Exploring trends in appreciative inquiry for organisational change: evidence from real-time data

Appreciative inquiry (AI) is widely acknowledged as an effective approach for promoting positive organisational change. This study aims to analyse the trends and patterns of real-world interest in AI using real-time data from Google Trends. By employing 'appreciative inquiry' as the primary search term, the study examines the pattern of real-world interest in AI from 2018 to 2023, encompassing temporal and seasonal trends, related search inquiries and geographical variations. Specifically, the examination of temporal and seasonal trends offers valuable insights into the trajectory of AI interest, delineating periods of increased and decreased user interest. The analysis of related search inquiries provides a more nuanced understanding of specific aspects and applications of AI currently in the spotlight. The geographical analysis offers further insights into territories and locations worldwide where AI activities are flourishing. This study also provides meaningful implications for organisational consultants seeking to effectively implement AI for positive organisational change.