

Biotechnology, genomics

Key innovation actors Public Institutes, International Centres for Ag’Research

Multinational corporations, Universities, Public Institutes

Status of innovation Public good Private good, patents

Status of genetic resources

Common Heritage of Mankind

National Sovereignty

Geopolitical context Cold War, feed the world

Competition for world food markets

Source : (Joly, 2003)

Traditional innovation process

CommericalisationResearch Development Extension

2.5%

Innovators

Early majority 34%

Late majority 34%

- +

Early adopters 13.5%

16% Laggards

-2

unfreeze change refreezeSchein, 1980

Variable % of studies No. of studies

Education 74 275

Literacy 63 38

Higher social status 68 402

Larger-size businesses 67 227

Commercial orientation 71 28

Percentage of studies showing positive relationship between adoption index and other variables

(Adapted from Van den Ban and Hawkins, 1985)

Agricultural Knowledge Systems

Universities & higher education

Policy and regulation

Food processors

Research institutes

Agribusiness

Farmers

Tools of the trademodels of change

unfreeze change refreeze

OR

process

Schein, 1980

Chambers & Jiggens, 1987

The research process

Epistemology

Theory

Methodology

Method

Tool

Theory of knowledge

Explanatory schema or model

Logic for arranging & using methods

Techniques to collect & analyse data

Software, instruments etc.

Deductive research (2)

Theory

Hypothesis

Data collection

Findings

Hypothesis: confirm/ reject

Revise Theory

Inductive Research

Select sites/subjects

Collect data

Concepts/theories Write-up findings

Interpret data

Collect further data

Tighter specification of res Q’s

General research questions

Methods of the trademethods & the reflective practitioner

Participatory technology development

Participatory action research

Discourse analysis

Rapid appraisal of agri knowledge systems

Narrative analysis

Participatory Technology Development

(source: Okali et.al., 1994)

‘Thus we envisage a situational analysis which allows one to distinguish between what is normal

practice (i.e., within the bounds of normal variation for a given farm system) and what is actually being

done at a given time and place.’

Operationalised as a set of three questions to the practitioner:

archetype, or system norm normal work by practitioneractual work by practitioner

Tools of the tradeHow can we monitor our

performance?

Beliefs and attitudesMind maps

Learning logs ~ Δ practice

H Forms Pedagogical contracts

Approach

Farmer Focus Groups

CIDR NaturalPGF

Opinions of CO’s

FARM SYSTEMS TRIAL

Case

Studies

Develop & deliver appropriate technology

position represent

judge

Sensemaking

Sensemaking Sensemaking

Researching

Farming

Advising

Change through interplay of practices

tools

methods jargon diagnose

predict

Solve-retain

Error-search

Defining rules

Experience rules

Interplay model

connectibles

I NTER

FAC

E

Broker practice

Joint performances

P1

P2

P3

Pn

:::

Challenge 2Balancing sense making perspectives

PersuasionFacts

Power

Responsibility

Efficiency

Interaction Doubt

Roles

Self organizing

Learning to learn

Special issues with social research in practice

1. Managing values and beliefs about social research

2. Attracting the attention of relevant practitioners

3. Gaining access to critical events, situations and task performances

4. Build relevant research outputs in real time

Conclusionhow can we utilise knowledge from different disciplines to

further our own domains of practice? 1. recognition of knowledge brokering

2. Use of research methods to equip the practice based researcher

3. share lessons and experiences across sectors using the same models of collaboration that we use within our sector