Information and Knowledge Management using ArcGIS ModelBuilder

3. Research method
Maria Bergenstjerna
The research method idea gradually developed through several occasions where we had the
opportunity to unite a private oak tree interest and an interest in research. On each occasion we acted
out of a role, the role as private property owner, the role as member of a non-profit organisation, the
role as citizen and the role as researcher.
Inspired by the ProNatura veteran oak survey and encouraged by the regional authorities, a simple
private oak tree survey was carried out in the surrounding part of the community by the private
property owner. The result showed that there were as many veteran oak trees outside as within the
nature reserve, which highlighted issues of relevant professional knowledge for oak tree population
care (Bergenstjerna 2008). The report was distributed to local and regional authorities as well as local
non-profit organisations and interested people in the community. Three years later, a new contact was
made with the regional authorities, now as a member of a non-profit organisation. A fine hint from an
authority representative triggered an application arguing for advancing knowledge about oak trees on
private properties through a complementary survey. The survey is to be conducted by members of the
local chapter of The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, SSNC (2011) and qualified expertise
given the permission by private residence owners (Bergenstjerna 2011). The application was made in
the role of a member of the non-profit organisation SSNC together with the local authority.
In the past some thirty years ago, people in the local community put down efforts, out of concern for
the oak trees, to inform the authorities about the need for preservation and to engage local people in
their protection. Today, a sustainable future is envisioned when people with different responsibilities,
power and influence in the local community come together in a collaborative oak tree population care.
Then what becomes clear to an active citizen reflecting on the present is that change is vital but
managing change will be complex. When change is in its infancy like in this particular situation, some
stakeholders have a vague idea of the change management process and others cannot picture the
process at all. It is like a federation, where nobody has the whole picture or the means to control the
others since everybody is a stakeholder with a differing view, means of power, will etc. Who will be
first to attain power? What is the change management task? What suitable means are there for
change management? How can change management operate and drive change in a situation where
all stakeholders are not even aware of the phenomena and the need for change, where there are no
clear development goals and no clear development process to be implemented by relevant
stakeholders? (Enquist et al. 2001, Senge et al. 1999). Information and knowledge is required in order
to deal with these issues and for the process to be wise. Thus, the main issue is how to define and
initiate change management.
From the researchers eye, it is interesting to see how the private simple survey report (Bergenstjerna
2008) gradually opened people’s hearts and minds and how they in turn acted on the information. For
example, a local authority representative found inspiration to form an application to the regional
authorities, which argues for a collaborative effort among ten local authorities to find the means to
protect the veteran trees in all their local communities (Dalslandskommunernas Kommunalförbund
2011). Reflecting on this, it appears the action would not have been the same without the written
documents; the private report and the SSNC and local authority application. Together with the Internet
and email conversations it can be argued that documents played an important role in the exchange of
ideas and eventually for the research method to develop.
The idea is to use action-research through a change management coaching process in order to find
means for dealing with change management issues (Checkland 2000, Mathiassen 1998). It includes
two researchers who will use a combination of DELTA change management framework, a previous
research result (Enquist et al. 2001) and reflection in the research process.
4. Data collection
The scope of the research is thus to be conducted adjacent to change and the change management
process preferably using action-research through a change management coaching process for data
collection. One researcher will be active in oak tree projects and reflect on the change management
process in the local community through the light of the individual roles; as private property owner, as
member of a non-profit organisation, as citizen and as researcher. The other researcher, experienced
in change management and a mentor, will play an active role in the research process but will be idle
in oak tree projects.
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