Action research used in OD is based on collaboration between the behavioral-scientist–
researcher and the client where they collaborate on intervening in the organization (the
action) and in exploring issues and generating data on the development of the organization
(the research activity). They develop action plans to address the issues and implement
them. Together they evaluate the outcomes of the actions, both intended and unintended.
This evaluation may then lead to further cycles of examining issues, planning action,
taking action and evaluation. Cyclical–sequential phases may be identified that capture the
movements of collaboration through planning and action to evaluation and to theory
generation. These activities may serve also to generate new behavioral science knowledge,
which is fed into the depository of information for other behavioral scientists as general
laws, types of issues or the process of consultant-client collaboration, thus addressing
issues beyond the specific case. Through its Lewinian roots in the scholarship of practice,
OD has the capacity to bridge the rigor-relevance, theory–practice debates that beset
contemporary organization studies (Burnes and Cooke 2012; Bartunek and Woodman
2012). Accordingly, action research is not only a methodology and a set of tools but is also
a theory of social science (Peters and Robinson 1984). Its roots are in science and Lewin
built a cadre of colleagues and students whose work in group dynamics and organizational
research became the foundation for what emerged later as OD. While OD and action
research are closely related, they exist independently of one another and there are
important roots and strands of action research existing outside of OD (McArdle and Reason
2008).