Successful Knowledge Exchange Research Articles

Obstacles to co-producing evaluation knowledge: power, control and voluntary sector dynamics

Background: Despite literature recognising the huge potential of co-production as a positive approach to evidence creation, there is a dearth of evidence about how co-production principles can problematise knowledge exchange, specifically in evaluation work. Aims: To critically examine three evaluation projects commissioned by voluntary sector stakeholders to illustrate challenges in knowledge exchange linked to the co-production of evidence exchange. Methods: We critically compare the challenges experienced in co-producing evidence across three evaluations, reflecting on power dynamics, co-productive ways of working and emotions, which all impact upon successful knowledge exchange. Findings: In Project 1, internal monitoring data required for reporting was not shared. In Project 2, the commissioners’ need to evidence success resulted in limited knowledge sharing, with valuable learning about partnership issues and service delivery held internally. In Project 3, evidence demonstrating the failure of a local authority model of area management for community members was partially discredited by statutory stakeholders (state actors). Discussion and conclusions: Bias in evaluation reporting and academic publication can arise from current knowledge exchange processes, including co-production. Voluntary sector funding is problematic as stakeholders delivering programmes also commission evaluations. Knowledge exchange is influenced by vested interests arising from the political context in which data is gathered. Evaluators can face aggression, challenge and unfair treatment resulting in damaged relationships, and failures in knowledge exchange. The emotional elements of knowledge exchange remain under-reported. Varying and shifting power dynamics also limit knowledge exchange. Changing research practice, to support power sharing, needs further exploration to facilitate improved knowledge exchange.

Making the UN Ocean Decade work? The potential for, and challenges of, transdisciplinary research and real‐world laboratories for building towards ocean solutions

Abstract Due to the strong interconnectedness between the ocean and our societies worldwide, improved ocean governance is essential for sustainable development in the context of the UN Ocean Decade. However, a multitude of different perspectives—ecological, societal, political, economic—and relations between these have to be understood and taken into consideration to foster transformative pathways towards marine sustainability. A core challenge that we are facing is that the ‘right’ response to complex societal issues cannot be known beforehand as abilities to predict complex systems are limited. Consequently, societal transformation is necessarily a journey towards the unknown and therefore requires experimental approaches that must enable the involvement of everyone with stakes in the future of our marine environment and its resources. A promising transdisciplinary research method that fulfils both criteria—being participatory and experimental—are real‐world laboratories. Here, we discuss how real‐world labs can serve as an operational framework in the context of the Ocean Decade by facilitating and guiding successful knowledge exchange at the interface of science and society. The core element of real‐world labs is transdisciplinary experimentation to jointly develop potential strategies leading to targeted real‐world interventions, essential for achieving the proposed ‘Decade Outcomes’. The authors specifically illustrate how deploying the concept of real‐world labs can be advantageous when having to deal with multiple, overlapping challenges in the context of ocean governance and the blue economy. Altogether, we offer a first major contribution to synthesizing knowledge on the potentials of marine real‐world labs, considering how they act as a way of exploring options for sustainable ocean futures. Indeed, in the marine context, real‐world labs are still under‐explored but are a tangible way for addressing the societal challenges of working towards sustainability transformations over the coming UN Ocean Decade and beyond. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

A Citizen Science Community of Practice: Relational Patterns Contributing to Shared Practice

Citizen science networks are a recent global phenomenon, with associated communities of practice that have emerged to support growth in the field and the development of practices. Effective communities of practice are dependent on the interactions from the social network underpinning the community. We examined the Australian citizen science practitioner network, using a combined social network analysis and survey approach. Our goal was to understand the structure and characteristics of this network, to establish who participates in this network, where and how interactions occur, and explore what participation achieves for the users. The Australian citizen science practitioner network has benefited from face-to-face citizen science events to make important connections that have been leveraged to benefit other working relationships and positive outcomes, especially for early-career practitioners and women within the network. How the community of practice continues to navigate successful knowledge exchange across society and science, whether through interactions in face-to-face or virtual settings, will need to be addressed as the community continues to grow in scope and size. In particular, the network will need to consider supporting key individuals who play important bridging functions across the citizen science practitioner network. The emergence of transdisciplinarity amongst those working in citizen science is a promising property of this learning community that is worth working strategically to maintain.

