Implementing an innovation project in an Irish multi-national subsidiary: A dialogical action research study

Abstract

This paper presents an action research (AR) study based in APC by Schneider Electric, formerly APC Ireland, an Irish subsidiary of the Schneider Electric Corporation. The two-year study was carried out during a time of significant change in the Irish economy and in the multinational corporation. The research presents the reflections and findings of a dialogical action research study in the manufacturing operations group of the subsidiary. The work tells the story of how the project began, how the AR developed and how it was carried out. The study contributes to the debate for increasing academic–practitioner engagement within a rigorous framework and provides suggestions for further development of this recently proposed variant of action research. Consequently, we conclude that dialogical AR is a promising approach that provides a collaborative and supportive environment to facilitate organisational change and a practitioner’s professional development.