Action research study

The action research study was another source of primary data for this thesis as it enabled a full variety of methods and observation of phenomena. Participant action research is where the researcher is involved in actively participating with a group of people to improve a situation, sometimes using a variety of research methods (Dawson 2009). As noted in sections 1.3 and 4.2, access to the inner working of boards is difficult to acquire, in this case study however access was granted but on a strict condition of confidentiality. This was required by the case study organisation (see appendix 13) and was a condition of the approval provided by the Victoria University Human Ethics Committee approval. In this case study the case study organisation obtained a set of performance indicators that apply to its corporate governance activities and the researcher was able to conduct this research. Confidentiality, in this case was provided by the non disclosure of those actual performance indicators. Anonymity (or de-identifying) the organisation would not achieve the required need for confidentiality because of the researchers well known and long standing connection to the organisation. Equally, an embargo would not overcome issues of a large membership base with small elements hostile to board members who they see as not ensuring that strategic priority is applied to single issues that may concern that small group. The lack of publication whilst somewhat limiting

is overcome by the triangulation of the findings with the literature, semi structured interviews of experts and an annual report review.

This action research involved the researcher being personally involved in the research, constantly evolving understanding of the phenomenon being studied and acting iteratively—the research was not driven by a dogmatic plan. Rather the researcher conducted the data gathering, while at the same time revising his understanding, and guided the thesis accordingly. According to Veal (2005, p.125) ‘this iterative process results in what Glaser and Strauss (1967) termed grounded theory.’ In the social research paradigm, the researcher is seen to be part of the research process (Veal 2005, p.24).

Such participant observation provides the researcher with unusual opportunities to gain access to events or groups otherwise inaccessible and provide an opportunity to perceive reality from the inside; however, the major problem from such studies is the potential biases produced (Yin 2003). To overcome this bias the researcher adopted the three principles recommended by Yin (2003) to establish construct validity and reliability. Multiple sources of evidence were collected where possible (as noted above), the action research study database was created and a chain of evidence was maintained.

During the course of the action research study, the researcher was actively involved in all stages of the development of performance indicators by the Bicycle Victoria Incorporated Board; he attended all the significant meetings between the Consultant, Board Chair, CEO, the Board Committees and the Board itself: in total 19 meetings spanning 30 months. The researcher was the main liaison between the Consultant and as Board Secretary, managed the carriage of the matter through the Bicycle Victoria Incorporated Committees and Board. A trade off, of sorts was that in return for permitting and encouraging the researcher to carry out this research the case study board benefitted by developing a better understanding its role and by receiving a set corporate governance performance indicators that are custom designed for its own corporate governance activities. During the course of the research, 111 documents were collected and analysed, which together with notes and the researcher’s antecedent knowledge, provided an in-depth understanding of the issues illuminated in this thesis. This includes assisting in the drafting of the Constitution, Board

Charter, CEO Interrelationship Policy and the facilitation of previous Board Effectiveness Reviews conducted by BoardWorks International Pty. Ltd.

There were no problems, such as conflicts presented to Bicycle Victoria Incorporated, due to the following factors: the researcher offered to execute confidentiality agreements, the researcher had already participated in board meetings and the board itself is best placed to assess problems but did not do so.

The following steps were taken in collecting case study material:

1. A letter, approved by the Ethics Committee of Victoria University was addressed to all the human prospective participants advising them of the nature of the research, potential conflict of interests and inviting them to participate. Signed consent to participate in the research was obtained from each of the action research study board members and the consultant assisting them at the time of their involvement in August and October 2009 and February 2010 (See appendices 6 & 7).

2. A letter providing access to the researcher and his supervisors to action research study data was obtained from the chief executive officer. A copy of this letter was subsequently included as an information item, in the board pack relating to the board meeting on 28 March 2011 (See appendix 13). Email confirmation of the preparedness of Bicycle Victoria Incorporated to be named as the action research study organisation was obtained in September 2012 (See appendix 14). Under the terms of access documents that are not in the public domain must not be published without explicit consent from the action research study organisation.

3. The researcher collected and copied the action research study data and kept it in a secure cabinet in a locked room, on password protected files and on a password protected computer.

4. A detailed review and summary of the documents was kept on the action research study database. Yin (2003) recommends that to overcome potential for bias the researcher should adopt three principles to establish construct validity and reliability. Thus multiple sources of evidence were collected where possible (as noted above), the action research study database was created and a chain of evidence was maintained. Specific details of the

documents were recorded in the action research study database summary (See appendix 8).

It is appropriate here to report that the Bicycle Victoria Incorporated board developed and selected a set of performance indicators, which were a measure of the appropriate critical success factors having regard to its core organisational purpose. Validity and reliability was improved by the iterative development of those critical success factors and performance indicators by the not-for-profit board.

Secondary data was obtained from the general literature and published material such as annual reports. The general literature has been discussed in the first three chapters of this thesis; the next section deals with annual reports.