Introduction
It could be said that the crude oil industry continually experiences the layoff of workers, as it is one of the major reasons to reach sustainability on the market. The governance of my company continues to decrease the quantity of personnel and cuts the employees’ benefits to remain competitive on the market. The process has to be controlled to avoid negative consequences. In this instance, action research is one of the potential approaches to find the solution to the current issue. It contributes to finding suitable solutions, which actively correspond with the real case scenarios.
Action research remains a necessity in the context of the crude oil industry since it was revealed that the implementation of the action cycles is one of the suitable approaches to understanding the primary reason for a layoff and the necessity for the application of appropriate changes (Coghlan & Brannick, 2014). The layoff and wage decrease will be the primary focus of the research. Nonetheless, the nature of improbability tends to exist.
Therefore, the critical objective of the action research is to contribute to the alteration of the reaction and opinions of employees. The primary goal is to facilitate the process of workers’ adaptation to the change while the current goal is to accumulate knowledge. The features that are going to be assessed will include the employee expectations and attitude regarding the change. The action frame will be generated, and the goals will be adapted to the development of the relevant knowledge base.
After the identification of the flow of the research in the context of the workplace, conducting a literature review will reveal the possible ways the action research can be implemented in practice to find the suitable solutions to the issue. Moreover, the literature review will help determine the appropriate approach to identify the outcomes of the research. In the end, the conclusions are drawn.
Literature Review
The primary goal of the literature review is to determine the possible ways of implementing theoretical knowledge in the context of the workplace. It is evident that it will assist in determining the future development of the action research and evaluate the potential outcomes of the situation. Moreover, the unique nature and characteristics of this type of research will be underlined, as it is necessary to employ them while establishing the rational dialogue with the employees to alter their attitudes regarding the dramatic layoff and wage reduction.
Firstly, the book Doing the Action Research in Your Organization by Coghlan and Brannick entirely focuses on the implementation of the principles of the action research in the organization (Coghlan & Brannick, 2014). Nonetheless, the continuous monitoring of the stages, which are vehemently involved in the implementation of the action research are necessary attributes to finding the solution and changing the attitudes and perceptions of employees. The following publication provides detailed information about the action research. This matter remains its primary limitation, as the techniques, which are mention in the article provide the background for understanding the research principles. Nonetheless, the continuous monitoring of the situation will help understand the key determinants of employees’ attitudes regarding the layoff and significant reduction of the wages.
In turn, the article Developing Practice and Staff: Enabling Improvement in Care Delivery through Participatory Action Research by Beringer and Fletcher provides the inside of utilization of the participatory action research (Beringer & Fletcher, 2014). The study proposes that the most effective approaches to the cultivation of positive attitudes in the dynamic organization are proactive and stable leaderships whereas the traditional one is not the most efficient (Beringer & Fletcher, 2014). In the instance of the situation at my workplace, the proactive approach can be actively implemented since it is aimed to modify the attitudes of employees regarding the issue. Nonetheless, the substantial limitation of the article is the fact that the participatory action research was utilized in the context of the hospital settings. The participatory action research can be implemented in the framework of the workplace scenario. However, the outcomes might be entirely different, as the organizational structure and corporate culture vary depending on the sectors.
Moreover, the article Haunted by the Past: Effects of Poor Change Management History on Employee Attitudes and Turnover by Bordia, Restubog, Jimmieson, and Irmer underlines the significance of taking into account of the employees attitude and opinions while implementing the changes (Bordia, Restubog, Jimmieson, & Irmer, 2011). It portrays its importance with the assistance of the cases, which occurred in the past (Bordia et al., 2011). It could be said that this article vehemently supports the approach, which is chosen to determine the flow of actions in the context of the workplace. It is evident that employees are the key determinants of the success of the organization, and their perceptions and opinions cannot be unnoticed.
The article Action Research Literature 2008-2010: Themes and Trends by Dick portrays the principal trends of the action research, which occurred in the past years (Dick, 2011). Various approaches can be implemented in different contexts, as they involve divergent understandings of the problem. Nonetheless, it could be said that the action learning’s organizational and analytical applications are relevant in the framework of the action research in the workplace, as they establish a sophisticated framework of activities and determine the necessity of acquiring the new knowledge. Nonetheless, the primary limitation of this article is the fact that the research trends and corporate values tend to evolve. Consequently, some of the outcomes and results might vary depending on the field of operation of the organization.
Furthermore, the article Navigating Change: Employee Communication of Times and Instability by DuFrene and Lehman emphasizes the significance of communication with the employees during the significant layoff and dramatic wage reduction (DuFrene & Lehman, 2014). The negative situation at work causes a significant psychological damage to the well-being of employees due to insecurity and uncertainty of the future (DuFrene & Lehman, 2014). In this instance, cultivating trust within the organization allows contributing to the development of the firm connection between the management and employees, enhancing success, and increasing turnover. It could be said that this study is applicable in the context of the workplace scenario, as contributes to the alteration of the employees’ attitudes and finding the solution to the current issue by implementing the principles of the action research.
