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The purpose of this paper is to draw on the direct experience of a practitioner undertaking real-time research in his organization to offer insights into the dual role of practical insider and theoretical outsider. The duality helps the researcher to live “in” and think “out” of the research context to develop a theory for practice and then transpose it to a practice for theory through the collaboration of an external theoretical insider.

This is a theoretical account of the reflexive experience of the practitioner reintroducing relational ethnography, where the researcher regards processes and spaces as the objects of analysis rather than bounded groups and places. It emphasizes the relational significance of the researcher, researched, and theoretical insider in exploring the structures of relations and meanings in the field of professional practice.

The paper argues that understanding the complementariness and paradoxes of the dual role helps the researcher to identify knowledge gaps and contest commonsense knowledge in search of critical knowledge and theoretical insights. The transition between the bounded (restrained) and unbounded (unrestrained) selves occurs in the holding space of research, influencing the position from which the researcher views himself, his subjects, and his social world.

The paper extends the dimension of ethnographic research, which de-centers the authority and control of the researcher to that of the relationship between the researcher and informants, by focusing on the relational significance between the researcher, researched, and theoretical insider. This perspective gives rise to a deeper understanding of relational ethnography, seen largely in sociological research, as relevant to organizational research, where structures of relations and actions explored in real time could account for the configuration, conflict, and coordination of work practices.

The purpose of this paper is to present and examine the addition of a “professional artefact” to the course requirements for the BA Honours Professional Practice (BAPP) (Arts) programme at Middlesex University.

This paper takes a case study approach using reflection, indicative theories and consideration of student work to evaluate the introduction of the “professional artefact” into the BAPP (Arts) curriculum. Following pragmatist and phenomenological descriptions of the lived experience as embodied (Dewey et al., 1989; Merleau-Ponty, 2002) and using learning models based on experience in the workplace (Boud and Garrick, 1999), the paper's methodology takes the work-based principle of “experience as knowledge” to examine the impact of the professional artefact on students learning.

The professional artefact has proven to be a useful way for the learners on the course to reflect on the purpose of their own study and the ways in which work-based learning can be incorporated into their practice through embodied “ideas”.

The paper suggests that the inclusion of a professional artefact to the curriculum provides a flexible means for bridging academic and workplace learning. The inclusion of the professional artefact could be recommended as a strategy for other work-based learning programmes.

The added value for professional practice is that the professional artefact provides a flexible and creative means of communication for emerging and establishing workplace professionals.

In recent years, there has been considerable interest within education policy in collaborative professional enquiry/inquiry methodologies, both as an alternative to top-down implementation of change and for the purpose of fostering educational improvement. However, researchers have been critical of this approach, pointing to various concerns: these include the risk of reducing a developmental methodology to an instrumental means for delivering policy, as well as issues around sustainability of practices. The purpose of this paper is to describe a Scottish university/local authority partnership, which developed an approach entitled Critical Collaborative Professional Enquiry, designed to address some of these concerns. The paper also reports on empirical outcomes related to the partnership project.

This interpretivist study generated qualitative data from multiple sources, utilising a range of methods including semi-structured interviews with teachers and school leaders, evaluation surveys and analysis of artefacts developed during the inquiry phases of the project.

This programme exerted a powerful effect on the teachers who participated. The research suggests that teachers developed better understandings of the curriculum, and of curriculum development processes. There is evidence of innovation in pedagogy, some sustained and radical in nature, and further evidence of changes to the cultures of the participating schools, for example, a shift towards more democratic ways of working.

This paper reports upon an original approach to curriculum development, with considerable potential to transform the ways in which schools approach innovation.

In contrast with much of the existing academic discourse, through the autoethnographic technique of “narratives of self” this paper aims to provide an account and evaluation of the progressive development of an undergraduate research seminar in a college of education at a United Arab Emirates (UAE) university. The seminar provides opportunities for preservice teachers to develop knowledge and skills that allow them to make realistic contributions to professional practice and educational reform in the UAE.

