Types and models of research impact

Sandra NutleyUniversity of St Andrews

Research Unit for Research Utilisation

(RURU)

www.st-and.ac.uk/~ruru www.evidencenetwork.org

Key message

Impact assessment strategies need to be underpinned by

realistic ideas about the nature and process of research impact

Types of impact

• Instrumental – change in policy or practice

• Conceptual – change in knowledge, understanding, attitudes

…and Enlightenment impact

A research impact continuum

AwarenessAttitudes, perceptions, ideas

Knowledge & understanding

Practice & policy change

CONCEPTUAL USE INSTRUMENTAL USE

Models of research impact

Stocks or reservoirs of research knowledge

Political and professional environments and wider

society

Models of research impact

Stocks or reservoirs of research knowledge

Political and professional environments and wider

society

Knowledge impels action

Percolation

Knowledge grabbing

Problem solving or tactical

Interaction

Co-productio

n of knowledg

e

Models of research use in social care

Research-based practitioner

Embedded research

Organisational excellence

Research based practitioner

Individual craft

knowledge and

experience

Research based

knowledgePractice

Embedded research modelResearch on what works

Practice guidelines and tools

Training in use of guidelines and

tools

Scrutiny of the use of guidelines

tools

Service delivery organisations

Organisational excellence model

Developing a research-minded culture

Learning from existing research

Commissioning local research

and evaluations

Working in partnership with local

universities and research intermediarie

s

Models of research use in social care

Research-based practitioner

Embedded research

Organisational excellence

One size does not fit all

Implications for impact assessment

No single model of research impact likely to be relevant for all situationsMake choices based on a clear understanding of the purpose of impact assessment activities

• Research production• User communities• Interactions between research producers and users• Context within which this occurs

Research Users

Context

May need to consider activities, outputs and outcomes in at least 4

spheres:

Interaction

Some funded research may have immediate and recognisable impacts – and some may have none – it is difficult to know these things in advance, especially as impact often occurs far down the line…

Need to be cautious about the consequences of any impact assessment

regime