Adapting action research to marketing : A dialogic argument between theory and practice

The purpose of this article is to offer a perspective on adapting action research principles and methods in academic marketing research contexts. From combined theoretical and practical perspectives, the article provides a dialogical argument about the issues associated with implementing action research, addressing three important and related questions. First, are marketers specifically (and people in organizations, more generally) truly reflective? Is reflection suited to some organizations' authoritarian realities? Second, how is a strong organizational culture a barrier to change and further learning, and how might this difficulty be overcome by action research? Third, what is the role of the researcher in the process, and what skills, knowledge, and influence must this person have to successfully implement an action research program? The article concludes by proposing that an incremental orientation to change and intervention effectiveness is needed for these approaches to work in demanding marketing contexts.