Strategies for building and managing ‘trust’ to enable knowledge exchange at the interface of environmental science and policy

Trust is a critical precondition underpinning successful knowledge exchange among environmental scientists and decision-makers, and thus, evidence-informed decision-making processes. While the importance of trust is well established, however, specific approaches to building, managing and maintaining trust at the interface of environmental science and policy are lacking. Here, we seek to address this gap empirically via in-depth qualitative analysis, using the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) as a case study. Specifically, through interviews with members of the ICES secretariat and scientific community, this study aims to (i) explore the importance of trust for organisations working at the interface of environmental science and policy, (ii) identify a range of strategies that are available for building trust at the interface of science and policy, and (iii) identify specific mechanisms for trust repair in situations where trust has been compromised. Our results show that trust is an essential component of a successful relationship between environmental science and policy, although highly dynamic and fragile. For example, while considerable time and effort is required to build trust, it can be lost in only a matter of days. Further, our results show that for successful knowledge exchange, and the attainment of research impact, trust is needed on three levels: (i) trust in individuals, (ii) trust in the organisation, and (iii) trust in the process by which knowledge is generated and exchanged. We identify 14 strategies to building trust, including the need for transparency, the importance of not advocating for a specific outcome, having a clear process for developing and providing knowledge/advice, having regular contact (preferably face to face) and being able to demonstrate independence. Finally, we identify five steps to repair trust: (i) Do not become defensive, be honest that a mistake has occurred, (ii) identify, and explain, why the mistake occurred, (iii) implement measures to ensure that the mistake does not happen again, (iv) correct the mistake (e.g. by providing updated knowledge/advice), and (v) give the trust re-building process time, and ensure ongoing face to face contact throughout that time. In presenting these insights from ICES, this study seeks to provide practical and implementable strategies that can be used by environmental scientists and/or research institutions to help them foster trust with decision-makers, enable improved knowledge exchange and build capacity for evidence-informed decision-making processes.

On the Combinatory Nature of Knowledge Transfer Conditions: A Mixed Method Assessment

Organisations are increasingly creating inter-organisational ecosystem partnerships to innovate openly. Despite effective knowledge management significantly supporting ecosystem infrastructures, empirical insights into the importance of and interdependencies between conditions for successful knowledge exchange across ecosystem contexts remain unexplored within existing literature. This study implements a mixed-method approach to ascertain which conditions are responsible for knowledge transfer success across innovation ecosystems. Interpretive Structural Modelling was employed to analyse questionnaires with key ecosystem stakeholders, in order to impose a hierarchical structure upon the conditions. The configurational nature of these conditions, and their combinations into solutions for success was ascertained through analysing semi-structured interviews using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. Results reveal multiple, mutually exclusive pathways to knowledge transfer success, grouped into three solution types, increasing understanding of the interrelated nature of the knowledge transfer conditions. Limitations and implications for future research are provided.

The Market for Open Innovation: Collaborating in Open Ecosystems for Innovation

Today open innovation has become a gold standard for successful new product and service development. Its core idea to engage an open, undefined network of people in form of an open call or open direct search is transferable to a large variety of innovation tasks and industries. For the third time, this study explores that market of open innovation accelerators (OIA), organizations that help their clients to include external experts in all stages of an innovation project. We surveyed 106 intermediaries investigating their open innovation services offered, project specifics, business model, productivity, and characteristics of their participant pool (61 provided us with a complete data set, for the remaining we used secondary data sources). In addition, we also interviewed OIA clients and solution providers, and integrated results from our Open Innovation Research Program at RWTH Aachen University, where we have been investigating open innovation and customer co-creation for over a decade. In total, this study is the largest inquiry of the global market of open innovation. We find that OIAs provide value to their clients. Among the service offerings, idea and solution contests – based on delegated search (crowd-sourcing) – remain the dominant service category offered by OIAs today. But increasingly, software support, consultancy, or executive education enhance the OIAs’ offerings. Typical outcomes of an OIA project range from generating original ideas and customer insights to sophisticated technical solution concepts, and sometimes even new business models. The majority of projects (63 percent) seek for external knowledge to generate better technical concepts and ideation. 78 percent of all OIA projects terminate with a successful knowledge exchange at the end of the project. Selecting the right OIA for a specific task depends very much on the expected outcome. Not all OIAs are suited for every open innovation challenge. OIAs further differ with regard to the breadth, scope, and structure of their pool of potential participants, and the options for clients to control access to this pool and the interaction within a given project. Our study provides innovation managers a clear decision scheme how to select the right OIA and matches it to the OIAs suggested for the task.

