Networking Knowledge about Networks Collaboration between the Communication Research and Policy Communities

The Past There is an extensive literature on the relationship between the communication research and policy communities going back to the 1880s. Analysis of this literature tells us about:

What We Know Context – the sociology of knowledge Barriers – –knowledge creation –knowledge transfer –knowledge utilization Enduring tensions Lessons learned

Context Politics of the empirical Depoliticization effect of institutional politics Detachment of effects studies from originary concerns Complexity From government to governance and governmentality Pessimism about the policy enterprise

Barriers – Knowledge Creation Selection of topic Problem definition Unit of analysis Level of abstraction Reward structure Timing

Barriers – Knowledge Transmission Genre Venue Finding the information Stage of policy-making process Timing

Barriers – Knowledge Utilization Understanding of social science research Skills to evaluate social science research Political uses of research process Political uses of research results Timing

Enduring Tensions -- Relationships Relationships –Researcher and policy-maker (trust, autonomy, structure of relationship) –Researcher and academic employer –Researcher and self: Identity Research horizon (Publication vs. knowledge management system) Research questions (validity, innovation vs. consensus)

Lessons for Researchers Ideas matter Work on policy-relevant questions Analyze results from policy perspective Beware of over-generalization Build coherent research agenda Translate results for access Become involved in institutional design

What We Don’t Know Existing lit largely case studies & broad prescription, not systematic research Case studies in this area are analytically thin and acontextual Case studies deal only with portions of complex decision-making processes Little work on current environment

The Problem Existing lit suggests bridges between research & policy communities, eg –Knowledge management systems –Institutional links –Curriculum development But does not provide the analytical detail required to operationalize such ideas Current curriculum study

Models Existing lit yields model of linear, 1-way transmission between research & policy communities Alternative model: Collaboration between research and policy communities on knowledge production

Research Agenda Existing theories and research methods that could be applied to problem: –Policy Networks –Policy Discourse –Information Seeking –Collaborative Work Practices

Policy Networks Private-public sector links are critical to outcomes of policy processes Used largely in Europe, largely for industrial policy Add research community as third leg, and apply to social policy issues as well Use network analysis

Policy Discourse Conceptual frames influence policies Analysis usually single issue, single discourse Conduct meta-analyses & comparative analysis across discourses Use textual analysis, groupware exercises, meta-analyses

Information Seeking Decision-makers acquire information through habitual practices Use in policy analysis has been relatively rare, always issue and usually individual specific Systematically apply to policy-makers who deal with IT Use interviews, observation, textual analysis, network analysis

Collaborative Work Practices Successful collaborations that endure over time are practice based Easier to study when take place within fixed organizational units But can apply to relationship between IT research and policy communities Observation key

Today Administrative & statutory law constrain federal agency use of information -- without research on effects of regs & laws on nature of decision-making Almost no research on congressional use of information in decision-making

A Research Agenda Conference raised specific IT policy issues, but the relationship between the research and policy communities must also be analyzed. Doing so of wider value as well, for ITs are one among many policy problems involving large, complex, and rapidly changing technological systems.