[“Can Action Research methods with Design Management tools be able to develop a non-design related company?”]

By

Acknowledgement

To my wicked brother Florencio, who never understands or approves my choices but always helps me anyways. Big 'Obrigada' to my friends Leninha and Orlando who were there when nobody was, and persuaded me not to give up. “A special thank you to Danny, who stood by my side from the beginning showing that advice, comprehension, support, companionship and friendship are what, turns a special person into a unique one”.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it comprises my own opinions and not inevitably those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

Abstract

This paper presents an approach to organizational research that aims to produce research results that are both relevant and rigorous. The research approach combines the designing of a management tool with the testing of the tool using an action research methodology. The lack of relevance in organizational research is a much debated issue in literature. A design approach has been proposed to help bridge the gap between research and practice. However, in organizational research, there is little empirical evidence how design-based research works in practice and it is unclear how this type of research is best structured. The lack of relevance in organizational research has been has been debated in special issues of the Academy of Management Journal and the British Journal of Management and has been addressed in presidential addresses to the Academy of Management. Design-based research has been proposed as a methodology that can help bridge the gap between research and practice. Advocates of design-based research claim that this research can contribute to the development of organizational theory development and the enhancement of professional practice. However, design-based research is not yet widely applied in management studies and very few authors provide detailed guidelines on how to do it. Design-based research has been portrayed as a research methodology, a research dialect, a mode of research, and a research paradigm. These authors have in common the scientific ideal of creating prescriptive knowledge in order to improve professional practice. This prescriptive knowledge should contribute to practice in the form of general solutions for real world problems. The prescriptive knowledge should also contribute to theory by highlighting the generative mechanisms that make the solution concept work. The purpose of the paper is to illustrate what a comprehensive methodology for design-based research can look like and how an action research methodology can be used to test the design in practice. The purpose of the paper is to illustrate what a comprehensive methodology for design-based research can look like and how an action research methodology can be used to test the design in practice.

Table of Content

Introduction8

Aim11

Objectives11

Literature Review13

Research Methodology23

Discussion and Analysis36

Processes37

Interview37

Rota38

Competitive Threats39

New markets39

Commercial Relationship Management40

Internal Communication40

External Communication:41

Suppliers41

Clients42

Resources43

Staff training43

Premises44

People44

Leadership45

Corporate Social Responsibility45

Results45

Actions taken throughout the research45

Planning in its bigger Context50

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