1. www.gsr.gov.uk Government Social Research Unit HOW CAN RESEARCH CONTRIBUTE TO POLICY? SRA, IRELAND 13 JANUARY 2006 Sue Duncan Chief Government Social Researcher Cabinet Office www.gsr.gov.uk

2. The Policy Iceberg Implementation Legislation Policy Announcement Policy Idea Sea level Party Politics Manifesto commitments Elections No 10 priorities Cabinet/Ministerial Public Opinion Political careers Public Political Budgets/Resources Priorities Legal powers Operational issues Parliamentary timetables Human nature Practical Costing options Reviews of evidence Analysis of admin data Political research (opinion polling etc) Commissioned research and evaluation

3. www.gsr.gov.uk The Black Box of Policy Research OR Long, boring report Inconclusive results Irrelevant results Results too late Research expensive Political embarrassment ‘Wrong answer’ OR Regular feedback of results Policy question answered Research on time No last minute surprises Research useful and used Policy Question Research Activity ? Research findings

4. www.gsr.gov.uk 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

5. www.gsr.gov.uk 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

6. www.gsr.gov.uk The Policy Iceberg Implementation Legislation Policy Announcement Policy Idea Sea level Party Politics Manifesto commitments Elections No 10 priorities Cabinet/Ministerial Public Opinion Political careers Public Political Budgets/Resources Priorities Legal powers Operational issues Parliamentary timetables Human nature Practical Costing options Reviews of evidence Analysis of admin data Political research (opinion polling etc) Commissioned research and evaluation

7. www.gsr.gov.uk Key Uses Understanding client groups Understanding problems/issues Monitoring progress Evaluating policy impacts Evaluating delivery Testing policy/delivery

8. www.gsr.gov.uk Current Priorities Inclusive policy making Performance measurement and delivery Joined up government Strategic thinking ‘What works is what counts’

9. www.gsr.gov.uk InstrumentalConceptual Leads directly to decisionLeads to changes in knowledge, making for policy and practiceunderstanding or attitude MobilisationWider Influence Used as instrument of persuasionLeads to larger scale shifts in to legitimise action/in actionthinking (Nutley et al 2002)

10. www.gsr.gov.uk … 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)

11. www.gsr.gov.uk … 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’)

12. www.gsr.gov.uk … 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) www.gsr.gov.uk

13. What is evidence? Research Experience Judgement Resources Values Public Opinion

14. www.gsr.gov.uk … 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) www.gsr.gov.uk

15. … 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) www.gsr.gov.uk

16. … 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) www.gsr.gov.uk