Action Research for the Development of Welfare
Hauptsächlicher Artikelinhalt
Abstract
The Nordic welfare model, known for its universality and commitment to equality, has evolved over time to address the social needs of its citizens through benefits such as healthcare, education and social security. Despite its strengths, the model faces challenges, including increasing social inequality, demographic changes and increased immigration. These challenges call for new solutions that can sustain the welfare state in the adaptation to contemporary issues. As we see it, there is a need for civic engagement and co-creation based on dialogue to find sustainable solutions to our societal challenges. In this perspective, we propose action research as a powerful approach to addressing some of these challenges, particularly in promoting social sustainability in communities and organisations. By emphasising dialogue, collaboration and democratic participation, action research has the potential to empower different stakeholders and local communities to co-create solutions on complex social problems. It moves beyond traditional top-down governance, while facilitating dialogues and processes based on citizen and employee engagement. Illustrative examples from Norway and Denmark demonstrate the impact of action research in improving welfare, particularly through projects like the Citizens’ Model and a project for co-developing organisational learning in a public institution specialised in hearing loss and deafblindness. These examples show how action research can foster social sustainability by empowering marginalised groups and a variety of voices, contributing to the improvement of welfare for present and future generations.
Keywords: Action Research, Nordic Welfare Model, Relational Welfare, Social Sustainability
Investigación-acción para el desarrollo del bienestar
El modelo nórdico de bienestar, conocido por su universalidad y compromiso con la igualdad, ha evolucionado con el tiempo para abordar las necesidades sociales de sus ciudadanos a través de beneficios como la atención sanitaria, la educación y la seguridad social. A pesar de sus puntos fuertes, el modelo se enfrenta a desafíos, entre ellos la creciente desigualdad social, los cambios demográficos y el aumento de la inmigración. Estos desafíos exigen nuevas soluciones que puedan sostener el estado del bienestar en la adaptación a los problemas contemporáneos. En nuestra opinión, es necesario el compromiso cívico y la cocreación basados en el diálogo para encontrar soluciones sostenibles a nuestros desafíos sociales. Desde esta perspectiva, proponemos la investigación-acción como un enfoque poderoso para abordar algunos de estos desafíos, en particular para promover la sostenibilidad social en las comunidades y las organizaciones. Al enfatizar el diálogo, la colaboración y la participación democrática, la investigación-acción tiene el potencial de empoderar a diferentes partes interesadas y comunidades locales para co-crear soluciones a problemas sociales complejos. Va más allá de la gobernanza tradicional de arriba hacia abajo, al tiempo que facilita diálogos y procesos basadosen la participación de los ciudadanos y los empleados. Ejemplos ilustrativos de Noruega y Dinamarca demuestran el impacto de la investigaciónacción en la mejora del bienestar, en particular a través de proyectos como el Modelo Ciudadano y un proyecto para el desarrollo conjunto del aprendizaje organizacional en una institución pública especializada en pérdida auditiva y sordoceguera. Estos ejemplos muestran cómo la investigación-acción puede fomentar la sostenibilidad social al empoderar a los grupos marginados y a una variedad de voces, contribuyendo a la mejora del bienestar de las generaciones presentes y futuras.
Palabras clave: Investigación-acción, Modelo Nórdico de Bienestar, Bienestar Relacional, Sostenibilidad Social
Bibliography: Frimann, Søren/Hersted, Lone/Ness, Ottar: Action Research for the Development of Welfare, IJAR – International Journal of Action Research, 1-2025, pp. 59-75.
Artikel-Details
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