The Agder story.Hans Chr Garmann Johnsen,Hans Kjetil Lysgaard,Gro Kvaale,Jens Kristian Fosse,Roger Normann &James Karlsen -2005 -AI and Society 19 (4):430-441.detailsThis article introduces the work of the research team in Agder, providing a context for the seven following articles. The writers have been personally engaged in the processes which they describe, and seek to draw general conclusions from their experience. Agder is a prosperous region, which has not experienced crisis, and is able to devote considerable resources to regional development.
Reflexive democracy: creating actionable knowledge through regional development coalitions. [REVIEW]Hans Chr Garmann Johnsen,Roger Normann &Jens Kristian Fosse -2005 -AI and Society 19 (4):442-463.detailsThis article seeks to develop a new theory of reflexive democracy, based on practical cases of action research in regional development, with particular reference to regional development coalitions. Reflexive democracy is located in the context of the debate on Scandinavian worklife, emphasising knowledge, dialogue, and legitimacy.
Action research and knowledge co-generation: a not so dangerous liaison with conventional social research. [REVIEW]Hans Chr Garmann Johnsen -2005 -AI and Society 19 (4):543-551.detailsThe article reflects on experience of action research in the context of regional development, where there has been pressure to produce practical results. The epistemological status of Action Research is explored, in contrast to conventional social science research. The article concludes that an ongoing relationship with conventional social research is necessary.
The contradictory nature of knowledge: a challenge for understanding innovation in a local context and workplace development and for doing action research. [REVIEW]Hans Chr Garmann Johnsen,James Karlsen,Roger Normann &Jens Kristian Fosse -2009 -AI and Society 23 (1):85-98.detailsThe argument in this article is that knowledge is an important phenomenon to understand in order to discuss development and innovation in modern workplaces. Predominant theories on knowledge in organisation and innovation literature, we argue, are based on a dualist concept of knowledge. The arguments found in these theories argue for one type of knowledge in contrast to another. The most prevailing dualism is that between local and universal knowledge. We believe that arguing along this line does not bring us (...) further in order to understand what knowledge is and what it does. We argue that there are contradictory arguments in the dualist conception of knowledge. We discuss how to move beyond this. We present a framework for discussing what knowledge is. We discuss what type of meta perspective will allow us to compare different knowledge kinds. We argue that insight into this has implications for understanding knowledge generation and innovation. (shrink)