Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- List of boxes
- Notes on contributors
- Foreword
- 1 Introduction: knowledge and performance – theory and practice
- 2 Knowledge from inspection: external oversight and information to improve performance
- 3 How is information used to improve performance in the public sector? Exploring the dynamics of performance information
- 4 Citizens, users or consumers: the voice of the public and its influence on improving performance
- 5 Competition and choice: the place of markets in connecting information and performance improvement
- 6 The role of corporate governance and boards in organisational performance
- 7 Change at the top: connecting political and managerial transitions with performance
- 8 The role of leadership in knowledge creation and transfer for organisational learning and improvement
- 9 Process Improvement and Lean Thinking: using knowledge and information to improve performance
- 10 Using evidence: how social research could be better used to improve public service performance
- 11 Absorptive capacity: how organisations assimilate and apply knowledge to improve performance
- 12 Knowing through doing: unleashing latent dynamic capabilities in the public sector
- 13 Conclusions: a puzzle, three pieces, many theories and a problem
- Index
- References
10 - Using evidence: how social research could be better used to improve public service performance
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 July 2011
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- List of boxes
- Notes on contributors
- Foreword
- 1 Introduction: knowledge and performance – theory and practice
- 2 Knowledge from inspection: external oversight and information to improve performance
- 3 How is information used to improve performance in the public sector? Exploring the dynamics of performance information
- 4 Citizens, users or consumers: the voice of the public and its influence on improving performance
- 5 Competition and choice: the place of markets in connecting information and performance improvement
- 6 The role of corporate governance and boards in organisational performance
- 7 Change at the top: connecting political and managerial transitions with performance
- 8 The role of leadership in knowledge creation and transfer for organisational learning and improvement
- 9 Process Improvement and Lean Thinking: using knowledge and information to improve performance
- 10 Using evidence: how social research could be better used to improve public service performance
- 11 Absorptive capacity: how organisations assimilate and apply knowledge to improve performance
- 12 Knowing through doing: unleashing latent dynamic capabilities in the public sector
- 13 Conclusions: a puzzle, three pieces, many theories and a problem
- Index
- References
Summary
Introduction
Public service organisations are preoccupied with understanding how good performance can be achieved: what matters is what works. But delivering high-quality services requires a far wider array of evidence than just that on effectiveness – we need, for example, knowledge about the scale, source and structuring of social problems; practical ‘know-how’ to support effective programme implementation in local contexts; and insights into the relationships between values and policy directions.
Research can make an important contribution to the development of public services and policy programmes, and it can enrich debates about the nature of social problems and what works in addressing them. However, such positive research impacts are far from routine, and the impact of research is not always positive. Negative impacts may, for example, arise in situations where tentative or highly specific findings are seized upon too readily or applied too widely.
Despite this, the overzealous use of research is not normally considered to be the main problem. Quite the opposite; researchers and others are often disappointed that clear findings are overlooked or ignored when decisions are made about the direction and delivery of services. This view is supported by many studies that have found that practice often lags behind the best available evidence about what works and that it may remain out of step for quite some time.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Connecting Knowledge and Performance in Public ServicesFrom Knowing to Doing, pp. 199 - 225Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010
References
, , et al. (1998). ‘Closing the Gap Between Research and Practice: An Overview of Systematic Reviews of Interventions to Promote the Implementation of Research Findings’, British Medical Journal 317: 465–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (2000). ‘Ways of Knowing’, in and (eds.), Using Evidence in Health Care. Buckingham: Open University Press.Google Scholar
(2003). Great Expectations of the Social Sciences in Great Britain. London: Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences (www.the-academy.org.uk).Google Scholar
and (2002). Bridging Research and Policy. Context, Evidence and Links. London: Overseas Development Institute (ODI).Google Scholar
, , and (2004). Does Communities that Care Work? An Evaluation of a Community-based Risk Prevention Programme in Three Neighbourhoods. York: The Joseph Rowntree Foundation.Google Scholar
and (2008). Learning More About How Research-based Knowledge Gets Used: Guidance in the Development of New Empirical Research. William T. Grant Foundation: New York.Google Scholar
, S. and P. (eds.) (2000). Evidence-based Policy and Practice in Public Services. Bristol: The Policy Press.
