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Mobilizing Knowledge for Better Public Policy: Lessons from the Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, Memorial University of Newfoundland Rob Greenwood, Ph.D., Executive Director Canadian Research Data Centre Network Annual Conference Fredericton, Oct. 22, 2012
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Outline Knowledge mobilization Harris Centre Yaffle Lessons re. Governments Lessons re. Policy Stakeholders Tactical Considerations Final Thoughts / Lessons
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Knowledge Mobilization: Harris Centre Perspective Continuum of inside-out, outside-in and co- production Ideally: Engage stakeholders to define issues / needs / opportunities Involve partners in knowledge generation Ground-truth findings to inform conclusions Recognize independence of researcher Dissemination / application have many champions…
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Harris Centre Mandate Established October 2004 Coordinate and Facilitate the University’s Activities Relating to Regional Policy and Development Advise on Building the University’s Capacity Identify Priority Themes and Projects relating to: Teaching Research Outreach Emerging role: Honest Broker
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Harris Centre Knowledge Mobilization Programs and Initiatives Public Presentations Invitation-only Sessions Targeted Research Funding Knowledge Exchange Packaging Research to Meet Needs Regional Workshops New Opportunity Identification: “one-pagers” Yaffle.ca
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A ‘marketplace’ for information
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What’s a Yaffle?
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What’s a Yaffle?
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Yaffle Today Over 105,000 searches since public launch (Feb. 2009) Accessed from 182 countries over 6 continents Average of 100 users per day Graduate Students using Yaffle for thesis topics Identification of Internships Government, Community and Media constant users 2012 (so far) – over 20 new brokered projects
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Yaffle Statistics & Next Steps 1600+ Lay Summaries 150+ Opportunities 900+ Researcher and Staff Expertise Profiles University of Alberta and University of New Brunswick interest in adopting Yaffle; discussions under way Extension of Yaffle outside Memorial to research and knowledge mobilization partners within NL, including College system Exploring links with MUN Research Repository: searchable archive of reports, presentations, conference papers and more
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Harris Knowledge Mobilization Process
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Lessons re. Governments (1) Politicians with Imposter Syndrome provide background / context to data don’t get bogged down in methodology plain language stories; examples; cases charts, graphs, maps policy options; pros and cons
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Lessons re. Governments (2) Politicians without Imposter Syndrome Type 1: confident; open to policy debate same as last slide: enjoy! Type 2: defensive; ideological focus on bureaucrats; stakeholders; media
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Lessons re. Governments (3) Working with Bureaucrats (1) Central Agencies: they are smarter than you (and everyone) publish in peer review journals attach yourself to a prestigious think tank or academic star partner with industry associations get quoted in the Globe; The Economist is better (they’re not actually smarter than you)
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Lessons re. Governments (4) Working with Bureaucrats (2) Line Departments Develop relationships with policy and program leads in your area have lunch invite to conferences: ask them to present, or chair a session, or be on a panel add to list serves / e-mail relevant articles build trust
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Lessons re. Governments (5) Working with Bureaucrats (3) Line Departments (cont’d.) Design engaged research engage in problem identification draw on policy, program knowledge ground truth emerging findings jointly develop knowledge mobilization plan develop policy briefs, one-pagers, lay summaries: meet their needs
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Lessons re. Governments (6) Rule by auditor: nobody moves, nobody gets hurt keep money / focus inside government: more control keep money / focus inside department: even more control look for government – wide strategies, inter- departmental committees, cutting across the silos: outside individual department control monitoring and evaluation / performance measures is an opportunity: needs data Patience
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Lessons re. Policy Stakeholders Same lessons re. knowledge mobilization / engagement intermediary organizations / umbrellas (NGOs, communities, industry, special interests) they are bridges into their constituency Media cultivate relationships answer their calls / meet their deadlines draw on data; explain implications; use stories they are bridges to public (good luck with that)
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Tactical Considerations (1) Remember path dependency / institutional “lock in” think of ways to get interests at the table in new ways, that don’t fit their traditional way of doing business cross-gov’t strategy; task force; white paper multi-stakeholder process don’t expect old institutional interests to change their approach in familiar situations 19
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Tactical Considerations (2) Universities and colleges matter (more and more) public engagement / knowledge mobilization greater recognition and support students want to engage / aren’t entrenched university faculty independence is useful in speaking truth to power colleges on the ground / applied find the bridges; build your own www.yaffle.ca; Harris Centre, CRDCN; etc. www.yaffle.ca 20
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Tactical Considerations (3) The strength of weak ties use networks (provincial, national, international organizations) target key influencers social media media others? 21
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Harris Centre Knowledge Mobilization: Final Thoughts / Lessons Never overestimate capacity of community, government, industry partners Communicate in terms appropriate to audience Nothing succeeds like success: communicate successes Create informal / accessible “spaces” physical and virtual Don’t compromise independence and integrity: that’s the product you’re selling
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Thank you! Comments? Questions? Opportunities?! robg@mun.ca
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