Appreciative inquiry: principles and applications

Appreciative Inquiry

Before stating the goals and defining the activities that best suit an Appreciative Inquiry strategy, we first need to refer to the term itself and what the concept actually means. As such, an appreciative inquiry approach refers to "the assumption that whatever you want more of, already exists in all organizations." The different approach to the traditional way of solving problems in a company refers to focusing on the things that actually do work in a company and amplifying them.

In our particular case, it is hard to decide on some of the things that work, as the main focus of the case study seems to be on the problems the school is facing. However, there are also positive issues we need to insist on and which we can mention. First of all, the teachers didn't go on strike for the entire two-year period, despite the budgetary problems that the school faced and despite the layoffs and pay cuts they faced each year. This shows a high level of commitment from their part.

On the other hand, the fact that parents are uninvolved in school activities does not necessarily show that they are not interested in the school, in the educational environment their child evolves in, etc.