2023/01/01 by Gerald I. Susman, Roger Evered
Business, Management and Accounting · Decision Sciences · Social Sciences · #Management and Organizational Studies #Complex Systems and Decision Making #Information Systems Theories and Implementation
paper · doi:10.3280/so2022-002006
openalex publication_date 2023/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/18
This article describes the deficiencies of positivist science for generating knowledge for use in solving problems that members of organizations face. Action research is introduced as a method for correcting these deficiencies. When action research is tested against the criteria of positivist science, action research is found not to meet its critical tests. The appropriateness of positivist science is questioned as a basis for judging the scientific merits of action research. Action research can base its legitimacy as science in philosophical traditions that are different from those which legitimate positivist science. Criteria and methods of science appropriate to action research are offered.