Research Field of Study and Context
The article used in this research is about business engineering, where information systems and organizational processes are designed using the Group Support System (GSS). The field of this study for this action research is based on public relations and administration. This field of study involves making government policies meant to address specific issues experienced by the people. Additionally, it involves creating a favorable environment for improving the relationship between the organization and the public. This action research project’s context entails organized crime in Amsterdam (de Vreede & Dickson, 2000). The problem of organized crime in Amsterdam was increasingly becoming unbearable and there was an urgent need to devise effective mechanisms to identify and eliminate underlying factors fueling the problem. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Amsterdam’s Municipal Police Force saw the need to take a different approach toward the issue of organized crime to handle the individual criminals and the whole organization (de Vreede & Dickson, 2000). The CID employed action research to collect and analyze accurate data to determine specific factors that influenced organized crime in Amsterdam and develop appropriate solutions to address the issue.
The holistic approach the CID had previously used to fight organized crime presented several challenges that effectively undermined the authorities’ ability to eliminate the criminal gangs. Most of the challenges were due to the large number of gangs that the police handled. Criminal gangs had spread to major parts of the city and had blended with the community making it difficult for the police to identify the culprits from the ordinary citizens. This problem required the investigative authorities to thoroughly investigate the problem by collecting, processing, and adequately analyzing the data to understand criminal gangs’ mode of operations in Amsterdam.
The researchers identify various methods that can be employed by the relevant authorities to understand the problem of organized crime. One of the practical methods identified was the business engineering approach, which required analyzing the problem in three ways: based on thinking, working, and modeling. This way of thinking requires looking at an organization as a system of interlinked objects to spread information. Therefore, it is necessary to identify an organization’s processes and information systems to understand its operations effectively. There are three major elements that an investigative body must consider when designing its way of thinking regarding a particular problem. They include developing new strategies consisting of systems and processes conforming to the problem. The investigative team should have all the skills necessary for vital organizational activities. Additionally, the approach should be flexible to allow feedback and accommodate changes according to the dynamics of the problem under investigation.
Concerning the way of working, the process of solving the problem should be designed and analyzed based on the insights that emerge as the process evolves. Designing an effective problem-solving strategy involves five major steps, including conceptualizing the problem to identify and understand its limits. Secondly, the investigative organization should construct an empirical model for analyzing and diagnosing the problem. Thirdly, the organization should seek solutions based on the diagnosis of the problem by analyzing the changes that need to be made to handle the problem effectively. Fourthly, the investigative body must select an alternative option if the proposed solutions fail. Lastly, the organization needs to formulate working procedures to implement the proposed solutions.
Regarding the way of modeling, the organization’s strategy needs to be based on three major models, including the conceptual model, which identifies the requirements required to implement the proposed strategy. The empirical model is necessary to identify all the factors contributing to the problem under consideration. Lastly, the model of possible solutions consists of the necessary structural changes that need to be implemented to address the problem under investigation. This model should include different prototypes that the relevant stakeholders should analyze and identify the ideal one in addressing the problem.
The relationship quality between the researchers and the research subjects is integral. The parties involved in the action research are committed to finding the solution to the problem of organized crime in Amsterdam. To effectively understand organized crime, the parties involved need to establish a close relationship to coordinate and collaborate in establishing working systems and processes that can identify the root cause of the problem. The business engineering approach employed in this action research process requires close association in creating conceptualized, empirical and proposed solution models to establish the extent of the problem of organized crime.
Research Action Process
Action research is an analytical process that requires the researcher to evaluate and investigate various methods to diagnose a problem and design practical solutions to address the issue. This research process is based on the assumption that the social world is constantly evolving, which requires researchers to take a multidimensional approach to evaluate people’s problems (Barcelona, 2020). There are three categories of action research: positivity approach research, where a research project is perceived as a social experiment aiming to test a particular hypothesis and establish appropriate conclusions. Secondly, interactive action research perceives a study as a socially constructed reality and needs a deeper understanding of improving the social world.
