Final answer:
Appreciative inquiry emphasizes building on an organization's strengths and is indeed a departure from the problem-focused approach of action research as it seeks to cultivate positive change from within the organization's existing cultural context. option a.
Step-by-step explanation:
Appreciative inquiry is an organizational change method that focuses on identifying and building upon the positive aspects within a system or organization, rather than focusing solely on problems or what is going wrong. It is true that appreciative inquiry tries to break away from the approach to change advocated by action research. Instead of concentrating on problems and deficits as action research does, appreciative inquiry centers on appreciating and valuing the best of 'what is' to inspire changes that build upon the organization's strengths.
The community health volunteer's perspective illustrates the effectiveness of this approach, highlighting that it works well within the cultural context and fosters change by empowering the community to leverage its existing strengths without directly criticizing cultural traditions. This positive reinforcement strategy is at the core of appreciative inquiry, distinguishing it from the problem-solving orientation of action research.