Action research as a meta-methodology : insights from an operations development project
Olhager, Jan LU
(2025)
In Production Planning and Control
36(2).
p.154-164
- Abstract
This research addresses action research (AR) as a meta-methodology and uses an operations development project as an illustration to provide some insights on AR as a meta-methodology. First, we report on a six-month action research (AR) project concerning analysing and improving production and inventory performance in an industrial firm in the food and beverage industry. The implementation of a new, basic period cyclic production approach resulted in higher production volumes and higher customer service levels while maintaining inventory levels. Second, we discuss the insights from the project concerning success factors related to novelty, rigour, relevance and usefulness, and applicability in other situations. The use of mixed methods,... (More)
This research addresses action research (AR) as a meta-methodology and uses an operations development project as an illustration to provide some insights on AR as a meta-methodology. First, we report on a six-month action research (AR) project concerning analysing and improving production and inventory performance in an industrial firm in the food and beverage industry. The implementation of a new, basic period cyclic production approach resulted in higher production volumes and higher customer service levels while maintaining inventory levels. Second, we discuss the insights from the project concerning success factors related to novelty, rigour, relevance and usefulness, and applicability in other situations. The use of mixed methods, including case study research, conceptual modelling, mathematical modelling, and heuristic approaches, and the strong research interest of the management team at the company contributed to the success of the project. The novel cyclic production approach was subsequently transferred to other production lines. This AR project supports the perception of AR as serving as a meta-methodological framework, where different research methods can be used at various project stages where required and for triangulation purposes.
(Less)
- author
- Olhager, Jan
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Action research, cyclic production, meta-methodology, mixed-method research, sequence-dependent setup time
- in
- Production Planning and Control
- volume
- 36
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 154 - 164
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85199304338
- ISSN
- 0953-7287
- DOI
- 10.1080/09537287.2024.2380367
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0f3944c2-56b1-413b-9de9-6b9a5c4f286b
- date added to LUP
- 2024-12-02 11:06:28
- date last changed
- 2025-04-04 15:18:05
@article{0f3944c2-56b1-413b-9de9-6b9a5c4f286b,
abstract = {{<p>This research addresses action research (AR) as a meta-methodology and uses an operations development project as an illustration to provide some insights on AR as a meta-methodology. First, we report on a six-month action research (AR) project concerning analysing and improving production and inventory performance in an industrial firm in the food and beverage industry. The implementation of a new, basic period cyclic production approach resulted in higher production volumes and higher customer service levels while maintaining inventory levels. Second, we discuss the insights from the project concerning success factors related to novelty, rigour, relevance and usefulness, and applicability in other situations. The use of mixed methods, including case study research, conceptual modelling, mathematical modelling, and heuristic approaches, and the strong research interest of the management team at the company contributed to the success of the project. The novel cyclic production approach was subsequently transferred to other production lines. This AR project supports the perception of AR as serving as a meta-methodological framework, where different research methods can be used at various project stages where required and for triangulation purposes.</p>}},
author = {{Olhager, Jan}},
issn = {{0953-7287}},
keywords = {{Action research; cyclic production; meta-methodology; mixed-method research; sequence-dependent setup time}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{154--164}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{Production Planning and Control}},
title = {{Action research as a meta-methodology : insights from an operations development project}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2024.2380367}},
doi = {{10.1080/09537287.2024.2380367}},
volume = {{36}},
year = {{2025}},
}