Dŵr Uisce: Developing innovation capability and learning in action

Our smart specialisation cluster is a network of organizations from Ireland and Wales with a contribution to delivering a more energy efficient water sector. We created an action learning network, including activities that stimulate innovation capability in the water sector, encourage collaboration, knowledge exchange, innovation and economic growth. Beside technology solutions, policy support & guidance; and dissemination & collaboration we also carry out research in the innovation and action learning perspective itself.

Within this perspective one of our research streams is concerned with how to respond to the UN SDG through action learning, collaborative prototyping, demonstration and sustainability-oriented process innovation. Meeting the SDG objectives is an enormous challenge and not amenable to single discipline actions, nor to actions which do not integrate research and practice. In the classic sense of Revans (1998), the challenge is a problem rather than a puzzle: a puzzle is a difficulty for which a correct solution exists, and which is amenable to specialist and expert advice; a problem is a difficulty where no single solution exists. Problems are amenable to action learning where different people can advocate alternative courses of action in accordance with their own value systems, past experience and intended outcomes.In our research work we explore a particular response to the UN Sustainability Goals undertaken through network action learning. The research setting is that of the creative application of novel technology with the potential to reduce the carbon footprint associated with water distribution and use. We explore how network action learning impacts the practice of exploring and exploiting the application of novel technology to reduce the energy burden associated with water production and distribution and how, through learning in action, innovation capabilities are developed. We apply action learning research (ALR) as the overall research methodology. We contribute to existing knowledge as we illustrate how innovation capabilities in a learning network are developed, which learning mechanisms we applied to capture our learning. Our research and the resulting Network Action Learning (NAL) framework offer effective and practical ways to researchers, practitioners and policy makers to not only address sustainability goals, but also to build innovation capabilities and learning mechanisms to tackle such problems.

 Managers charged with developing and applying novel technology can use the evolved NAL framework for the application of novel technology and assess what obstacles may emerge when doing so.  Both practitioners and researchers may apply the framework when attempting to respond further to the UN Sustainability Goals.

Bibliography

Coughlan, P., and D. Coghlan (2011). Collaborative Strategic Improvement Through Network Action Learning: The Path to Sustainability. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Coughlan, P., J. Gallagher, V. Siva, D. Coghlan and A. McNabola, (2017), "Developing integrated low-carbon and smart energy innovations in water and energy: Creating a smart specialisation cluster",  IPDMC 2017. Reykjavik.

de Almeida Kumlien A; Coughlan P.; Dreyer-Gibney, K; (Presenting Author); McNabola, A., Learning to innovate through action learning, collaborative prototyping and demonstration, 26th International Product Development Management Conference, Leicester, UK, June 2019

 Dreyer-Gibney, K.; Coughlan, P.; Coghlan, D.; Wu, S.-H.; Bello-Dambatta, A., Dallison; R.; McNabola, A.; Novara, D.; Rafique, A.; Schestak, I.; Spriet, J.; Walker, N.; & Williams, P., Responding to the UN Sustainability Goals through network action learning, EURAM 2020, The Business of Now: The future starts here, Dublin Ireland, 2020

Revans, R. W. (1998). ABC of Action Learning. London: Lemos and Crane.

Siva, V., Coughlan, P., & McNabola, A. (2018). Knowledge integration strategies within a smart specialization cluster: enabling sustainability in the water-energy nexus. Paper presented at the EurOMA 2018, Budapest.

Siva, V., Coughlan, P., & McNabola, A. (2017). Building collaboration within a smart specialisation cluster through action learning Paper presented at the SOSC 2017, Bangalore.

Wu, SH; Cannon, S; Coughlan, P.; McNabola, A.; Novara, D.; Dreyer-Gibney, K., Sustainability-oriented process innovation and emergent social mission, EurOMA 2020, Managing Operations for Impact, Online, Warwick, 29-30 June 2020