Building a Research Profile

Professor Peter Barrett

Chairman of SCRI University of Salford, UK
www.rgc.salford.ac.uk/peterbarrett
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Overview
Perspectives

on building a

profile
Learning Behavioural

change Change management

Your

collective views Dichotomies

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W = Learning

Page 3

Kolbs learning cycle

Page 4

Kolbs learning cycle (Powell)

s s s d t w d t w
Site agents + production managers

d t

Architects, entrepreneurs and salespersons

Lighting/sound engineers + R&D managers

d
General managers

w t

d t

d
Marketing managers

w t

Quantity surveyors + finance managers

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Researchers distinctive role

s d t
Reflection?
Collaborative researchers (periscopes)

Researcher synthesisers (telescopes)

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What can researchers offer?

Empathy

with industry and users A desire to generate and transmit knowledge to ... The opportunity to study issues deeply and over the long term An objective stance towards +ve and -ve findings A different perspective
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Multiple worldviews
W1 W2

W3

W4
Page 8

The Johari Window

FEEDBACK
DISCLOSURE

Known to client Known to designer

Unknown to client

PUBLIC

BLIND

Unknown to designer

PRIVATE

UNKNOWN

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Page 10

Key features
Focus
The

on key facet

throw

Build-up
One

complexity in stages Encourage mistakes to learn

ball juggling - dont let catch!
Have
Soft

clear vision of where heading

focus Relaxed concentration

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Elements of improvement and progress

Peak Plateau
ent

Plateau Peak
Improvem ent

Impr ovem ent

Dip

Improvemen t

Impr ovem

Decline

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W = Behavioural change

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Knowledge / behaviour
(Hersey and Blanchard, 1982) High

Group behaviour
Difficulty involved

Individual behaviour Attitude Knowledge Time

Short

Low

involved

Long
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W = Change management

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Establishing a sense of urgency 2 Creating the guiding coalition 3 Developing a vision and strategy 4 Communicating the change vision
1 5

Kotters eight stage elaboration

Unfreeze Re-f Change

Empowering broad-based action 6 Generating short-term wins 7 Consolidating gains and producing more change
8

Anchoring new approaches in the culture

Leading Change, J.P.Kotter, Harvard Business School Press, 1996. Page 16

Strategy into Practice

(Mintzberg and Waters)

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Your views on strengths and weaknesses of

Achieving
Writing

profile through

papers / books Presenting at events Bidding / projects Postgraduate supervision Service to the academic community Lecturing

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Dichotomies

What

Incremental v Disruptive (paradigms) Opportunist v Dogged Analyst v problem solver / critic Introvert v Extrovert Prima Donna v Team Player Task v People Long Term reputation v Short Term impact Breadth v Depth Brilliant v Understood Work v Home

How

Sustainable

Examples
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What - sound, but challenging

CLIENT'S VIEW
(postal questionnaire)

STRATEGY PROPOSALS FORWARD LOOK

(Delphi Study)

QA for the Construction Professions

CURRENT POSITION
QA - CERTIFIED FIRM'S VIEW
(postal questionnaire)

NON - CERTIFIED FIRM'S VIEW

(postal questionnaire)

LITERATURE SYNTHESIS / ACADEMIC DEBATE SCOPING STUDY

(multiple casestudies)

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How open to interactions

Disaster preparedness / mitigation

Natural

Meeting Human needs

Human

Shelter / Social and civilisation economic benefits Reduced Environmental impacts

Built

More efficient / effective industry

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Sustainable feeding core competence Telescopic

Abstract / concepts and ideas Frameworks of understanding

Microscopic
Conceptual / Virtual models Colour Air Light N-Sc

Periscopic

Experimental Buildings

Tangible / real world data

Work in: Schools, Housing, Retail, Offices

Building blocks of theory High extension / Low connotation

Building blocks of practice Low extension / High connotation

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Conclusion

To build a strong profile

Need to believe / be interested in what doing Need to focus / be flexible Need to do good work / be expert Need to work with good people and earn their respect Need be sensitive to environment and promote results Need to contribute through service as well as seek limelight

Need to play a long game But enjoy the journey!

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