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TO INCREASE UNDERSTANDINGof research to policy processes, and the role of Policy Briefs in this process
TO PRODUCE an outline policy brief for each research project, to be finalised after the workshop
TO BUILD CAPACITY AND SKILLS in communicating research to maximise uptake and impact
Day 1
• Research communications & policy process
• Understanding audiences
Day 2
• Crafting effective messages
• Policy briefs structure and form
Day 3• Social media for research
• See on the wiki
“Success depends on knowing what works”
Bill Gates, (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ($33.5bn 2009)
“In development research, to get a new discovery into policy and practice is just as important as the discovery itself.”
Maureen O’Neil, President and CEO International Development Research Centre
Donor countries spend over US$2bn annually on development research and are increasingly asking the question: “Is this value for money?”
RAPID Programme, 2003
WHY COMMUNICATING RESEARCH MATTERS?
THE LINEAR MODEL
Research report on results of research
conducted
Summary research report disseminated at
conferences
Relevant policy changed to reflect research
results
Implementation/Practice changed
Health CSO
Local government
Agriculture CSO
Local traditional authorities
International agricultural
NGO
National think tank
International think tank
Ministry of Agriculture
Ministry of Health
Ministry of Women’s
Affairs
Ministry of Environment
and Water
WHO
National Agricultural
Research System
International health NGO
Fig 3: a systems model of evidence and policy
A SYSTEMS MODEL
Monitoring and Evaluation
Agenda Setting Decision
Making
Policy Implementation
Policy Formulation
POLICY PROCESSES ARE...
Civil Society
DonorsCabinet
Parliament
Ministries
Private Sector
Source: ODI
Source: Cartright and Hardie; ‘Evidence-Based Policy: a
Guide to doing it better’, 2012
Political Expediency
Effectiveness
Resources
Values and Policy Context
Choice of Goals
Side effects
Costs & Benefits
EVIDENCE
Known - simpleCause and effect is known: best practice guidance can be issued.
Domain of yes / no answers to questions
Do you think the policy outcome is...
...d
o y
ou
th
ink
the
kno
wle
dg
e is
... contested established
con
test
edes
tab
lish
ed
Issues are ‘knowable’ and can be researched: cause and effect can be established. Domain of expert knowledge, questions can be answered with the right information.
Knowable - researchable
ChaoticIssues are chaotic – new evidence causes confusion rather than clarifies. No cause and effect can be seen.
Cause and effect can only be seen in retrospect and do not repeat. Nobody is ‘the expert’: we’re not even sure we have the right question, never mind the answer.
Complex, emergent
STRUCTURING POLICY ISSUES
Multiple interpretations
Adapted from the Cynefinknowledge management framework. See Shaxson, L (2009) Structuring policy problems for plastics, the environment and human health: reflections from the UK. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 364, 2141-2151. doi: 10.1098/rstb. 2008.0283
Discursive changes
Procedural changes
Content changes
Attitudinal changes
Behavioural changes
1. Discursive changes: These refer to changes in the labels or narratives of policy actors. They reflect a new or improved understanding of a subject --even if it does not imply an effective change of policy or practice.
2. Procedural changes: changes in the way certain processes are undertaken e.g. the incorporation of consultations to closed processes, or small changes in the way that national policies are implemented in the field.
3. Content changes: changes in the content of policies including strategy papers, legislation and budgets. These are formal changes in the policy framework.
4. Attitudinal changes: changes in the way policy actors think about a given issue. This is important where key stakeholders have high influence but lack interest in a policy area or are not necessarily aligned with the policy objectives of the programme.
5. Behavioural changes: These refer to more durable changes in the way that policy actors behave (act or relate to others) as a consequence of formal and informal changes in discourse, process and content.
MANAGING THE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT
Systematic mapping of the political context is
necessary to improve the success of knowledge-
policy interactions.
Understanding the role and behaviour of actors
is important (i.e. interplay of actor
interests, values and credibility and the power relations that underpin
these.)
Research needs to be complemented by other
forms of knowledge, based on local conditions and practical experience.
‘Knowledge intermediary’s’ needs to think through a range of possible approaches to
ensure their role is effective (i.e. theory of
action)
THE ODI RAPID FRAMEWORK
ENCOURAGES structured questions about the
context, actors, prevailing narratives and extent of evidence use.
EMPHASISES importance of ‘policy windows’
and building up influence within the policy process .
HIGHLIGHTS all the other factors besides
quality of research.
Source: http://www.odi.org.uk/rapid/tools/Toolkits/Policy_Impact/Framework_qus.html
PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE
What researchers need to know
What researchers need to do
How to do it
Political Context
Evidence
Links
• Who are the policymakers?
• Is there demand for ideas?
• What is the policy process?
• What is the current theory?
• What are the narratives?
• How divergent is it?
• Who are the stakeholders?
• What networks exist?
• Who are the connectors,
mavens and salesmen?
• Get to know the policymakers.
• Identify friends and foes.
• Prepare for policy
opportunities.
• Look out for policy windows.
• Work with them – seek
commissions
• Strategic opportunism –
prepare for known events
+ resources for others
• Establish credibility
• Provide practical solutions
• Establish legitimacy.
• Present clear options
• Use familiar narratives.
• Build a reputation
• Action-research
• Pilot projects to generate
legitimacy
• Good communication
• Get to know the others
• Work through existing
networks.
• Build coalitions.
• Build new policy networks.
• Build partnerships.
• Identify key networkers,
mavens and salesmen.
• Use informal contacts
Practitioners are aware of findings from
research
Practitioners accept the research findings
Practitioners view the research
findings as locally
applicable
Practitioners view the research
findings as doable within
the local context
Practitioners act on the research findings
Practitioners adopt the research findings
Practitioners adhere to the
research findings
BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO INFLENCE/INFORM
“But this is the simplified version for the general public…”
START WITH WHAT YOUR AUDIENCE NEEDS TO KNOW….NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO TELL
THEM…
Source: IFPRI food policy guide 2005
RECEPTION
• reception means that research has been received by an individual lands on the desk, but the findings might never be read.
COGNITION• The next stage occurs when research is read and understood
REFERENCE• When research changes way of thinking – provokes a shift in an individual’s“frame of reference”, for example in terms of defining key problems and priorities
EFFORT
• Research has shaped action: some effort has been made to get the findings adopted, even if this is ultimately unsuccessful.
ADOPTION
• Adoption means that research has had a direct influence on the actual policy
IMPLEMENTATION
• While research may have been used to develop policy, at this stage it has also been translated into practice on the ground
IMPACT
• Utilisation of research when the implemented policy is successful in producing tangible benefits to the citizens.
.
.
BE PRACTICAL ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE..
Source: Adapted from Knott and Widavsky 1980 and Glasziou and Haynes 2005 adapted in Nutley, Walter and Davies 2007,
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