Analysing the role of virtualisation and visualisation on interdisciplinary knowledge exchange in stem cell research processes

Interdisciplinary work is an increasingly frequent and important aspect of scientific research. However, successful knowledge exchange and collaboration between experts is itself a challenging activity with both technical and social components that require consideration. Here, this article analyses the cultural factors involved in interdisciplinary research, specifically in the context of a software programme designed to improve knowledge exchange. The authors undertook an ethnographic study to understand the impact of virtualisation and visualisation on an interdisciplinary research team, working together to develop novel imaging technologies for investigating stem cells. In this discovery-research environment the challenge was to determine the socio-technical effect of an in-house software tool called ProtocolNavigator, which provided a virtual laboratory environment for the team to simulate and map their ‘real-life laboratory’ activities. This display, together with activity icons and a timeline, could be visually analysed and transferred between multi-institutional researchers in a non-narrative approach. The aim of the work reported here is to provide the first detailed analysis of how software of this type is used in practice, and to analyse this through a robust social science-based perspective. Subsequently this study examines the effectiveness of this virtual laboratory environment on enhancing communication and understanding using a theoretical framework drawing upon three insights from the Sociology of Expertise and Experience: (i) interactional and contributory expertise, (ii) knowledge exchange and interpretative flexibility, and (iii) trading zones. The framework was extended by introducing the notion of material, concept and practice trade at these trading zones with a demonstration of how interactive visualisation of interconnected trading routes can empower interdisciplinary work. The addition of Foucault’s classic account of power found evidence of a panoptical effect due to the augmented visibility of each other’s work. In summary, the article offers a theoretical framework together with novel analysis to determine the influence of introducing tools and approaches designed to enhance interdisciplinary working—particularly in the context of knowledge sharing and trust.

An object-based research study of archive pieces incorporating digital technology

Abstract This article presents a case study of a collaborative project between garment technology students and museum costume curators, centred around object-based research. The project brief was to re-produce patterns and toiles of selected archive garments, with a focus on incorporating digital pattern technology, to explore the possibilities of this technology in an exhibition context. In addition to these specified outcomes, a successful knowledge exchange was observed, with the curators advising the provenance and social history of the pieces and the students sharing their expertise in manual and digital pattern cutting and in garment construction. During the project, the personal development of the students transitioned from a position of inexperience relating to archived garments, to one of recognized expertise through their recreation of the pieces in a pattern and construction context.

Using Social Network Analysis to Monitor and Assess the Effectiveness of Knowledge Brokers at Connecting Scientists and Decision‐Makers: An Australian case study

AbstractDespite growing rhetoric regarding the potential benefits of using knowledge brokers in relation to environmental challenges and decision‐making processes, the evidence in support of such claims is mostly anecdotal. This is, in part, due to the lack of established methods to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of knowledge brokers. To address this gap we assess the utility of social network analysis (SNA) to evaluate the effectiveness of knowledge brokers in connecting scientists and decision‐makers. Specifically, using a case‐study approach, we undertake longitudinal SNA over a 12‐month period to evaluate the extent to which the knowledge broker developed networks between producers and users of knowledge across different organizations. We also undertook a qualitative survey of scientists (n = 29) who worked in the same organization as the knowledge broker to understand the extent to which the knowledge broker increased the impact of scientific research for decision‐making purposes. Results show that the knowledge broker developed an extensive stakeholder network of 192 individuals spanning over 30 organizations. The results of the SNA found that over time this network increased in density and became more cohesive, both key elements underpinning successful knowledge exchange. Furthermore, the qualitative survey found that the knowledge broker also had a positive impact in other ways, including helping researchers understand the operating environments within decision‐making agencies and the best approaches for engaging with specific decision‐makers. Thus, this study demonstrates the value of SNA for evaluating knowledge brokers and provides empirical support for the use of knowledge brokers in the environmental sector. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment

From science to action: Principles for undertaking environmental research that enables knowledge exchange and evidence-based decision-making

