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Maximising the impact of research: experience from ODI’s RAPID Programme
John YoungOverseas Development Institute [email protected]
RAPID programme in ODI• Promoting evidence-based
development policy & practice• Through
– Research – Advice – Public Affairs– Capacity-building
• Working with:– researchers– policymakers– parliamentarians– southern think tanks
for further information see: www.odi.org.uk/rapid
Identify the problem
Commission research
Analyse the results
Choose the best option
Establish the policy
Evaluation
Implement the policy
Policy processes are not...
Monitoring and Evaluation
Agenda Setting
DecisionMaking
Policy Implementation
Policy Formulation
Policy processes are...
Civil Society
DonorsCabinet
Parliament
Ministries
Private Sector
Policy is chaos
“The whole life of policy is a chaos of purposes and accidents. It is not at all a matter of the rational implementation of the so-called decisions through selected strategies”
Clay & Schaffer (1984), Room for Manoeuvre: An Exploration of Public Policy in Agricultural and Rural Development, Heineman Educational Books, London
Policy is complex• Interconnected• Feedback• Emergence• Nonlinearity• Sensitivity• Changing• Edge of chaos• Adaptive agents• Self-organising• Co-evolution
Research plays a minor role
Kate Bird et al, Fracture Points in Social Policies for Chronic Poverty Reduction, ODI WP242, 2004 (http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/working_papers/wp242.pdf)
Policy makers are…
• Speed• Superficiality• Spin• Secrecy• Scientific Ignorance
Vincent Cable – Lib. Democrat MP & Shadow Minister of FinanceMore at: www.odi.org.uk/RAPID/Meetings/Evidence
…practically incapable of using research-based evidence because of the 5 Ss…
Evidence
Experience & Expertise
Judgement
Resources
Values and Policy
Context
Habits & Tradition
Lobbyists & Pressure Groups
Pragmatics & Contingencies
There are many other factors
Source: Phil Davies Impact to Insight Meeting, ODI, 2005
Different notions of evidence
• Colloquial (Contextual)
• Anything that seems reasonable
• Policy relevant
• Timely
• Clear Message
Policy Makers’ Evidence
Source: Phil Davies Impact to Insight Meeting, ODI, 2005
• ‘Scientific’ (Context free)
• Proven empirically
• Theoretically driven
• As long as it takes
• Caveats and qualifications
Researchers’ Evidence
Research can transform lives
“The results of household disease surveys informed processes of health service reform which contributed to a 43 and 46 per cent reduction in infant mortality between 2000 and 2003 in two districts in rural Tanzania.”
TEHIP Project, Tanzania: www.idrc.ca/tehip
The Cynefn Framework
An iterative flexible approach
• Discursive: Client-focused services
• Attitudinal: Farmers have good ideas
• Procedural: Participatory approaches to service development
• Content: UU20, UU25. New guidelines
• Behavioural:: Approach adopted for other sectors
• Discursive: Client-focused services
• Attitudinal: Farmers have good ideas
• Procedural: Participatory approaches to service development
• Content: UU20, UU25. New guidelines
• Behavioural: Approach being applied in practice
Different policy objectives
Political economy analysis
The political context – political and economic structures and processes, culture, institutional pressures, incremental vs radical change etc.
The evidence – credibility, the degree it challenges received wisdom, research approaches and methodology, simplicity of the message, how it is packaged etc
External Influences Socio-economic and cultural influences, donor policies etc
The links between policyand research communities – networks, relationships, power, competing discourses, trust, knowledge etc.
Identifying the key actorsUse the Alignment Interest Influence Matrix (AIIM) to identify the critical stakeholders
Develop enthusiasm to address
topic
Learn in partnership
Develop awareness
and enthusiasm
Challenge existing beliefs
High
Gen
eral
leve
l of
alig
nmen
t
Low
Low HighInterest in specific topic
1. Map actors on the matrix
2. Identify which are the most influential
3. Who do you work with directly?
OUTCOME MAPPING:Building Learning and Reflection into Development ProgramsSarah Earl, Fred Carden, and Terry Smutylo
http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-9330-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html
Developing an Action Plan
Practical Tools
Overarching Tools - The RAPID Framework - Using the Framework - The Entrepreneurship
Questionnaire
Context Assessment Tools- Stakeholder Analysis - Forcefield Analysis - Writeshops - Policy Mapping - Political Context Mapping
Communication Tools - Communications Strategy- SWOT analysis - Message Design - Making use of the media
Research Tools - Case Studies - Episode Studies - Surveys - Bibliometric Analysis- Focus Group Discussion
Policy Influence Tools- Influence Mapping & Power Mapping - Lobbying and Advocacy - Campaigning: A Simple Guide - Competency self-assessment
Researcher
Being a policy entrepreneur
Storyteller Networker
FixerEngineer
