Can SD Models Have Greater Relevance to Practice When Used Within Participatory Action Research Designs?

摘要

Over the years, the field has produced numerous rigorously researched SD models, which have helped suggest detailed policy changes to organizations. However, the application of model-based insights and the implementation of practical changes to policies, structures, and processes has not been observed as frequently, even though, various approaches have been used to increase ownership in models and results among practitioners and decision-makers, for example, via group model building. In this paper, a more radical approach is considered, which would amalgamate SD and its analytical wealth with Participatory Action Research and its practical problem-solving and change orientation, such that the relative strengths of both disciplines complement each other and reliably produce an SD-influenced organizational outcome. The feasibility of the proposed approach needs to be empirically tested yet.