Appreciative Inquiry an Effective Approach to Rural Transformation

Appreciative inquiry an effective approach to rural transformation

Ronald Buye 4/1/2014

Appreciative inquiry is one of the approaches that have been used by different development practitioners to bring about transformation in rural communities. The paper focuses on the principles and process of appreciative inquiry. It uses relevant examples from the field to demonstrate that appreciative inquiry is an effective approach to rural transformation. Appreciative inquiry: an effective approach to rural community development

Appreciative inquiry is one of the approaches used by different development practitioners to realize rural transformation. The paper focuses on the process and principles of appreciative inquiry. The paper uses relevant examples from the field to demonstrate that appreciative inquiry is an effective approach to rural transformation. This approach was first developed by scholars from the Case Western Reserve University. One of these scholars was David Cooperrider. It was desgined to attach importance on what people, organizations value ,cherish and have accomplished in order to build on it to realize sustainable change. McShane and Von Glinow, (2000) note that:

“Appreciative Inquiry tries to break out of the problem solving metality by reframing relationship around the postive and the possible. It takes the view that organizations are creative entities in which people are capable of building synergy beyond the individual capabilities”.

Mcshane and Von Glinow „ interpretation of the concept calls for a shift in orientation from the problem solving orietation to the creative orientation. Appreciative inquiry is based on the premise that every group of people, community, organization or institution has something that has worked, works, and those strengths can be the starting point for creating a positive change (Cooperrider, Whitney, & Stavros, 2008). For the case of communities dialoguing and sharing postive stories of the past and present and future contributes to the positive core of the community.

It‟s a method for studying and changing social systems (groups, organizations, communities) that advocates for collective inquiry into the best of what it should be, followed by collective design of a desired future state that is compelling and thus, does not require the use of incentives, coercion or persuasion for planned change to occur (Kessler, 2013). Organizations like Uganda Rural Development Training Programme (URDT) have used the appreciative approach to great effect in the process of rural transformation. The paper would draw examples from research carried out by African Rural Univesity which was founded by URDT.

The following are the five basic princples that underpin the theory of appreciatve inquiry1:

Constructionist Principle: The community „s intepretation of its current and desired situaion are interwoven. A change maker who uses this principle knows that the first constructionist first questions asked are the most important. These are the questions that lay the foundation become for the duesired future i.e upon which its conceived and constructed. To be effective as change agents one must be adept in the art of interpreting, understanding, and analyzing communities as living human constructs and entities.

Principle of Simultaneity: This principle recognizes that inquiry and change are not truly separate moments; the two are intertwined together . The change process should be based on what the people think and talk about, discover and learn, and the things that inform authentic conversations and inspire postive images (visions ) of the future. The first questions asked should have the above mentioned princples. A change agent should aritlcuate questions that inspire change in communities. The questions set the stage for what is “found” and what is “discovered” (the data). These data become the stories out of which the future is conceived, discussed, and constructed (Cooperrider, Whitney, & Stavros, 2008).

Envisage/ anticipatory Principle: This principle emphaiseses the need for having a shared vison about the community. The shared vision would guide the community towards the desired future, after appreciating the positive elements of the the current situation. Therefore communities need to have a shared vision about what they what they truly want based on their aspirations .

Creativity or innovation principle: The pasts, presents, and futures are continuous sources of learning and inspiration and include moments of creativity and innovation (Cooperrider, Whitney, & Stavros, 2008). Through sharing information and knowledge communities can enhance their creativity or innovation.

1 Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry retrieved from http://www.artistcommunities.org/sites/default/files/shared/Board%20Track%20Appreciative%20Inquiry.pdf. On 6th April 2014 Cooperrider, D., Whitney, D., & Stavros, J. (2008). Appreciative Inquiry Handbook for Leaders of Change Second edition. Brunswick: Crown Custom Publishing, Inc.

Affirmative Principle: The impetus for change requires large amounts of positive affect and community bonding, this coupled with the desire for creating together as a team could be great inspiration for change. Communities are largely affirmative systems and thus they are responsive to thought processess and systems that led to postive change. ( adopted from Cooperrider, Whitney, & Stavros, 2008). The more positive the process used in the change process the more susitanable the change.

These five principles are central if one is realize sustianable change in communites. This is because of the fact that these principles help in the coming up with a vision that would result in positive action.

Appreciative inquiry process

The process of appreciative inquiry process can described using the 4D cycle: The four Ds are: Discovery, Dream, Design and Desitny

As noted earlier appreciative inquiry differs from conventional and tradtional change management approches such as the force field analysis which are based on the problem solving orientation. Kurt Lewin, developed the force field analysis model to explain the change process in organizations. One side of the force field analysis model represents the driving forces that push the organization towards the desired state. The other side of Lewin‟s model represents the restraining forces that maintain the status quo. These restraining forces are commonly called resistance to change. Lewin‟s force field model emphasizes that effective change occurs by un- freezing the current situation, moving to a desired condition, and the refreezing the system so that it remains in the desired state. However his model overlooked important ingredients in an effective change process. These include setting strategic visions and role of change agents (McShane & Von Glinow, 2000). McShane and Von Glinow note that every successful change requires a clear, well articulated vision of the desired future state.

