Action Research in a Foodservice Store: Reflections on Methodology

This paper presents an action research study in a foodservice chain in UK. The study aimed at implementing a quality measurement and improvement technique-Statistical Process Control (SPC) to complement the chain's already adopted measures of quality. The project involved three main stages: an exploratory study, pilot study and then the main study conducted at one of the chain's stores. Espousing action research, the researcher worked in that store for six months. Data collected were mainly of qualitative nature: e. g. interviews, research diary, and documentary evidence. The project was not crowned with the success it aspired for. For a variety of reasons: e. g. human resources practices in the study venue, the difference between service settings and manufacturing where the technique originated, the intended implementation proved to be a challenge. However, the methodology: action research helped to give some insights pertaining to the implementation. The paper provides an example of action research in action. It focuses on the methodology-action research (AR) and its cyclical nature and the employed research methods showing how they were used. Moreover, it reflects on the insights it provided where they, arguably, would not be attained by some other methodologies and approaches e. g. quantitative research. For example, human resources issues emerged as a critical factor that is thought to have, partially, influenced the implementation of SPC. This was suggested through qualitative approach, e. g. interviewing workers. The paper reports such research journey considering several issues that pertained to this research in particular and to AR in general reflecting on some of the methodological issues that arose from being into the field. For example, the issue of outsider and insider action research in relation to 'experiential learning' (McKay & Marshall 2001). In doing so, while attempting to clarify some issues about action research this piece of research raises some other questions.