Project Team: Dr. Elaine Aylward ([email protected]), Dr. Felicity Kelliher ([email protected]), Dr. Patrick Lynch ([email protected])
This project was funded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS). It had a lead time of 2.5 years, and commenced in October 2009.
The Project Aim
This longitudinal study sought to investigate individual roles within regional networks, and explore what actually occurs within and between the resultant relationships in a rural network environment. The associated objectives of this research are:
• To identify the nature and content of the roles and functions of key stakeholders in a rural network environment, and investigate the factors that affect collaborative regional network activity;
• To propose a model that seeks to identify and explain the roles of rural regional stakeholders, and how these roles shape collaborative relationships;
• To develop a rural stakeholder network relationship model based on the learning’s from a pilot case study;
• To refine the model, through multiple case study analysis, to allow for research legitimacy to be strengthened.
The core aim is to move toward an integrated model of sustainable rural development, ultimately contributing to a regional framework for development.
Methods
This research utilised the longitudinal interpretive case methodology, individually comprising of a number of techniques, including semi-structured interviews, round-table discussions, observational methods and in-situ face to face in-depth interviews.
Engagement Activity
By exploring a number of rural networks in depth, and over a long period, the unique aspect of this research is that it investigated what actually occurs on, in and between the relationships in a rural collaborative network in order to understand “what takes place in reality”.
Impact
This applied research will make a significant impact to the rural regional development debate via:
• The evaluation of international trends to leverage better practice.
• Contribute to the rural regional development policy debate.
• The dissemination of the applied knowledge in both practitioner-based and peer reviewed academic journals.
RIKON 2013.