Effective conservation requires knowledge exchange among scientists and decision-makers to enable learning and support evidence-based decision-making. Efforts to improve knowledge exchange have been hindered by a paucity of empirically-grounded guidance to help scientists and practitioners design and implement research programs that actively facilitate knowledge exchange. To address this, we evaluated the Ningaloo Research Program (NRP), which was designed to generate new scientific knowledge to support evidence-based decisions about the management of the Ningaloo Marine Park in north-western Australia. Specifically, we evaluated (1) outcomes of the NRP, including the extent to which new knowledge informed management decisions; (2) the barriers that prevented knowledge exchange among scientists and managers; (3) the key requirements for improving knowledge exchange processes in the future; and (4) the core capacities that are required to support knowledge exchange processes. While the NRP generated expansive and multidisciplinary science outputs directly relevant to the management of the Ningaloo Marine Park, decision-makers are largely unaware of this knowledge and little has been integrated into decision-making processes. A range of barriers prevented efficient and effective knowledge exchange among scientists and decision-makers including cultural differences among the groups, institutional barriers within decision-making agencies, scientific outputs that were not translated for decision-makers and poor alignment between research design and actual knowledge needs. We identify a set of principles to be implemented routinely as part of any applied research program, including; (i) stakeholder mapping prior to the commencement of research programs to identify all stakeholders, (ii) research questions to be co-developed with stakeholders, (iii) implementation of participatory research approaches, (iv) use of a knowledge broker, and (v) tailored knowledge management systems. Finally, we articulate the individual, institutional and financial capacities that must be developed to underpin successful knowledge exchange strategies.

Knowledge Mobilization/Transfer and Immigration Policy: Forging Space for NGOs—the Case of CERIS—The Ontario Metropolis Centre

The role of evidence-based knowledge and research in informing immigration and settlement policy is an important but under-examined area of inquiry. Knowledge for evidence-based policy-making is most likely to be useful to policymakers when it is produced collaboratively through sustained engagement between academic and non-academic stakeholders. This paper seeks to explore the role of non-governmental organizations in evidence/research-centred knowledge mobilization/transfer by a case study of CERIS—The Ontario Metropolis Centre, one of five immigration research centres in Canada that promoted partnerships to facilitate ongoing, systematic and timely exchange of social science knowledge. We explore the strategies and outcomes of establishing and maintaining relationships among academic researchers, representatives from non-governmental organizations and government policymakers. The experience at CERIS underscores the potential benefits from partnerships with non-governmental organizations that have detailed local knowledge of immigration and settlement issues and highlights the persistent challenges of funding and power imbalances that impede equitable and effective partnerships. The CERIS experience offers valuable insights into successful knowledge exchange from which the local, national and international immigration policy community can learn.

EDITORIAL: Bridging the knowing–doing gap: know‐who, know‐what, know‐why, know‐how and know‐when

Summary A widely recognized challenge in applied ecology is the gap between the knowledge generated by scientists and uptake by practitioners. Bridging this gap requires reciprocal and iterative flows of information from both scientists and practitioners prior to research initiation and beyond its completion. Yet current approaches to knowledge exchange ignore the complexity of translating different types of knowledge and the constraints that might limit effective knowledge exchange. Knowing who might use a particular piece of research is the first step when developing projects that might be of value to practitioners, but different types of research often can have quite different audiences. Identifying the precise target for research outputs, whether practitioners, stakeholders or end‐users, is essential for successful knowledge exchange, and outputs must be tailored to the knowledge needs of the intended recipients. The scope of many leading applied ecology journals targets use‐inspired basic research that aims to develop a theoretical or fundamental basis to support interventions, technologies and policies that lead to improved applied outcomes. This more conceptual approach, while essential to the development of future management applications, is probably not what most practitioners require. In contrast to the explicit knowledge generated by scientists, many practitioners apply their own tacit knowledge when making decisions regarding their conservation goals and interventions. Such knowledge is intuitive, largely experience based and hard to define. As a result is often context dependent and personal in nature. The failure of scientists to translate and consider tacit knowledge may be behind the lack of implementation of their research. Additional challenges to implementation include the continuing interest and relevance of use‐inspired basic research, lack of consensus among researchers regarding management options and the need for scientists to remain independent brokers of intervention options rather than conservation advocates. Synthesis and applications. Publishing research in peer‐reviewed journals will only ever be a small part of closing the knowing–doing gap. Increasingly, conservation organizations, such as NGOs and charities that employ their own scientists, steward their own protected areas, and build long‐term partnerships with stakeholders will be central to implementing applied ecological science.

