Ravalier PhD Theis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

Discussion Box 8: How the five principles relate to the aims of the current project.
1. The Constructivist Principle – Organisational destiny is bound in individuals’ understanding of
it.
A grip is gained on individual understanding of the organisation via all aspects of the AI process
– the log, interview & focus groups. This understanding is taken to create a ‘Local Stress
Theory’ for the participating department, with potential organisational changes also identified
throughout.
2. The Principle of Simultaneity – The process of inquiry influences direction of change.
The methods used as well as the manner of questioning and discourse between employees and
researcher act as the beginnings of the change process. Initial questioning (log phase) fuels the
hope and enthusiasm required for change, with dissemination of results/information and further
discourse (interviews & focus groups) identifying specific changes available to be made.
3. The Poetic Principle – The organisation is an ‘open book’, open to endless interpretive
possibilities.
Each process inherent within the proposed project is designed to ensure that individuals have
the opportunity to create new possibilities, new ideas and new dialogue. Through the three
phases which form the AI process (logs, interviews & focus groups) the organisation is
constantly being re-interpreted via the questioning and discourse by- and between-individuals.
This allows an endless number of possibilities both for the creation of the stress theory and
organisational changes.
4. The Anticipatory Principle – Discourse and imagination are the most important resource for
generating change.
The three phases of the AI process allow almost limitless discourse and imagination. Through
questioning within the log and interview phases, and the discourse between individuals in the
focus groups, imagination is stimulated in participants thus acting as a driver for change.
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