There is an increasing interest in 'knowledge-building in co-operation between research and practise'. Practitioners as well as researchers seek opportunities to co-operate in order to develop and utilise knowledge. This growing interest seems to depend on several circumstances; e.g. increasing competition concerning grant for research but also in the belief that there is a substantial value in knowledge that has been developed in co-operation between practice and research.

The dissertation shows how knowledge building in co-operation between research and practice can turn out in a case concerning 'city managers management'. The case shows the results of such a co-operation, the process of knowledge building and how co-operation between research and practice can be organised.

In the dissertation 'knowledge-building in co-operation between research' and practice is viewed in tenns of three 'action systems', namely (1) a research system in which the researcher works with theoretical knowledge-building, (2) a practice system in which the practitioner mostly works as a practical actor and (3) a dialogne system in which the researcher and practitioner meet in order to co-operate in lrnowledge-building. These action systems are related to each other in a model, which can be used for both practical and theoretical purposes.