ERIC Number: EJ801383
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0309-0590
EISSN: N/A
Critical Reflection in the Workplace: Is It Just Too Difficult?
Rigg, Clare; Trehan, Kiran
Journal of European Industrial Training, v32 n5 p374-384 2008
Purpose: The intentions of this article are to contribute reflections of an empirical account of working with critical reflection within an organisational development programme, addressing the following questions: What space is there for critical reflection in organisational development? What issues are raised for in-company developers and providers by advocating critical reflection in organisation practice? Design/methodology/approach: A case study approach is taken, presenting an empirical account of a management and organisational development programme that integrated action learning and critical reflection. Findings: The account illustrates difficulties of employing critical reflection within the workplace arising from the more complex power relations between the multiple stakeholders in a commercial context. In particular, dissonance provoked by critical reflection confronts the client with a tension over whether to see organisation members primarily as customers to please or as participants in a change process which inevitably will disrupt. Practical implications: In making sense of the perspectives of different stakeholders a model is presented to help practitioners in development of this kind to anticipate potential issues. Originality/value: The paper presents a rare account of employing critical reflection in a work organisation development programme. (Contains 1 table.)
Descriptors: Experiential Learning, Organizational Development, Case Method (Teaching Technique), Conceptual Tempo, Participation, Population Groups, Evaluation Methods, Critical Thinking, Organizational Change, Private Sector, Administrator Role, Change Agents
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Practitioners
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A