The review of the capstone seminar was done using autoethnographic techniques using a blending of autobiography and ethnography. Data were drawn from student research projects, supervision notes, course syllabi, student reflections on the research process, and the authors' own reflections about their role as research supervisors. The data were analysed using an inductive process of identifying themes.

Some of the findings reflect the themes in the wider literature on undergraduate research such as value and benefits, challenges and implementation issues, while others are more specific to the Emirati context. These relate to language challenges for bilingual graduate students and to emergent leadership development. Five key thematic elements emerge from the data including professional learning and leadership development, complexity, teaching approach, and assessment.

The paper contributes to the knowledge base on professional learning through the development of a better understanding and analysis of undergraduate student teacher programs, processes of professional learning, and the development of research skills in preservice teachers. The broader potential for undergraduate research to contribute to better understanding of classroom practice, educational reform, and leadership growth in the UAE is also discussed.

Properly conceived, conducted and interpreted, motivation research can be an extremely powerful management tool, designed to help the manufacturer or advertiser to sell more goods. Its aim is to expose the market situation, explain it and suggest courses of action which will lead to desired changes. It is a way of looking at a problem rather than a collection of specialist techniques and is strictly practical. Hence it can be used alongside other market research tools for the solution of marketing problems and can be applied to a wide range of business activities. Much of its development has been in the advertising field but it can also help in the formulation of production policy, solving packaging problems and marketing operations. It is examined here in all these contexts. The idea of motivation research, the reasons for its use and the techniques by which to apply it are discussed, as well as the pitfalls that are likely to occur. New and imaginary case studies are used throughout to illustrate points. A review of the subject literature is included.

Purpose — This paper explores the potential of ‘action research’ as transport survey method, with particular emphasis on critically assessing its utility in the resolution of major transport policy challenges, such as the mitigation of climate change and environmental impacts, transport-related social exclusion and intergenerational equity issues. Although not particularly novel within the social sciences, it is an approach that has been largely overlooked within the field of transport studies to date.

Methodology/approach — The paper presents practical examples of where action research has been used to elicit information about people's travel experiences and behaviours and discusses how it achieves different outcomes from other qualitative transport survey methods. It identifies appropriate contexts for action research and explores the skills and techniques to overcome some of the main criticisms of the method. It then evaluates some of the critical challenges of applying an action research approach and identifies potential ways for overcoming these. Finally, it discusses the key challenges for analysis, presentation and dissemination of their action research ‘data’ and potential ways of overcoming these.

Findings — Action research has a long history within the social sciences, dating back to practical problems in wartime situations in Europe and the United States. It can be applied at either the level of individuals, small groups and/or ‘communities’ and organisations, with the expressed aim of bringing together research enquiry and future policy or planned actions (ibid). It provides a useful additional survey technique for policy-makers wishing to understand the detailed process of travel behaviours and barrier to travel at the individual level.

Originality/value of the paper — The action research method is specifically useful for supporting and actively encouraging behaviour change as an integral part of the research process. It has only recently emerged within the literature as a transport survey method. It can be a particularly useful method for developing more collaborative data collection methods research participants enquires and thus enable us to identify their underlying motivations, intentions, perceptions and negotiations, as well as the micro-level impacts of smaller scale transport initiatives.

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the insertion of an endorsement – or the lack of it – in conjunction with product information relevancy, have an impact on consumers' purchase intentions related to a particular product.

An experiment was conducted to test the research hypotheses posited by this study. A 3 × 2 factorial design manipulating three product‐communication forms was employed. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two counterbalanced subgroups associated with each of the six experimental conditions, with 12 experimental conditions. The experimental stimuli included two type of product‐performance information, each highlighting either the “superb power” or “superb control” feature of a tennis racquet.

Study findings indicate that product information relevancy to consumers' desired product characteristics had a significant influence on purchase intention.

The study described in this paper suffers from the generic limitations of all laboratory studies with forced exposure to stimuli in that the external validity is sacrificed at the cost of the internal validity. A related external validity issue involves the generalizability of the present research findings across different types of products.

