Policy implementation research

Abstract

Policy implementation research has been conducted since the early 1970s. Much like implementation science, policy implementation research deals with the challenges of translating intentions into desired changes, investigating how governments put policies into effect. There are many common issues in policy implementation research and implementation science; however, knowledge exchange between the two fields has been limited. This chapter describes characteristics of policy implementation research to provide potential explanations for the lack of collaboration between researchers in the two fields. A comparative analysis of similarities and differences between the two fields is provided. It is argued that important learning for implementation science may be derived from several aspects of policy implementation research, including issues related to the influence of the context of implementation and the values and norms of the implementers on implementation. Relevant research on various associated policy topics may also contribute to improved understanding of the difficulties of implementing evidence in health care.