In turn, the article Managing Employee Withdrawal During Organizational Change: The Role of Threat Appraisal by Fugate, Prussia, and Kinicki concentrates on the role of necessity of the communication with the employees during the alterations and layoffs in the organization due to the dependence of the actions on the cognitive well-being of the workers (Fugate, Prussia, & Kinicki, 2010). In this instance, it is evident that the threat appraisal is one of the determinants of the employees’ ability to handle the situation of the withdrawal (Fugate, Prussia, & Kinicki, 2010). However, their initial intentions and outcome vary depending on the condition of the organization, as they can imply both negative and positive consequences of the desire of the employees’ to quit the job and absenteeism (Fugate, Prussia, & Kinicki, 2010). It is apparent that in this instance, the support of the employees is an essentiality, as the dramatic layoff might be a primary cause of the voluntarily quit and lack of desire to perform the duties. Consequently, the research is actively applicable in the context of the workplace, as it proves the necessity of paying high attention to the attitudes of the employees.
The study Critical Action Research in Human Resource Development by Githens focuses on the benefits and drawbacks of the implementation of the action research in the context of the human resource development (Githens, 2015). The primary goal of the paper is to underline the significant drawback of the human resource development approaches, as it tends to raise the problems instead of trying to find the solutions rapidly (Githens, 2015). Nonetheless, the study focuses on the necessity of the implementation of the action research techniques to reach the correspondence with the reality. In this instance, the article provides information, which can be actively implemented in the context of the situation in the workplace. The fundamental human resource development principles will not be useful in the instance of the current situation, as the attitudes of the employees have to be actively monitored. It could be said that the article provides a clear understanding of the implementation of the action research in the context of managing the human resources in the stage of change.
Moreover, the book Introduction to Action Research: Social Research for Social Change by Greenwood and Levin provides the general perception of action research as a key driver of the alteration within the organization (Greenwood & Levin, 2006). It is evident that the book proposes multiple methods of the typical implementation of the action research in practice. In this instance, several chapters summarize the information about participatory research. It could be said that it summarizes the principles of action science in the context of managing the interpersonal relationships with the employees during the stages, which require radical alteration. Nonetheless, the primary limitation of this type of publication is the fact that its emphasis is limited to the social perception of the problem. In this instance, the implications and outcomes of the action research might vary depending on the constantly changing external and internal aspects in the context of the workplace.
Furthermore, the article Trade Unions and Action Research by Huzzard and Bjorkman discusses the action research from the interventionist perspective in the context of the implementation of its approaches while establishing the typical industrial relations (Huzzard & Bjorkman, 2012). It could be said that the discussed topic implies the complexity of the ability to implement the action research efficiently. Nonetheless, the firm emphasis on the necessity of interventionist nature while conducting the research in the workplace is portrayed. In this instance, this feature of the study will help determine the flow of the actions and define the way of alteration of the employees’ attitudes about the layoff and substantial wage reduction. It has to be mentioned that the information presented in the research is relevant and describes the potential outline of the action research in the crude oil industry.
Furthermore, the article Contradictions of Employee Involvement, Information Sharing and Expectations: A Case Study of an Indian by Kandathil and Varman portrays the fact that sometimes the high involvement of the employees might have an adverse impact on the validity of the information, as the management and employees have different perceptions of the situation (Kandathil & Varman, 2007). It could be said that this article critically affects the decision-making while implementing the action research in the context of the workplace, as now the potential gaps were revealed. Consequently, the negative mismatch between the perceptions can be avoided.
Additionally, the article Productive Management Communication: Online and Face-to-Face by Kupritz and Cowell provides the potential approaches to enhance the quality of communication between the employees and management (Kupritz & Cowell, 2011). It is evident that the article provides the inside information, which can be actively implemented in the workplace in the context of the participatory action research. The employees’ involvement is the key determinant of improvement of the current situation regarding the workers’ attitudes about the dramatic layoff and reduction of the wages. Establishment of the consistent communication will help determine the potential action research plan and the rapid resolution of the current situation.
Lastly, the article Toward a Reframing of Action Research for Human Resource and Organization Development: Moving Beyond Problem Solving and toward Dialogue by Maurer and Githens mentions the unique nature of the action research and involvement of the multiple participants while finding a solution (Maurer & Githens, 2010). The establishment of the trustful dialogue is a contributor to the establishment of the suitable approach and the action plan for the alteration of the attitudes among the employees in the context of the crude oil case scenario.
Unique characteristics of the action research allow the achievement of the applicable solutions. It could be said that the literature review revealed that despite having several negative consequences, involvement of the employees while making the decisions is a necessity, as it allows evaluating issues from different perspectives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the literature review revealed that the action research and active communication with the employees is a necessity, as it contributes to the cultivation of positive attitudes and development of a coherent action plan during the stage of change. In this instance, it is apparent that action research remains a necessity, as it allows having an intense connection with the reality. It makes the processes more rapid and sophisticated, as the results are vehemently evaluated at each stage of the implementation process.
It could be said that the literature review revealed that participatory action research, proactive leadership, and interventionist nature, and action learning are the key factors, which allow having consistent approaches. Moreover, it cultivates the development of positive attitudes among the employees during the stages of change and the dramatic layoff in the organization. The psychological support remains one of the pivotal drivers, which determine the need to understand the necessity for the alteration, as the current economic situation requires rapid action by the management of the workplace. The interventionist nature of the activities has to be cultivated carefully, as the rapid development of the following aspect might be one of the primary reasons for the failure and irrelevant outcomes of the research.
Nonetheless, each stage and action of the research has to be carefully evaluated before the implementation. The involvement of the employees and aggressive information might question the positive intentions of the research; as otherwise, it will lack relevance and consistency of the acquired data and might lead to the implementation to insufficient and strategy. In the instance of the case at the workplace, each stage of the research has to be carefully evaluated, as the results will determine the future flow of actions and the potential results.
References
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