How Industry Practices Foster Successful University-Business Knowledge Exchange

Building upon an original survey of about 200 UK companies, this paper aims to investigate what are the firm and industry-level practices that support successful knowledge exchange between university and industry. In particular, it explores what practices companies engage in and how different practices influence the probability to successfully achieve different knowledge exchange objectives of businesses when interacting with universities, focus in particular on two types of objectives: those linked to accessing university knowledge, and those linked to co-creating knowledge together with universities in order to address complex business challenges. We find that while most businesses are generally able to successfully access university knowledge, knowledge co-creation is difficult for a significant proportion of companies. The adoption of good practices enables firms to successfully engage in knowledge exchange. However, the suitability of practices varies depending on the nature of knowledge exchange. Th...

The use of conferencing technologies to support drug policy group knowledge exchange processes: An action case approach

ObjectivesTo describe experiences, lessons and the implications related to the use of conferencing technology to support three drug policy research groups within a three-year period, using the action case research method. DesignAn action case research field study was executed. Three different drug policy groups participated: research, educator, and decision-maker task groups. There were a total of 61 participants in the study. The study was conducted between 2004 and 2007. Each group used audio-teleconferencing, web-conferencing or both to support their knowledge exchange activities. MeasurementsData were collected over three years and consisted of observation notes, interviews, and meeting transcripts. Content analysis was used to analyze the data using NIVIO qualitative data analysis software. ResultsThe study found six key lessons regarding the impact of conferencing technologies on knowledge exchange within drug policy groups. We found that 1) groups adapt to technology to facilitate group communication, 2) web-conferencing communication is optimal under certain conditions, 3) audio conferencing is convenient, 4) web-conferencing forces group interactions to be “within text”, 5) facilitation contributes to successful knowledge exchange, and 6) technology impacts information sharing. ConclusionsThis study highlights lessons related to the use of conferencing technologies to support distant knowledge exchange within drug policy groups. Key lessons from this study can be used by drug policy groups to support successful knowledge exchange activities using conferencing technologies.

Knowledge exchange with Sistema Scotland

This paper reports on a knowledge exchange project, funded by the Scottish Funding Council and undertaken by a group of researchers from three higher education institutions in Scotland and the project partner, Sistema Scotland. This newly established charity is attempting to implement a major programme of social change, developed in Venezuela, within the Raploch, a disadvantaged area of Scotland. The researchers’ combined knowledge of education, music and psychology has guided their knowledge exchange activities with the project partner and among themselves. The paper outlines the development of Sistema Scotland and the programme, El Sistema, on which it is based. It details the knowledge exchange activities undertaken, which used Derrida’s notion of aporia to try to engage Sistema Scotland with different perspectives and understandings, and a practical method for conducting meetings based on Open Space Technology. The various ‘encounters’ with children, service providers and stakeholders are reported and this is followed by a critique of the processes of knowledge exchange. The paper ends with a discussion of the prospects for successful knowledge exchange.

Lingua Franca and Communication in MNEs: The Micro-Foundations of Knowledge Exchange

MNEs are facing a complex competitive landscape driven greatly by globalization and the technological revolution. The challenge for MNEs is often a multilingual community which involves VT members who use a lingua franca (a shared language) to communicate within multinational enterprise. When VT members use a lingual franca as a foreign language, the challenge of language capability would cause communication barriers, which may hinder the process of knowledge exchange. Meanwhile, when VT members communicate and/or exchange knowledge, the complexity of cultural biases and language foreignness distort communication. This paper incorporates interviews and Instant Message (IM) logs to point out that a common language does not guarantee successful communication. The focus of this paper is the factor of language, which reviews how the use of language would influence communication process to further successful knowledge exchange.

Exploring Knowledge Exchange in Electronic Networks of Practice

The recently developed knowledge-based view of the firm argues that knowledge is the firm's most valuable resource. Within this field of study, informal social networks are rapidly gaining attention as mechanisms that facilitate knowledge flows. Electronic networks of practice (NoPs) are a special case of informal network where the sharing of practice-related knowledge occurs primarily through computer-based communication technologies. However, we know relatively little about the dynamics of knowledge exchange that occur in these electronic networks. This conceptual paper posits that there is a relationship between the structural properties of electronic NoPs and successful knowledge exchange. The theoretical positions of social network theory and the knowledge-based view of the firm are used to support this claim. A review of the extant literature reveals that a clear conceptual framework for NoPs is lacking. The objective of this research is to contribute to the development of such a framework by addressing a largely neglected area within the growing network of practice literature – namely, the relationship between electronic network communication structure and knowledge flows.