NCJ Number
49825
Date Published
1976
Length
204 pages
Annotation
METHODS EMPLOYED TO DISSEMINATE RESEARCH FINDINGS BY MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD) AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE REVIEWED.
Abstract
RESEARCH DISSEMINATION AND UTILIZATION PROCESSES ARE COMPLEX, AND NUMEROUS MOTIVES INFLUENCE A POLICYMAKER'S USE OF RESEARCH RESULTS. SOCIOLOGICAL, ORGANIZATIONAL, AND CULTURAL FACTORS ALSO AFFECT THE UTILIZATION PROCESS. DISSEMINATION IS A PROCESS WHEREBY CERTAIN METHODS ARE EMPLOYED TO BRING SPECIFIC INFORMATION TO THE ATTENTION OF A PREDETERMINED AUDIENCE. IT IS A CENTRAL COMPONENT OF THE UTILIZATION PROCESS. THE TRANSFER OF INFORMATION AMONG RESEARCHERS, RESEARCH USERS, AND RESEARCH MANAGERS IS IMPACTED BY THE POTENTIAL INPUTS AND CONCERNS OF EACH GROUP. THE DISTRIBUTION OF AUTHORITY IN AN ORGANIZATION AFFECTS RESEARCH, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS DISTRIBUTION CONCERNS THE DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS. OTHER FACTORS AFFECTING THE PROCESS OF BRINGING INFORMATION TO THE ATTENTION OF POLICYMAKERS ARE AVAILABILITY (TIMING) OF RESEARCH, CLIMATE OF OPINION SURROUNDING A POLICY QUESTON, HOW CONCLUSIONS CORRESPOND TO ACCEPTED PRESUMPTIONS OF A PROBLEM, AND THE FORM IN WHICH INFORMATION IS COMMUNICATED. THE DISSEMINATION PROCESS INCLUDES ACTIVITIES FOR INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH REPORTS AND ACTIVITIES OF RESEARCH MANAGER ORGANIZATIONS. DISSEMINATION METHODS EMPLOYED BY OECD MEMBER COUNTRIES (CANADA, UNITED KINGDOM, GERMANY, SWEDEN, UNITED STATES, FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, AND AUSTRIA) AND BY SELECTED MULTILATERAL ORGANIZATIONS (INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT, OECD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, UNCTAD (UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT) ILO (INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION), AND INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES ARE DETAILED AND ILLUSTRATED IN SOME CASES. INTERNATIONAL METHODS OF INFORMATION DISSEMINATION ARE COMPARED, AND THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS STRESSED. ANNEXES TO THE REPORT CONTAIN A RESEARCH OUTLINE AND THE CASE STUDY METHODOLOGY OF THE OECD. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (DEP)