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Managing the Knowledge Exchange ProcessInnovation through Knowledge Transfer 2013 Razia Shariff & Naomi LandauThird Sector Research Centre

An intro to TSRCNational research centre set up to research voluntary, community and social enterpriseBroad spectrum of research, including:service delivery, below the radar, social enterprisePolicy context, economic and social impact, workforce and volunteersQualitative and quantitative - new data sets, longitudinal case study researchFunded by ESRC, Office for Civil Society and Barrow Cadbury Trust Universities of Birmingham and Southampton

The impact of Knowledge Exchange? Knowledge Exchange Team: Set up to help research to have an impactExchange approach: achieve impact by involving stakeholders throughout the research, two-way/ circular process

Aims of paper: How KE process leads to impact: activities, conditions, contextual factors 3 case studies

Two way process Research not just disseminated to stakeholders, but stakeholders also feed into and inform the research. And circular process where research and stakeholders are continually informed by each other.Paper aims to explore how KE process leads to impact not only what activities are important, but what conditions, contextual factors effect how they work. Does this by analysing three case studies, which it maps using two knowledge exchange frameworks the Knowledge Exchange and Impact matrix, developed as part of our own analysis of our work, and the K* spectrum developed by the international K* conference in 2012. *

Knowledge Exchange Impact MatrixFewer StakeholdersMore Stakeholders

Meaningful KEDissemination of research knowledgeWebinarsCLG event

Website

BtR11Reference Group

Research FellowsFSS Equalities EventPress release *

CBC

Policy CircleSpecialist Seminars with partners

Stand at ACEVOPresentations at Conferences*

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Journal articles* Media coverageRadio 4Other published reports * Joint conferences

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K* spectrumBelow the radar: process impact Qualitative: conceptual impact Social enterprise: instrumental impact

This model maps KE roles and activities by what function they fulfil. From infomational dissemination, to relational translating and co-producing knowledge, to systems influencing wider context.The below the radar case study relational function was particularly important. It involved coproduction of research and learning, through a reference group, fellowships, joint events. Fact that knowledge was coproduced allowed it to be embedded within the stakeholder communities and therefore directly influence the thinking of community practitioners, funders etc.In the Social Enterprise case study the informational and relational was important. The KET activities concentrated on sharing information, publicising research, organising events to share findings. They also facilitated relational functions, organising meetings with policy makers for example. But here, the researchers role was particularly important using their own networks to coproduce research and work with policy-makers. These relational activities were important in affecting thinking within government policy (systems function.)Quantitative case study was highly focused on the informational function through press, website, events which allowed the research concepts such as the civic core and distribution of public funding to be shared widely, and influence thinking within the third sector and policy. Concentrated on sharing and publicising the information, rather than coproducing it. The spectrum isnt always linear in qualitative case study, for example, informational activities helped to have a systems impact by influencing the wider context of public and policy debate. The research was referenced a number of times in media and by politicians.All case studies involved activities across the spectrum, although some focused more on one part. E.g. The process of disseminating knowledge in the conceptual case study was helped by coproducing events and using networks, and dissemination activities such as media and social media helped to broaden the reach of co-produced knowledge in the below the radar case study.

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Variables to think aboutNeed to know the existing networks of researchers and their level of engagement with stakeholdersNeed to understand the appetite in policy and practice for the research findingsDifferent types of research lend themselves well to different types of KE interventionsWe need to consider: relational processes,conceptual problematics mechanisms to generate impact.

ReflectionsNeed to Understand: the nature of the research, what and who it wants to influenceThe researchers propensity to engage with stakeholdersThe current context and appetite for the research knowledge

ConclusionsRelational activity and co-production key

KE must be inter twinned throughout the research process in order to generate impact

Need to think about how to influence action, the TSRC Futures Dialogues offers possibilities for the future

Two way process Research not just disseminated to stakeholders, but stakeholders also feed into and inform the research. And circular process where research and stakeholders are continually informed by each other.Paper aims to explore how KE process leads to impact not only what activities are important, but what conditions, contextual factors effect how they work. Does this by analysing three case studies, which it maps using two knowledge exchange frameworks the Knowledge Exchange and Impact matrix, developed as part of our own analysis of our work, and the K* spectrum developed by the international K* conference in 2012. *This model maps KE roles and activities by what function they fulfil. From infomational dissemination, to relational translating and co-producing knowledge, to systems influencing wider context.The below the radar case study relational function was particularly important. It involved coproduction of research and learning, through a reference group, fellowships, joint events. Fact that knowledge was coproduced allowed it to be embedded within the stakeholder communities and therefore directly influence the thinking of community practitioners, funders etc.In the Social Enterprise case study the informational and relational was important. The KET activities concentrated on sharing information, publicising research, organising events to share findings. They also facilitated relational functions, organising meetings with policy makers for example. But here, the researchers role was particularly important using their own networks to coproduce research and work with policy-makers. These relational activities were important in affecting thinking within government policy (systems function.)Quantitative case study was highly focused on the informational function through press, website, events which allowed the research concepts such as the civic core and distribution of public funding to be shared widely, and influence thinking within the third sector and policy. Concentrated on sharing and publicising the information, rather than coproducing it. The spectrum isnt always linear in qualitative case study, for example, informational activities helped to have a systems impact by influencing the wider context of public and policy debate. The research was referenced a number of times in media and by politicians.All case studies involved activities across the spectrum, although some focused more on one part. E.g. The process of disseminating knowledge in the conceptual case study was helped by coproducing events and using networks, and dissemination activities such as media and social media helped to broaden the reach of co-produced knowledge in the below the radar case study.

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