Abstract
PurposeThis paper introduces interactive research as an emerging approach within a broad family of collaborative research approaches in management and organization research. Interactive research is a way to contribute to the dual tasks of long-term theory development and innovation and change processes in organizations. One of the distinguishing features of interactive research is a focus on continuous joint learning processes between the researchers and the involved practitioners.Design/methodology/approachThe basic concepts, contributions and challenges of the interactive research approach are presented and illustrated in the present paper through a practical case, the HELIX Centre.FindingsInteractive research is a way to advance scientific knowledge about the development of new types of work organizations and the development of sustainable operations. The multi-disciplinary and interactive research approach at HELIX has made it possible to reach a high degree of both rigour and relevance in research questions and projects. The authors identified five principles from the HELIX case that were instrumental in accomplishing the dual tasks of interactive research.Originality/valueThe interactive research approach is a powerful method of collaboration between different stakeholders throughout the research process. This type of research makes it possible to interact at various levels of research, from the programme level, to research and development projects, to the individual level. The results from interactive research should not only be considered traditionally valid but also valid in relation to organizational and societal needs.
Highlights
Organizations at present are affected by challenges such as increased globalization, digitalization and changing demographics
Distinguishing between interactive research and action research Before we describe in more detail how we understand the notion of interactive research, it is necessary to clarify the distinction between interactive research and certain forms of action research
Interactive research, as we conceive it, has the ambition to take on the dual tasks of contributing both to long-term theory development and to practical matters related to development and innovation in organizations
Summary
Organizations at present are affected by challenges such as increased globalization, digitalization and changing demographics. Many organizations find it challenging to create sustainable systems and processes that meet these new demands (Elg et al, 2015) Parallel to these developments, there is a growing interest in increased collaboration between universities and industry and in developing new and effective ways of using research-based knowledge to support competitiveness, regional development and innovation (Etzkowitz and Klofsten, 2005). There is a growing interest in increased collaboration between universities and industry and in developing new and effective ways of using research-based knowledge to support competitiveness, regional development and innovation (Etzkowitz and Klofsten, 2005) This trend can be understood against the backdrop of concerns that traditional academic research has lost its position in supporting practical problem-solving in organizations (Van de Ven and Johnson, 2006). Practitioners, especially in professional domains, have been criticized for not using research-based knowledge for practical decision-making (Nutley et al, 2007)
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