How Research Can Transform Policy Nancy Reynolds President and CEO Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research

Page 2 From Research to Policy: A long and winding road

Page 3 Travel Description Not a planned, straight forward movement from problem definition to policy impact Takes longer than planned Lots of detours and stops and starts, heading in basically same direction Success depends a lot on guides and fellow travellers, many of whom you meet along the way

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Page 5 … policy research capacity building in today’s world requires that people behave differently; act more horizontally and collaboratively; share research information; be comfortable with approximations and fluidity rather than definitive research results; and relate to a variety of communities, ethnicities, points of view, researchers from a large variety institutions, citizens and elected decision-makers. -TGN (The Governance Network) 1 p.5

Page 6 Politics, as well as management, is often considered the art of making decisions without sufficient information.

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Page 8 Why are people resisting the idea? Are decision makers paralyzed, because of conflicting points of view? Are they unable to imagine the potential of an idea, because of their institutional biases? Because of their inability to access proper data? Because they have invested too much in a definition of the problem and are unable to abandon older conceptual models? Because they perceive opposition from certain powerful groups in society? Nathalie Des Rosiers, President Law Commission of Canada Horizons, Volume 6 Number 1

Page 9 The journey from research to policy is marked by attempts to diminish such resistance. It may be about overcoming institutional biases, acquiring new data, critically examining current conceptual frameworks, dispelling myths or measuring the costs of doing nothing. Nathalie Des Rosiers, President Law Commission of Canada Horizons, Volume 6 Number 1

Page 10 Evidence and Policy Decision Making Influencing Factors Political Influences Stakeholders NGO Delivery Partners Lobby Groups Business Organizations Public Media Evidence Personal Preferences Traditional Practices Types of Evidence Policy Stages InitialCreatingDeveloping ImplementingDefending Awareness(Rationale)(Appraisal) (Monitoring)& Justifying Policy Decision

Page 11 Policy Levels Government –National –Provincial –Regional –Municipal Administrative Clinical

Page 12 Policy Maker’s Activities Agenda Setting Policy Formulation Policy implementation

Page 13 The Relationship between Research and Public Policy Policy making is an art rather than a science; policy decisions are not purely rational and the paths followed to develop public policies are unpredictable. Knowledge production through research is not a linear activity, but an interactive one with the potential users of the findings increasingly involved in formulating the research objectives and providing feedback during the research process

Page 14 The Relationship between Research and Public Policy “Instrumental”, “Political”, “Enlightenment” –“Instrumental” refers to the direct use of research findings to design a policy –“Political” refers to the use of research to justify a course of action already decided on –“Enlightenment” refers to research findings leading to a gradual change in the framing and understanding of an issue.

Page 15 Most investigators will agree that it is impossible to demonstrate a causal link between the presentation of research results and a policy decision. Yet most also agree that research can play a very important role in changing the way policy issues are understood and addressed. This has been called the “enlightenment” role of research

Page 16 The Relationship between Research and Public Policy “Enlightenment” Part of the “enlightenment” function of research is getting people to see new problems or to see old ones in new ways. This is challenging … it is a major conceptual and political accomplishment. It requires multiple skills as well as good judgement.

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Page 18 Enlightenment Role: Identifying and bringing new issues to public attention; Reframing old issues in new ways; Bringing different stakeholders into the search for solutions; and Showing how other countries or agencies have addressed similar issues.

Page 19 Elements in the public policy process. Methods of involvement in the process (Note: While all methods of involvement may happen at any element in the public policy process, some methods are more prominent than others during certain elements in the process.) Diagram of the Public Policy Process Issue Identificatio n Agenda Setting Impact Assessmen t Policy Design Monitoring Implementation Environmental Scanning Polling Research Political Processes Advocacy Feedback Consultation Refinement Policy Lenses Engagement Analysis

Page 20 The Relationship between Research and Public Policy Researchers and policy makers do not live in completely different worlds, but are connected through intermediary organizations such as think tanks and policy networks Research which ignores a society’s values will likely not be used Timing is important; knowledge which appears uninteresting one day suddenly becomes timely and relevant another day

Page 21 Questions Policy Makers Ask: What is the problem? What does it matter? What can and should be done about it? How should we do something? How will we know it worked? What should we stop doing?

Page 22 Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice

Page 23 Policy Relevance RESEARCH POLICY

Page 24 Defining the Gap Why research findings are not used: 1.The research is not there 2.Many managers are not ‘knowledgeable’ 3.Public sector does not act as a product champion of knowledge 4.Change is more difficult than expected

Page 25 Attention is paid to research when: The research is timely, the evidence is clear and relevant and the methods are uncontested The results are consistent with past practices, values or needs. The evidence is an important counter-balance to expert opinion. Users are partners in the generation of evidence. Research findings have strong advocates. The results are robust in implementation and adaptable to day-to-day work. There is little requirement for additional visible resources. - Irving Rootman and Gord Miller

Page Building Blocks 1.Get to know each other 2.Be patient 3.Be respectful 4.Embrace diversity 5.Scientific knowledge is nothing without practical knowledge – and vice versa 6.Foster a clear, mutual frame of reference 7.Build the partnership incrementally 8.Ensure broad institutional buy-in 9.Equal commitments to the partnership 10.Allow for mistakes

Page 27 There is a trade-off among time, cost, and quality – one can usually have two of the elements, but rarely all three.

Page 28 Differences in the Information Needs, Work Culture and Writing Preferences Among the Three Communities of Researchers, Policy Makers and Policy Implementers Taken from: Connecting Research and Policymaking: Implications for Theory and Practice from the Family Impact Seminars, Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Studies , Vol. 49, No. 3

Page 29 Taken from: Connecting Research and Policymaking: Implications for Theory and Practice from the Family Impact Seminars, Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Studies , Vol. 49, No. 3

Page 30 Taken from: Connecting Research and Policymaking: Implications for Theory and Practice from the Family Impact Seminars, Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Studies , Vol. 49, No. 3

Page 31 Key Strategies for Interaction Face-to-face exchange (consultation, regular meetings) between decision makers and researchers Education sessions for decision makers Networks and communities of practice Facilitated meetings between decision makers and researchers Milton et al 2007

Page 32 What factors contribute to knowledge translation? Add to reservoir of knowledge and allow for sleeper effect Clinical and managerial champions who value evidence as tool for change Receptive policy makers who can influence political process Willingness on part of researchers to play multiple roles

Page 33 Critical Success Factors Include: The involvement of stakeholders – of researchers and students, as well as of development practitioners and counterparts. Harnessing momentum, to enhance active commitment beyond the core group of a partnership. Show results to stakeholders of the partnership.

Page 34 What Should Success Look Like? Take account of new knowledge to modify their priorities and agendas; Consider different ways of tackling persistent issues being brought to their attention; and Look for ways to address them That policy-makers will:

Page 35 Indicators The time that senior officials and business leaders repeatedly devote to the network’s activities; Signs of opposition from decision-makers who feel threatened by different ways of approaching familiar problems; and Sustained willingness by new groups of stakeholders to engage in policy discussions facilitated by the network.

Page 36 Learning to be Humble Evidence informed not evidence based Research and policy making as social processes “the art of the possible” often involves making tradeoffs in dynamic, contentious and non-rational environments Waddell et al 2002

Page 37 Good Advice Build long term relationships Involve policy makers early Be persistent but patient Marten & Roos 2005 Expect problems – learn from them Be adventurous and willing to go off the beaten path