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Community Operational Research pp 175–201Cite as

Perspectives of Engagement in Community Operational Research

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Part of the book series: Contemporary Systems Thinking ((CST))

Abstract

The very phrase operational research implies a delicate balancing act. For it raises the question of how far a stance of scientific detachment can realisti-cally be reconciled with a stance of direct engagement of the researchers with other people-most of whom would be more inclined to describe realisti-cally as managers than researchers-as they go about their working lives. For these people will usually expect to gain something from whatever investment they may make in their engagement with the realisti-cally that investment takes the form of financial outlay, or sacrifice of time, or simply the granting of privileged access to their places of work.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stradspan Limited, 17 Birks Wood Drive, Oughtibridge, Sheffield, S35 0HY, UK

    John Friend

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  1. John Friend
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR Ltd), Christchurch, New Zealand

    Gerald Midgley

  2. Centre for Systems Studies, Business School University of Hull, Hull, UK

    Gerald Midgley

  3. Universidad de Los Andes, Marida, Venezuela

    Alejandro Ochoa-Arias

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© 2004 Springer-Science+Business Media New York

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Friend, J. (2004). Perspectives of Engagement in Community Operational Research. In: Midgley, G., Ochoa-Arias, A. (eds) Community Operational Research. Contemporary Systems Thinking. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8911-6_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8911-6_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4716-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-8911-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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