Applied Improvisation Research

[Sarah Noll]

Greetings fellow applied improvisation friends!  

I'm on a search and not finding my way (by the way I have this up on our linked in site as well).   I am a graduate student at Drake University studying Adult Learning and Organizational Development.  My final research looks at identifying what impact applied improvisation has to a case in point learning environment.  I'm working on my literature research and struggling to find articles/books/studies that provide data based support for the impact applied improvisation has on training/teaching/development/business.  I've have found some great articles that are theoretical or opinion based, but very few that have supporting data beyond observation.  These certainly have value and I've learned a great deal from, but still missing the data supported evidence of effectiveness/impact of applied improvisation.  Help!  I know there are things out there (I know the effectiveness to be true from experience) but I need more than that.  So I'm asking for your assistance for suggestions, journals to look in, key words I may be overlooking, anything.  Any suggestions, thoughts, or ideas are greatly welcomed. 

If I survive this semester ;), I will gladly share my results and resources once my project is complete in the spring.  

Thank you to everyone in advance for your time!

[Gijs van Bilsen]

Hi Sarah,

As far as sources for statistical effects of training, the spread is thin. Our own Burgert Kirsten has the best info on that, but I see you've allready reached out to him.

Furthermore, Organizational improvisation and learning: A field study bu Miner & Assof (2001), might be interesting for you. 

Other words you could look for are Jazz, play and so on.

Sorry I can't be of more help to you, my own expertise is more towards the organizational aspect of improvisation.

[Sarah Noll]

Gijs,

Thanks for your information.  I've been in contact with Burgert and read his thesis and article.  Thanks for the additional information on Miner and Assof.  For my own interest even outside this research, when you speak of organizational aspect of improvisation, what do you mean by that?  Using improv within an organization?  Would love to learn more.  Wanting to get more involved with this network and the Applied Improvisation movement.  Thanks!
Sarah 

[Gijs van Bilsen]

Hi sarah,

Like you said, Organizational improvisation is using improv within an organization. This can be in a number of ways, such as using improvisation for innovation, learning and project management, but also for strategic improvisation.

Questions for this research area are both behavioral and structural (i.e. organizational design). I've done a research on leadership and improv and I'm currently looking to posit Organizational Theory as a viable alternative to other organizational theories that rely more on planning and control.

We have a research group on the AIN that looks into this: Brain.

[Sarah Noll]

I see where some resources were listed for a similar request back in 2010, any others?