, , and (2001). ‘Implementation of Evidence-based Medicine: Evaluation of the Promoting Action on Clinical Effectiveness Programme’, Journal of Health Services Research and Policy 6(1): 23–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2002). ‘From the Source to the Mainstream is Uphill: The Challenge of Transferring Knowledge of Crime Prevention Through Replication, Innovation and Anticipation’, in (ed.), Analysis for Crime Prevention. Crime Prevention Studies (Vol. xii). Monsey, NY: Criminal Justice Press, pp. 131–203.Google Scholar
, and (2001). ‘Improving Communication Between Researchers and Policy Makers in Long-Term Care. Or, Researchers Are From Mars; Policy Makers Are From Venus’, The Gerontologist 41(3): 312–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
, and (2007). ‘The Devil Is in the Details: Examining the Evidence for “Proven” School-Based Drug Abuse Prevention Programs’, Evaluation Review 31(1): 43–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , et al. (1997). ‘EUR-ASSESS Project Group Subgroup Report on Dissemination and Impact’, International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care 13(2): 220–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2003). Social Experimentation and Public Policymaking. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute Press.Google Scholar
, , et al. (2001). ‘Changing Provider Behavior: An Overview of Systematic Reviews of Interventions’, Medical Care 39(8): II-2-II-45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(1998). Creative Professionalism: The Role of Teachers in the Knowledge Society. London: Demos.Google Scholar
(1994). ‘Research Utilization: The State of the Art’, Knowledge and Policy: The International Journal of Knowledge Transfer and Utilization 7(4): 13–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , and (2002). ‘Health Policy-makers’ Perceptions of Their Use of Evidence: A Systematic Review', Journal of Health Services Research and Policy 17(4): 239–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2001). ‘Utilization of Social Science Research Knowledge in Canada’, Research Policy 30(2): 333–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(1997). Improving Research Dissemination and Uptake in the Health Sector: Beyond the Sound of One Hand Clapping. McMaster University Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis: Policy Commentary C97–1.Google Scholar
and (1992). ‘The Unimportance of In-house Research in a Professional Criminal Justice Organization’, Criminal Justice Review 17(1): 77–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2003). ‘Evidence-based Policy and Practice: Cross-Sector Lessons from the UK’, Social Policy Journal of New Zealand 20: 29–48.Google Scholar
, and (2007). Using Evidence: How Research Can Inform Public Services. Bristol: The Policy Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(1997). ‘Explaining the Impact of Policy Information on Policy-making’, Knowledge and Policy 10(3): 25–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , et al. (2002). Promoting Change Through Research: The Impact of Research in Local Government. York: The Joseph Rowntree Foundation.Google Scholar
and (1993). Policy Change and Learning: An Advocacy Coalitions Approach. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.Google Scholar
, , , and (1996). ‘Evidence based Medicine: What It Is and What It Isn't’, British Medical Journal 312(7023): 71–2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (2000). Evidence-based Social Care: A Study of Prospects and Problems. Lyme Regis, UK: Russell House.Google Scholar
, and (2003). ‘Increasing Research Impact Through Partnerships: Evidence from Outside Healthcare’, Journal of Health Services Research and Policy 8(2): 58–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2005). ‘What Works to Promote Evidence-based Practice? A Cross-sector Review’, Evidence & Policy 1(3): 335–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , and (2004). Improving the Use of Research in Social Care Practice. London: Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE).Google Scholar
(1979). ‘The Many Meanings of Research Utilization’, Public Administration Review 39(5): 426–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(1998). ‘Have We Learned Anything New About the Use of Evaluation?’, American Journal of Evaluation 19(1): 21–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(1999). ‘The Interface Between Evaluation and Public Policy’, Evaluation 5(4): 468–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , and (2003). Using Research for School Improvement: The LEA's Role (Local Government Association Research Report 42). Slough, Berkshire: National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).Google Scholar
and (2000). Getting Better with Evidence. Experiences of Putting Evidence into Practice. London: King's Fund. www.kingsfund.org.uk (accessed July 2004).Google Scholar
- 4
- Cited by