More so the basic assumption of problem solving approach is that “organizing is a problem to be solved.” The task of improvement traditionally involves removing deficits by

(1) identifying the key problems or deficiencies, (2) analyzing the causes, (3) analyzing solutions, and (4) developing an action plan.

In contrast, the underlying assumption of appreciative inquiry is that an organization is a “solution to be embraced” rather than a “problem to be solved.”. It starts with selecting a topic: affirmative topic choice. What follows are Dream (envisioning), Discovery (appreciating and valuing), Design (coconstructing the future), and Destiny (learning, empowering, and

4 improvising to sustain the future). These are the essence of dialogue woven through each step of the process (Cooperrider, Whitney, & Stavros, 2008).

Figure 1: 4D Cycle obtained from (Cooperrider, Whitney, & Stavros, 2008)

African Rural University was founded by the Uganda Rural Development and Training programme (URDT). Since 1987, URDT has been working with the rural people to create for themselves prosperity, peace, health, happiness and freedom. Together with the population URDT has evolved, applied, tested, and documented a rural development methodology based on the principles of the creative process and systems thinking (Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme, February 2011). The URDT methodology recognizes that people are the subject, rather than the object of development. Indeed one of the organization„s working premises states that “The people of Uganda, like the people world over, are key to their own development.”

The Visionary Approach is one the basic building blocks of the URDT methodology. This is because rural development is only sustainable when it is driven by what people truly want

(vision) rather than what they don‟t want (problems). The visionary approach has the following three elements:

i. The vision ii. Current reality iii. Structural tension

A vision is defined as a compelling mental picture of what one truly wants (desired future) formulated in the present as if it was already achieved. Current Reality (CR) is a clear and true description of the existing situation in relation to the vision. Structural Tension (ST) is developed when one holds the vision and current reality at the same time. This gap / discrepancy is the power from within that, if well resolved, creates change. Because the natural tendency is that tension seeks resolution. The power to attain ones aspirations resides in how one works with the Structural Tension.

VISION

t e n GAP s i o n

CURRENT REALITY

Figure 2: adopted from the Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme. (February 2011). URDT’s Model For Sustainable Development. Kibaale: Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme.

There are two ways in which tension can be resolved: i. when the vision is compelling enough and clear intermediary outcomes are identified and strategic actions taken to move from the current situation to the desired future (vision) what is called a „creative tension‟ is developed;

ii. when people put much efforts and focus on the magnitude of the CR, they get overwhelmed and either lower their vision or abandon it all together what is called developing „psychological tension‟ The methodology has demonstrated that more powerful results are achieved when people focus on "creating” and working towards a “desired outcome" rather than on "fixing problems”. The methodology is therefore suitable for rural development interventions, hence an appropriate model for replication (Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme, February 2011).

In Nyabuhike Parish Parish, Kyanaisokesub-County, Kibaale District, Appreciative inquiry was used to create purposeful change in communties. The discovery stage helped in recognizing the people „s strength used to accomplish successful project(s) in the respective villages. In the process it led to discussions and success of different group activities which led to designing of projects such has Savings and Credit Cooperation (African Rural University, 2011B).

In addition to that in Nyamacumu Parish, Muhorro Sub-County Kibaale District, Appreciative inquiry acted as a cooperative search for the strength, passion and life giving forces that were found within every system those factors that held the potential for inspired positive change. The intern used the four stages of appreciative inquiry (4 Ds) and these stages formed a continuous cycle (African Rural University, 2011C).

In Nyamacumu Parish, Muhorro Sub-County Kibaale District, Appreciative helped in building on local strength and achievements and generated a sense of hope in community. People listed the resources they had (available) in the community and needed. This was meant to enable the people identify and appreciate their resources. Appreciative inquiry recognized that hardships exist, but sought to identify and build on those factors that gave meaning to people‟s lives. It gave a community an opportunity to analyze constraints that faced them in the process of adopting new knowledge and skills (African Rural University, 2011C).

In Kiraba Ward, Kagadi Town Council, Kibaale District, local people were facilitated to look at their strengths, achievements and to vision the future or community they want for sustainable livelihood or change. Using the visionary approach to programming during the community dialogue, participants were helped to observe their current reality, were taken through the visioning exercise with reference to the principles of the creative process to picture the

7 community they want, reflected on the community they want and that they acknowledged the discrepancy (African Rural University, 2011A).

Conclusion

It can be concluded that appreciative inquiry is a important approach to rural transformation. In order to realize sustainable change the basic principles of appreciative inquiry should guide the process.

Bibliography

African Rural University. (2011A). Enhancing Capacities Of Communities In Rural Transformation; A Case Study Of Kiraba Ward, Kagadi Town Council, Kibaale District Mid Western Uganda. KIbaale District: African Rural University.

African Rural University. (2011B). Enhancing Capacities Of Communities In Rural Transformation In Nyabuhike Parish, Kyanaisokesub-County, Kibaale Distric. Kibaale: African Rural University.

African Rural University. (2011C). Enhancing Capacities Of Communities In Rural Transformation: A case Study of Nyamacumu Parish, Muhorro Sub-County Kibaale District. Kibaale: African Rural University.

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