Thirdly, critical action research requires the researcher to adopt a critical approach to analyzing the social processes and design effective improvements in addressing the identified problems. When employing the action research process, the following features need to be considered: the research aims must be clear to enable the researcher to design the correct model to address the issues under consideration (Barcelona, 2020). Additionally, stakeholders must collaborate and coordinate closely to establish a common goal. Lastly, the research should focus on a specific issue in a certain context rather than general.
Implementing the action research process requires following specific procedures to effectively understand the problem under consideration. The research must first identify the problem to be studied and its context. Relevant data concerning the problem is then collected and organized for analysis and interpretation (Barcelona, 2020). The researcher then develops a plan based on the interpretation of the data. The plan is then implemented after engaging all the stakeholders and considering the factors involved in the problem’s context. The researcher then evaluates the plan’s results and determines its effectiveness in addressing the problem. The action research process is repeated to eliminate the issue if a new problem is identified. Since the main aim of the action research process is to solve a problem, it takes less formal approaches and methods than the prescriptive research processes, which aim to produce findings and recommendations for a problem.
Amsterdam’s police CID employed the Action Reaction process by establishing the information department (ID). This department comprised employees from different specialized departments to coordinate in designing procedures for understanding and identifying solutions to the problem of organized crime. The information department conducted interviews with the relevant stakeholders to gather enough data regarding organized crime (de Vreede & Dickson, 20000). Various requirements that were necessary for combating the problem were identified. These requirements included the establishment of a thorough insight into understanding the operations of the notorious criminal gangs and the social trends that provide a conducive environment for the thriving of these organizations.
Another requirement was setting clear goals and policies that would guide the CID in its operations. Furthermore, a coordination approach was created between the relevant departments and all the stakeholders to optimize the efforts to combat organized crime. Additionally, the ID was organized in a flexible and manageable way to accommodate the coordination of the stakeholders and operate within the dynamics of the problem (de Vreede & Dickson, 2000). Another requirement was finding skilled personnel with experience in data collection and analysis of information regarding criminal activities. Lastly, allocating adequate technology to the investigative personnel to enable them effectively collect data and interpret the results.
Research Outcomes
The action research approach taken by the CID presented various successful outcomes that laid the foundation for addressing the problem of organized crime in Amsterdam. Some outcomes included creating a concise approach in policy-making to determine how the CID will collect and analyze information regarding organized crime. The policy-making process was to occur at the local level with the police, at the regional level with the city’s mayor, and at the national level with the National Organized Crime Task Forces (de Vreede & Dickson, 2000). Another outcome was to focus on specific issues rather than being general to the problem of organized crime. This required the CID to establish various specialized departments focusing on different aspects of organized crime and coordinating a common solution.
When the multiagency team created an empirical model of the Action research, various problems that undermined the process of combating organized crime were identified. Some problems included autonomy and lack of coordination among the departments involved (de Vreede & Dickson, 2000). Furthermore, there was a lack of adequate preparations to identify all the requirements to collect adequate information regarding organized crime. Additionally, it was difficult for the CID to focus on the project t due to a lack of enough insight regarding the problem of organized crime. Other problems, such as information security and quality, undermined the confidentiality of the project.
Critical Reflection
Action research offers more insight into the problem under consideration than other research methods. This research design enables the researcher to evaluate and analyze the problem from different dimensions, thus creating a clear understanding. Unlike other research methods, which tend to limit the research to particular criteria in analyzing information, the Action Research model allows the researcher to employ different standards, including informal approaches when handling the problem. Additionally, action research enables the researcher to establish a close relationship with the stakeholders to understand the research subjects and effectively test the hypotheses. While other research models are based on establishing the findings of a problem and making recommendations, the action research process enables the researcher to create models that offer guidance on implementing the proposed solutions. Therefore, the researcher can easily know whether the proposed solutions effectively address the problem under consideration or require modification.
References
Barcelona, A. B. (2020). An Analytic Hierarchy Process for Quality Action Researches in Education. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 9(3), 517-523.
de Vreede, G. J., & Dickson, G. (2000). Using GSS to design organizational processes and information systems: An action research study on collaborative business engineering. Group Decision and Negotiation, 9(2), 161-183.