Insider Action Research in China's Vehicle Inspection Industry: Navigating Dual Roles in a Regulated SME

This study adopts a first-person action research paradigm to chronicle a six-month organizational change project within a Chinese vehicle inspection company, a setting characterized by stringent regulations and intense market competition. The author, uniquely positioned in a dual role as both researcher and General Manager, utilized a comprehensive suite of qualitative methods—including a reflexive research journal, semi-structured interviews, direct observation, and company documents—to gather deep contextual data. Through thematic analysis validated by triangulation, the research identifies three core methodological challenges for an insider researcher in this specific context: navigating the persistent and inherent conflict between authoritative managerial duties and facilitative researcher roles, overcoming deep-seated data sensitivity issues to build authentic organizational trust, and managing systemic resistance to change within a compliance-focused culture. In response, the study develops and implements targeted coping strategies, such as practicing disciplined reflexivity to manage role tension, strategically leveraging informal social networks for trust-building, and employing participatory change methods to frame interventions. This research significantly contributes a nuanced understanding of insider action research by examining its application at the under-researched intersection of regulated industries and SMEs in a non-Western context. It offers a robust practical framework for researcher-practitioners navigating dual-role complexities, providing actionable insights for driving meaningful organizational change in environments heavily constrained by strict regulatory compliance.