Government Social Research Unit
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Transcript of Government Social Research Unit
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Government Social Research Unit
HOW CAN RESEARCH CONTRIBUTE TO POLICY?
SRA, IRELAND
13 JANUARY 2006
Sue Duncan
Chief Government Social Researcher
Cabinet Office
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The Policy Iceberg
Implementation
Legislation
Policy Announcement
Policy Idea
Sea level
Party PoliticsManifesto commitments
ElectionsNo 10 priorities
Cabinet/MinisterialPublic OpinionPolitical careers
Public
Political
Budgets/ResourcesPriorities
Legal powersOperational issues
Parliamentary timetablesHuman nature
Practical
Costing optionsReviews of evidenceAnalysis of admin data
Political research
(opinion polling etc)
Commissioned research and evaluation
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The Black Box of Policy Research
OR
Long, boring reportInconclusive results
Irrelevant resultsResults too late
Research expensivePolitical embarrassment
‘Wrong answer’
OR
Regular feedback of resultsPolicy question answered
Research on timeNo last minute surprisesResearch useful and used
Policy QuestionResearch Activity
? Research findings
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•Clarify research question•Check existing knowledge/re-analyse data
•Check budget/procurement rules•Design research
•Commission research• Field work
•Data processing•Data analysis
•Report writing •Research-based advice
•Publication
Inside the Black Box
•Clarify research question•Check existing knowledge/re-analyse data
•Check budget/procurement rules•Design research
•Commission research• Field work
•Data processing•Data analysis
•Report writing •Research-based advice
•Publication
Policy Question
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The Policy Research Relationship•Last minute research involvement•Unclear information requirements•Changing needs•Poor communication (mistrust)•Junior level discussion•Inflexible research•No ownership•Too busy
• Early research involvement
•Ongoing dialogue•Senior level discussion•Research flexibility•Policy ownership
BAD RESULT
UNSATISFIED CUSTOMER
GOOD RESULT
SATISFIED CUSTOMER
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The Policy Iceberg
Implementation
Legislation
Policy Announcement
Policy Idea
Sea level
Party PoliticsManifesto commitments
ElectionsNo 10 priorities
Cabinet/MinisterialPublic OpinionPolitical careers
Public
Political
Budgets/ResourcesPriorities
Legal powersOperational issues
Parliamentary timetablesHuman nature
Practical
Costing optionsReviews of evidenceAnalysis of admin data
Political research
(opinion polling etc)
Commissioned research and evaluation
www.gsr.gov.uk
Key Uses
• Understanding client groups
• Understanding problems/issues
• Monitoring progress
• Evaluating policy impacts
• Evaluating delivery
• Testing policy/delivery
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Current Priorities
• Inclusive policy making
• Performance measurement and delivery
• Joined up government
• Strategic thinking
• ‘What works is what counts’
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Instrumental Conceptual
Leads directly to decision Leads to changes in knowledge,
making for policy and practice understanding or attitude
Mobilisation Wider Influence
Used as instrument of persuasion Leads to larger scale shifts in
to legitimise action/in action thinking
(Nutley et al 2002)
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… Government should regard policy making as a continuous, learning process, not as a series of one-off initiatives. We will improve our use of evidence and research so that we understand better the problems we are trying to address …
(Modernising Government White Paper 1999)
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… Good quality policy making depends on high quality information derived from a number of sources - expert knowledge; existing domestic and international research; existing statistics; stakeholder consultation; evaluation of previous policies, new research …
(‘Professional Policy Making in the 21st Century’)
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… there is nothing a government hates more than to be well informed; for it makes the process of arriving at decisions much more complicated and difficult …
(J M Keynes)
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What is evidence?
• Research
• Experience
• Judgement
• Resources
• Values
• Public Opinion
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… Social science should be at the heart of policy making. We need a revolution in relation between government and the social research community - we need social scientists to help determine what works and why, and what type of policy initiatives are likely to be most effective …
(David Blunkett 2000)
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… I had hoped to find research to support or to conclusively oppose my belief that quality integrated education is the most promising approach. But I have found very little conclusive evidence. For every study, statistical or theoretical, that contains a proposed solution or recommendation, there is always another, equally well documented, challenging the assumption or conclusions of the first. No one seems to agree with anyone else’s approach. But more distressing no one seems to know what works. As a result I must confess, I stand with my colleagues confused and often disheartened...
(Senator Walter Mondale, 1970)
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… There are significant problems with the exploitation of social science research in government, local government, commerce, the voluntary sector and the media. These come about because of ‘interface management’ and communication problems, though the caution of some academics towards close engagement with practitioners is a source of great disappointment to many users of social science research …
(‘Great expectations: the social sciences in Britain’ March 2003)
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