Endorsements – while potentially effective in enhancing purchase intention – may elicit different responses from consumers, depending upon the content class and information relevancy. In order to level the playing field, advertisers may wish to consider advertising strategies that not only feature endorsements, but also provide potential consumers with easy access to publicity articles that further substantiate these claims. For promoting products, it is imperative that ease of access to this third‐party information becomes a strategic priority. In addition to prominently displaying and drawing attention to the endorsement in their advertising, advertisers may also want to obtain and manage available endorsements on their own web sites.

The paper compares the effectiveness of three forms of product communication in relation to endorsement and product‐information relevancy on consumers' purchase intentions; it also contributes in expanding the understanding of these relations to the online product promotion context. Given that performance relevancy in product information is rather prevalent in the online environment, the paper's findings can also help inform both researchers and practitioners in this particular area of research inquiries in the future.

This paper aims to discuss the methods that were used to do egalitarian research with ten Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Rather than doing research “on” these institutions, the authors worked with them to understand their successes and build upon their capacity in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) areas. Through this process, the authors aimed to bring exposure and interest to the practices that HBCUs use to increase and nurture success in African American students – practices that are rarely used in mainstream STEM programs and, in fact, run counter to well-established practices across STEM. The goal is to challenge traditional methods for pursuing STEM education research as the authors offer alternative methods the uplift and empower HBCUs.

The authors used the constant comparative method in developing, testing, and writing-up the HBCU success stories. The constant comparative method collects data in a systematic way by engaging in ongoing exploration and verification of findings with key stakeholders (in this case, the teachers, students and staff at the HBCUs). Across the ten HBCUs in the sample, at least one success story or model at each institution was identified; in some instances, there were more.

The research project had several implications for the social and economic health of society. First, supporting the work of HBCUs contributes to the diversification of the STEM fields and addresses the severe drought in the STEM workforce. It is without doubt that a diverse workforce – the unique perspectives and backgrounds of each individual – has a positive and significant influence on progress and innovation in any field. Despite increasingly growing minority communities across the country, many Blacks continue to face roadblocks that impede their opportunities and abilities in the K-20 pipeline and STEM education, specifically. Because HBCUs have a long history and record of tearing down those roadblocks and contributing Black students to the STEM workforce, they are prime and optimal sites for long-term investment. Second, improving the abilities of HBCUs to support student success in STEM also increases the likelihood of greater STEM minority teachers and faculty. A significant factor in the success of minority students in STEM is the opportunity to be taught and mentored by faculty members that look like them and/or deeply understand their personal background and struggles. For many Black students, the presence of a Black science professor can improve and retain student interest and aspiration in STEM. But with so few Black STEM faculty members, many students can easily fall through the cracks. Third, aside from the nation’s security and health, supporting HBCUs’ work in STEM student achievement represents immeasurable benefits for the individual and his/her family for many generations to come (i.e. society overall). Occupations in STEM are plentiful and fruitful for those who achieve the required credentials. Increasing opportunities for Black students to pursue these STEM careers can establish a path toward upward social mobility. The realization of these benefits is contingent upon the investment in early achievement in STEM courses.

Several research based outcomes are scheduled to result from this project, including a major policy report on HBCUs and their approaches to STEM education (co-constructed with the HBCU representatives); several peer reviewed articles (authored by us as well as the HBCU representatives); a national convening (showcasing both the best practices and the results of the HBCUs’ funded capacity building projects with the HBCU representatives as the primary speakers rather than us); a website featuring the work of the 10 HBCUs, active use of social media to disseminate the findings of the project; several op-eds written for a general audience and co-authored with HBCU representatives; and an authored book published by a university press.

Best practices gleaned from this project are being shared in a scholarly manner, but they will be shared in ways that are accessible to practitioners, including presidents, faculty, academic advisors, student success staff and other HBCU practitioners. In addition, best practices will be shared with majority colleges and universities to strengthen and improve practices more broadly in STEM. The authors are working with organizations such as the Association of American Universities, Association of Public Land Grant Universities and the American Association of Colleges and Universities to showcase the work of HBCUs and disseminate information.

