A process model of collaborative management research : the study of collective creativity in the luxury industry

This article explores collaborative management research (CMR). As one of the streams within the action research family, CMR is one approach that has been identified as a potent method for advancing scientific knowledge and bringing about change in organizations. The article proposes a hybrid model of the CMR research process in organizations. Following a brief introduction of collaborative management research, we advance an emerging, inductively derived, hybrid process model of CMR. Three critical clusters for achieving the intended outcomes of collaborative management research include: (1) contextual factors, (2) quality of the collaboration, and (3) the development of the collaborative research process itself. Within each cluster, concepts, variables, and processes were identified and linked together to form a hybrid model of CMR process. An illustration of a collaborative management research project that focused on the study of collective creativity with an Italian fashion and design company is followed by a reflective analysis. The discussion provides directions for future research and implications for practice.