ABSTRACT
This chapter describes an organizational case study that utilizes action research (AR) as a strategy to promote meaningful employee involvement in the design and introduction of a disability management program. Introducing disability management into organizations can involve significant changes to management and work practices, generating resistance to change from employees. Organizational systemic change required to implement disability management depends on good communication, a consensus-based approach and support from all areas of the organization. AR provided the methodological basis for working with stakeholders involved with rehabilitation in this case study organization. The case study involved a large public sector organization involved in delivering an area of emergency services in one Australian state. The interviews and focus group stages in this case study demonstrate that people are more willing to be open and honest with external researchers who are bound by university codes of research ethics than they would be if the research were conducted by their own organization.
