Exploring the relationship between self-ethnographic research, critical reflection and critical action learning

This paper explores the challenges involved in doing and writing ethnography and the use-value to an employing organisation. It is a joint paper informed by the researcher and the supervisor perspective. Therefore, we also examine the role and value of ethnography in Business School teaching, specifically autoethnography within a Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA). Our paper contributes to this emerging genre of autoethnographic work as we examine the use value of autoethnography within the context of a DBA. The DBA aims to develop researching professionals and in doing so has focused on research which contributes to the development of professional practice and the development of professional practitioners, (Bareham, Bourner et al. 2000) We argue that by using autoethnography we can level the ground between the ‘high ground’ of the academic community and the ‘swampy lowlands’ of practice; producing knowledge and enabling exchange between communities.