Articles

Transformative Learning and Appreciative Inquiry: A More Perfect Untion for Deep Organizational Change
by Loretta Donovan, Susan Meyer and Steve Fitzgerald

At the organizational level, attempts at altering strategy, operations and culture imply that shifts in performance will occur due to changed or enlightened perspectives (Davis & Ziegler, 2000; Kasl & Elias, 2000; Shaw & Taylor, 2000; Yorks & Marsick, 2000). The literature of change, while addressing the needs of individuals and groups for information and social engagement, gives scant attention to the derivation of those enlightened perspectives that enable stakeholders to fully and purposefully engage in organizational transformation. We argue that deep and long-lasting perspective transformation can occur within times of significant change as the result of the specific combination of individual and collective processes described herein.

Click here to read more >

An Appreciative Inquiry Model for Building Partnerships
by Ada Jo Mann

Around the world NGOs, community based organizations, international agencies, governments, universities and donors are discovering an inescapable lesson. The fight against poverty and environmental decline requires new forms of cooperation or partnerships that enable diverse constituencies to join forces to meet enormous challenges which none of them can accomplish alone. The difficulty in forging partnerships built on mutual respect and shared goals between Northern and Southern NGOs can scarcely be underestimated, yet neither can its potential importance. Partnerships between international and local organizations are on the rise everywhere--the question is how to make them work in the most mutually developmental and effective ways?

Click here to read more>

Variations on a Theme: Capacity Building With the Four D Model
by Ada Jo Mann

Appreciative Inquiry has been commonly defined as the “art of discovering and valuing those factors that give life to an organization, community or group.” As a capacity-building approach, Appreciative Inquiry supports innovation and change by translating images of possibility into reality and beliefs into practice.

Click here to read more >