Making Knowledge Count Maximising the value of Research for Development

1. Making Knowledge Count Maximising the value of Research for Development John Young: ODI, London j.young@odi.org.uk

2. Overseas Development Institute • Development Think Tank • 60 researchers • Research / Advice / Public Debate • Rural / Humanitarian / Poverty & Aid / Economics / Policy Processes • DFID, Parliament, WB, EC • Civil Society For more information see: www.odi.org.uk

3. RAPID Group • Promoting evidence-based development policy & practice • Through • Research • Advice • Public Affairs • Capacity-building • Working with: • researchers • policymakers • parliamentarians • southern think tanks for further information see: www.odi.org.uk/rapid / www.odi.org.uk/cspp

4. Definitions • Research: “any systematic effort to increase the stock of knowledge” • Policy:a “purposive course of action followed by an actor or set of actors” • Evidence: “the available information supporting or otherwise a belief or proposition” • Evidence-based Policy: “public policy informed by rigorously established evidence”.

5. Commission research Analyse the results Choose the best option Establish the policy Implement the policy Evaluation Policy Processes Identify the problem

6. Cabinet Donors Policy Formulation Parliament Agenda Setting Decision Making Civil Society Ministries Monitoring and Evaluation Policy Implementation Private Sector Policy Processes

7. Chronic Poverty in Uganda Kate Bird et al, Fracture Points in Social Policies for Chronic Poverty Reduction, ODI WP242, 2004 (http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/working_papers/wp242.pdf)

8. …in reality… • “The whole life of policy is a chaos of purposes and accidents. It is not at all a matter of the rational implementation of the so-called decisions through selected strategies1” • “Most policy research on African agriculture is irrelevant to agricultural and overall economic policy in Africa2” • “Research is more often regarded as the opposite of action rather than a response to ignorance”3 1 Clay & Schaffer (1984), Room for Manoeuvre; An Exploration of Public Policy in Agricultural and Rural Development, Heineman Educational Books, London 2 Omamo (2003), Policy Research on African Agriculture: Trends, Gaps, and Challenges, International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) Research Report No 21 3Surr (2003), DFID Research Review

9. Experience & Expertise Pragmatics & Contingencies Judgement Lobbyists & Pressure Groups Evidence Resources Values and Policy Context Habits & Tradition Factors influencing policy making Source: Phil Davies Impact to Insight Meeting, ODI, 2005

10. Policy Makers’ Evidence Researchers’ Evidence • ‘Scientific’ (Context free) • Proven empirically • Theoretically driven • As long as it takes • Caveats and qualifications • Colloquial (Contextual) • Anything that seems reasonable • Policy relevant • Timely • Clear Message Different Notions of Evidence Source: Phil Davies Impact to Insight Meeting, ODI, 2005

11. Linear model Percolation model, Weiss Tipping point model, Gladwell ‘Context, evidence, links’ framework, ODI Policy narratives, Roe Systems model (NSI) External forces, Lindquist ‘Room for manoeuvre’, Clay & Schaffer ‘Street level bureaucrats’, Lipsky Policy as social experiments, Rondinelli Policy Streams & Windows, Kingdon Disjointed incrementalism, Lindquist The ‘tipping point’, Gladwell Crisis model, Kuhn ‘Framework of possible thought’, Chomsky Variables for Credibility, Beach The source is as important as content, Gladwell Linear model of communication, Shannon Interactive model, Simple and surprising stories, Communication Theory Provide solutions, Marketing I Find the right packaging, Marketing II Elicit a response, Kottler Translation of technology, Volkow Epistemic communities Policy communities Advocacy coalitions etc, Pross Negotiation through networks, Sebattier Shadow networks, Klickert Chains of accountability, Fine Communication for social change, Rockefeller Wheels and webs, Chapman & Fisher X Existing theory

12. Existing theory – a short list • Policy narratives, Roe • Systems of Innovation Model, (NSI) • ‘Room for manoeuvre’, Clay & Schaffer • ‘Street level bureaucrats’, Lipsky • Policy as social experiments, Rondene • Policy streams and policy windows, Kingdon • Disjointed Incrementalism, Lindblom • Social Epidemics, Gladwell

