The Impact of Appreciative Inquiry on Trust and Collaboration: A practitioner research study

Guevara, C (2016) The Impact of Appreciative Inquiry on Trust and Collaboration: A practitioner research study. Doctor of Education thesis, University of Liverpool.

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Abstract

This research project aimed to review the relationship between two student support departments pivotal to the enrollment process at an Art and Design university in the Southwestern region of the United States. The purpose of this project was to utilize the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) framework as a model for building collaboration and increasing levels of trust between these two interrelated departments. Five individuals engaged in this four-month study and participated in an Appreciative Inquiry workshop designed to reveal the positive core relationship between these two departments. The workshop functioned as a platform for dialogue between these two departments. Through conversation, members of each team sought to discover key elements to success, dream about the ideal environment, design the paradigm for this ideal environment and then commit to the destiny identified as a collective team. Participants were also asked to keep a reflective journal of team interaction after the workshop. The researcher conducted interviews with the participants, as well as monitoring interaction through the use of record sheets during meetings. Each of these data collection strategies revealed the impact of Appreciative Inquiry from both an individual and collective perspective. The data collected during this research were analyzed to identify (a) whether there is a perceived connection between the use of AI and the development of trust, (b) whether AI contributed to a stronger sense of collaboration between these two departments, (c) whether improvements were identified, and how far those improvements in trust resulted in stronger collaborations and combined ownership for results. Throughout all data collected, three themes emerged that resonated with the participants, trust, collaboration and productivity. Based on these emergent themes, there appears to be indication of a positive relationship between the Appreciative Inquiry framework and the impact on trust and collaboration, leading to greater productivity for the five participants in this study. The applicable lessons from this project will be a resource for other higher education managers responsible for collaboration between essential student support teams.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctor of Education)
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	15 Dec 2016 11:34
Last Modified:	19 Jan 2023 07:32
DOI:	10.17638/03002801
Supervisors:	Gray, M
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3002801