Interventionist Research into Value Creation Mechanisms

Abstract: In exploring the notion of value creation at the interface of the disciplines of IC, KM and business models, this paper discusses the organization of interventionist research activities in order to achieve robust results. We understand robustness in terms of plausibility, which in most research traditions is denoted as validity and reliability. A further important contribution of this paper is to provide insight into the structuring of intervention-based research in combination with non- interventionist type methods, thereby providing impetus for a ‘qualitative mixed-methods approach’. Based on a decade of interventionist research relating to value creation in the context of network-based business models including over 100 companies, this paper illustrates the importance of pre-conception and organization of data-structures and research objectives. We argue that interventionist research projects should adhere to a set number of stages and that the motivation for intervention should be linked to expected learning outcomes and how the contribution from the intervention leads to a value-added contribution in comparison to carrying out non-interventionist type research; for example, through the creation of organizational and personal narratives. Finally, the application of intervention and non-intervention creates a strong format for plausible research outputs.