13. External Influences Socio-economic and cultural influences, donor policies etc The political context – political and economic structures and processes, culture, institutional pressures, incremental vs radical change etc. The links between policy and research communities – networks, relationships, power, competing discourses, trust, knowledge etc. The evidence – credibility, the degree it challenges received wisdom, research approaches and methodology, simplicity of the message, how it is packaged etc An Analytical Framework

14. Case Studies • Detailed: • Sustainable Livelihoods • Poverty Reductions Strategy Processes • Ethical Principles in Humanitarian Aid • Animal Health Care in Kenya • Dairy Policy in Kenya • Plant Genetic Resources • Summary • GDN x 50 • CSPP x 20 • Good news case studies x 5 • Mental health in the UK

15. International Research The Hubl Study Animal Healthcare in Kenya 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s Professionalisationof Public Services. Structural Adjustment Privatisation ITDG Paravet networkand change of DVS. KVB letter(January 1998). Multistakeholder WSs →new policies. Professionalisation of Public Services. Structural Adjustment → collapse of services. Paravet projects emerge. ITDG projects. Privatisation. ITDG Paravet network. Rapid spread in North. KVB letter (January 1998). Multistakeholder WSs → new policies. Still not approved / passed! ITDG projects – collaborative research. Dr Kajume

16. External Influences Campaigning, Lobbying Policy analysis, & research Scientific information exchange & validation A Practical Framework political context Politics and Policymaking Media, Advocacy, Networking Research, learning & thinking evidence links

17. What you need to know The external environment: • Who are the key actors? • What is their agenda? • How do they influence the political context? The evidence: • Is it there? • Is it relevant? • Is it practically useful? • Are the concepts new? • Does it need re-packaging? Links: • Who are the key actors? • Are there existing networks? • How best to transfer the information? • The media? • Campaigns? The political context: • Is there political interest in change? • Is there room for manoeuvre? • How do they perceive the problem?

18. What you need to do • Work with them – seek commissions • Strategic opportunism – prepare for known events + resources for others • Get to know the policymakers. • Identify friends and foes. • Prepare for policy opportunities. • Look out for policy windows. • Who are the policymakers? • Is there demand for ideas? • What is the policy process? • Build a reputation • Action-research • Pilot projects to generate legitimacy • Good communication • Establish credibility • Provide practical solutions • Establish legitimacy. • Present clear options • Use familiar narratives. • What is the current theory? • What are the narratives? • How divergent is it? • Build partnerships. • Identify key networkers, mavens and salesmen. • Use informal contacts • Get to know the others • Work through existing networks. • Build coalitions. • Build new policy networks. • Who are the stakeholders? • What networks exist? • Who are the connectors, mavens and salesmen?

19. Policy entrepreneurs Storytellers Networkers Engineers Fixers

20. Practical Tools for EBP Overarching Tools - The RAPID Framework - Using the Framework - The Entrepreneurship Questionnaire Context Assessment Tools - Stakeholder Analysis - Forcefield Analysis - Writeshops - Policy Mapping - Political Context Mapping Communication Tools - Communications Strategy - SWOT analysis - Message Design - Making use of the media Research Tools - Case Studies - Episode Studies - Surveys - Bibliometric Analysis - Focus Group Discussion Policy Influence Tools - Influence Mapping & Power Mapping - Lobbying and Advocacy - Campaigning: A Simple Guide - Competency self-assessment

21. Evaluating Policy Impact • Classical case studies… • IFPRI, IDRC • Can capture depth and diversity • Overestimate role of research • Episode Studies… • ODI • Focus on policy change • Historical • Underestimate role of research

22. Other Approaches • Citations • Tracking ideas • Social Network Analysis • Most Significant Change • “Impact Box” • Peer review • Expert review

23. OUTCOME MAPPING:Building Learning and Reflection into Development ProgramsSarah Earl, Fred Carden, and Terry Smutylo http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-9330-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html Outcome Mapping

24. RAPID Outcome Assessment • An approach which combines • Literature Review • Case Study • Episode Study • Retrospective Outcome Mapping • To identify critical factors • Participatory • Involves all stakeholders • With ILRI / CGIAR

25. The PPPPPC Project • ODI/ILRI/ILRI Partners. • Purpose: • To identify and institutionalise approaches to research that more directly lead to pro-poor policy outcomes. • To develop better methods for evaluating the impact of research (ROA) • Case Studies: • Policy focused research (SDP) • Research “around” a policy change (KUA) • Research with no policy impact (Ethiopia) • Policy Engagement