Conducting research projects in which the research inquiry is co-constructed and the resulting research products are also co-constructed and even co-authored is an empowering and collaborative way to work across institutional types. More importantly, this approach brings attention to those researchers and teachers at HBCUs that are doing the day-to-day work with students, training them to be scientists, doctors and professors. Too often, only those conducting studies on STEM are credited with “discovering” success models for student learning. The authors think that those who have created these models and use them should be recognized and included in the research and dissemination process, and the authors encourage others to think more broadly and openly about collaborative research that engages the voices of HBCU researchers and students.

This project also has much to teach others about collaborating through research. First, collaborating when conducting research related to STEM is essential, as it encourages collaboration within STEM and among STEM researchers. HBCU researchers that were a part of our project – biologists, physicist and chemists – were encouraged to work across disciplinary lines and together to understand their own STEM education practices more fully.

Grounded theory (GT) is a very crucial qualitative tool in research inquiry. It embraces systematic, inductive, and comparative inquiry method to construct a theory. GT is mostly appropriate to investigate organizational phenomena, which involves a change process. In this chapter, the authors focus on the emergence of GT as a research inquiry tool with the focus how GT evolves from classis grounded theory to constructivist ground theory. In the detailed method of GT, a focus is given on coding method along with theoretical sampling and theoretical saturation points. Despite being a powerful technique, GT has drawn a number of criticisms. Majority GT researchers consider the technique as an inductive method with a few exceptions, where it has been deliberated as a deductive method. However, in the line of Corley (2015), it can be argued that GT should be considered as a methodological approach to study inductive phenomena having less understanding of theoretical perspective. Chapter concludes with identifying future scope of study in the field of GT.

This chapter examines how hospitality and tourism researchers can use ‘expressive text’ (or writing) to express the lived quality of an experience in order to ‘show what an experience is really like’ rather than ‘tell what it is like’. Expressive text refers to written language forms such as narrative, poetry and metaphor that can be used as tools in research to vividly represent the meaning and feeling conveyed in an experience. The expressive text-based approach to researching lived experience provides a textual link between experience and its expression. For this reason, it is especially useful when working with lived experience accounts of phenomenological and hermeneutic research.

The expressive text-based approach suggested here is still a relatively under explored arena within hospitality and tourism research. As a relatively under explored arena, the rich insightful knowledge that can be gained from understanding practitioner experience is rarely a central focus of scholarly writings about the workplace in hospitality and tourism contexts. However, in order to be fully appreciated as a discipline in its own right and to advance knowledge of the field, understanding the typical and significant attributes of hospitality and tourism work will be decidedly helpful.

One of the difficulties of working with lived experience accounts is finding a suitable research approach that helps to both retain the lived elements of the experience and ensure the rigour of the inquiry. An expressive text-based methodological framework that has a phenomenological and hermeneutic philosophical underpinning is argued to be suitable for this purpose. Therefore, the focus of this study is to discuss such a methodology and explain the reasons for its content, style and structure in researching lived experience. The approach that is proposed here consists of a five-tiered textually expressive methodology that is employed to contextualise, portray and interpret the lived experience meanings in order to understand the significance of the experience in relation to relevant discourses in hospitality and tourism studies, and to consider implications for policy and professional practice. The guiding questions of the five-tiered framework cover the following issues: (1) What is the context of the lived experience? (2) What is the lived experience of this practice like? (3) What is the meaning of this experience for the practitioner? (4) What is the significance of the experience in contributing to the advancement of knowledge within the field? (5) What are the implications for practice and professional development?

To illustrate uses of this methodology in research, the study here includes an example showing portrayals and interpretations of the typical and significant lived nature of hospitality reception work. This shows and communicates the full meaning of the episode, circumstances or situation. The chapter then concludes with some reflections on benefits as well as tensions in working within an expressive text-based phenomenological and hermeneutic framework.