Social research in innovation and change management

1. KU05 Session: evaluating organizational context Social research in innovation and change management Mark Paine School of Agri & Food Systems Faculty of Land and Food Resources University of Melbourne

2. Technology as problem; technology as solution

3. Dutch AMI

4. AMI and organics

6. Strategic Issues- Info Systems and Change Research Farm Extension • 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)

7. Changes in the agricultural innovation regimes Source : (Joly, 2003)

8. Research Development Extension unfreeze change refreeze Innovators Schein, 1980 Early majority 34% Late majority 34% Early adopters 13.5% 16% Laggards 2.5% -2 -  + Traditional innovation process Commericalisation

9. Percentage of studies showing positive relationship between adoption index and other variables (Adapted from Van den Ban and Hawkins, 1985)

10. Food processors Universities & higher education Policy and regulation Farmers Research institutes Agribusiness Agricultural Knowledge Systems

11. Tools of the trademodels of change unfreeze change refreeze Schein, 1980 OR process Chambers & Jiggens, 1987

12. The research process Epistemology Theory of knowledge Theory Explanatory schema or model Methodology Logic for arranging & using methods Method Techniques to collect & analyse data Tool Software, instruments etc.

13. Deductive research (2) Theory Hypothesis Data collection Findings Hypothesis: confirm/ reject Revise Theory

14. Inductive Research General research questions Select sites/subjects Collect further data Collect data Interpret data Tighter specification of res Q’s Concepts/theories Write-up findings

15. Methods of the trademethods & the reflective practitioner Participatory action research Participatory technology development Narrative analysis Rapid appraisal of agri knowledge systems Discourse analysis

16. ‘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 practitioner actual work by practitioner Participatory Technology Development (source: Okali et.al., 1994)

17. Tools of the trade How can we monitor our performance? Learning logs ~ Δ practice Beliefs and attitudes Mind maps Pedagogical contracts H Forms

19. Approach Opinions of CO’s Farmer Focus Groups CIDR PGF Natural Case Studies FARM SYSTEMS TRIAL Develop & deliver appropriate technology

21. predict Error-search Defining rules Solve-retain tools Experience rules methods jargon diagnose Change through interplay of practices Researching Advising Sensemaking Sensemaking position represent judge Farming Sensemaking

22. P1 I NTERFACE Broker practice P2 Joint performances P3 Pn : : : Interplay model connectibles

23. Challenge 2 Balancing sense making perspectives • Interaction • Doubt • Roles • Self organizing • Learning to learn • Persuasion • Facts • Power • Responsibility • Efficiency

24. Special issues with social research in practice • Managing values and beliefs about social research • Attracting the attention of relevant practitioners • Gaining access to critical events, situations and task performances • Build relevant research outputs in real time

25. Conclusionhow can we utilise knowledge from different disciplines to further our own domains of practice? • recognition of knowledge brokering • Use of research methods to equip the practice based researcher • share lessons and experiences across sectors using the same models of collaboration that we use within our sector