1. Translations of the Social Sciences: A Theoretical Argument and Empirical Evidence of How Sociology Can Contribute to Solving Practical Problems
Seweryn Rudnicki, Ph.D.
AGH University of Science and Technology (Krakow, Poland)

2. PRACTICAL APPLICATON OF SOCIOLOGY
A long tradition stemming from the work of "founding fathers”
Skepticism: social engineering, commercialization, vulgarization of the discipline
Limited contribution of sociology to solving major global problems & input to the knowledge-based economy
An expansion of neurosciences & data sciences
In Poland: the public debate on the usefulness of social sciences and humanities

3. #1 COMPLEXITY
Complex, reflexive & emergent nature of social reality is the cause of its limited practical application.
Reduction or by-pass of the complexity is a necessary condition for a successful application of sociology.

4. #2 IMMATURITY
The insufficient academic standards of the discipline and its backwardness in relation to the natural sciences.
The lack of: culminating research, grand theory, deterministic rules, predictive power, but the multiplicity of paradigms.
Higher academic standards (mirroring the natural sciences) & cutting edge research are necessary.

5. #3 ORIENTATION
The research activity within sociology is wrongly directed mostly at purely scientific issues.
Its reorientation towards the needs of potential recipients of this knowledge is necessary.

6. #4 INSTITUTIONAL WEAKNESSES
Ineffectiveness in controlling material, human and symbolic resources resulting in: financial constraints, recruitment to the profession, public image of the discipline, etc.
Better organization & more resources are needed.

7. CASE STUDIES
23 case studies (3 foreign) of the application of the social sciences in business or public sphere
aprox. 60 in-depth interviews + desk research

8. Name
Product
Organization
Discipline
CEiEPP
evaluation of public polices
academic centre
sociology,
public management
Region Plus
regional analysis
spin-off company
social geography
Deliberative opinion poll in Poznan
deliberative polling
project (local authorities & university)
sociology
CAL
training method
NGO
social pedagogy
NUQ Research
ethnography in market research
company
ethnography
313 Consulting
training games
psychology, management
Cogision
user experience research
cognitive sciences, sociology
OMDO
local public consultation method
Centrum Cyfrowe
expertise on digital society
Decision Institute*
decision making consultancy
management

9. CONCLUSION #1
The reduction of the complexity & reflexivity of social reality is not a neccesary condition for a succesful application of sociological knowledge.
In fact, some uses take advantage of the reflexivity (deliberative polling, training methods).

10. CONCLUSION #2
Higher academic standards & cutting edge knowledge are not necessary.
Broader approaches (e.g. ethnography, evaluation, participation) are more important than particular research findings.

11. CONCLUSION #3
The only necessary condition is a working business model based upon a product-user fit.
Knowledge needs to be translated into product that satisfies a need or eases pain of a user.

12. (evaluation of public polices) (ethnographic research)
a need for reliable
& independent assessment of public policies
CEiAPP
(evaluation of public polices)
a need for deep, communicative and easy-to-use insights into customer behaviours
NUQ Research
(ethnographic research)
a need for independent & reliable support for decision making & negotiation with stakeholders
Deliberative polling

13. TRANSLATION According to the actor-network theory (ANT):
a process of transforming one object into another,
hiding inconsistencies and abrupt changes in the process
(Callon 1990; Law 2006).
The production of scientific knowledge is a chain of
successive translations of reality through e.g. sample
selection, laboratory testing, writing scientific papers, etc.

14. TRANSLATION IN THE APPLICATION OF SOCIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE
A successful application of sociological knowledge requires its translation to objects that offer value (benefit) which is recognizable by its receipients.

15. Application/ Transfer
Business/ Policy making
Science
Application/ Transfer
Knowledge:
If A, then B
Action:
Do A, expect B

16. Translation
Select&modify
Business
Science
Scale
Market
research
methods
Ethnography
research methods
New objects
Intermediaries
Relations

17. CONCLUSION #4
Translation is not just usage or transfer of ready-made knowledge, but its active modification.
Sociology may contribute more to solving practical problems, if it becomes more open to translations.

18. THANK YOU! Seweryn Rudnicki, Ph.D.
AGH University of Science and Technology