This paper examines notions of power in relation to evidence-informed policy making and explores four key areas. First, I outline contemporary conceptualisations of how power operates in society; second, I spotlight the implications of power inequalities for how evidence is used by policy makers (and present the policy "agora"; a…

Effective knowledge translation processes are critical for the development of evidence-based public health policy and practice. This paper reports on the design and implementation of an innovative approach to knowledge translation within a mixed methods study on lay involvement in public health programme delivery. The study design drew on…

The objective of this paper is to conduct comparative analysis about the views and practices of policy makers and researchers on the use of health systems evidence in policy making in selected Eastern Mediterranean countries. We analysed data from two self-reported surveys, one targeted at policy makers and the other at researchers. Results show a…

This paper presents a case study on the transfer of research into policy and describes how evidence was used to inform, develop, frame and ultimately agree a national strategy for research and data on children's lives in Ireland. The paper highlights key issues arising in the research-policy exchange, but also argues that evidence on its own,…

This paper expands the discussion of knowledge brokerage by connecting it to long-standing debates within the social sciences about the effective transmission of scientifically produced knowledge into the worlds of policy and practice. This longer-term perspective raises some different questions about intermediary roles which are then tested…

This study describes the experiences of nurses and allied health professionals as first-time knowledge brokers, attempting to bridge the research-practice gap within health care. A qualitative study using in-depth interviews and documentary analysis was conducted. The data was analysed using a thematic analysis strategy. Participants were 17…

Using principles of Applied Implementation Science, this paper examines strategies for systematically selecting and operationalising National clinical practice guidelines and intentionally creating implementation supports to ensure high fidelity use and sustainable application and outcomes. In the spirit of participatory action research, key…

The need to justify public expenditure has increased the emphasis on impact of research. Identifying ways to maximise impact is a requirement of research funders and a concern of governments internationally. Researchers are expected to communicate findings clearly, make use of the media and influence politicians and administrators. Through an…

Expectations for impacts from research create demand for effective knowledge exchange between academic and non-academic settings. This complex process may be facilitated by "knowledge intermediaries." Learning from evaluation can advance recognition of their diverse roles and enhance these interactive relationships connecting research,…

In healthcare, translating evidence into changed practice remains challenging. Novel interventions are being used to address these challenges, including the use of "knowledge brokers." But how sustainable these roles might be, and the consequences for the individual of enacting such roles, are unknown. We explore these questions by…

Over the last decade, higher education policy in the United Kingdom (UK) has increasingly focused on the impact of academic research. This has resulted in the emergence of specialist knowledge brokers within UK universities in the social sciences and humanities. Our empirical research identified a tension between the research impact agenda and the…

The mantra of evidence-based policy (EBP) suggests that endeavours to implement evidence-based policing will produce better outcomes. However there is dissonance between the rhetoric of EBP and the actuality of policing policy. This disjuncture is critically analysed using the case study of illicit drugs policing. The dissonance may be ameliorated…

The number of think tanks operating in the UK is increasing, providing an ever important source of ideas and research for policy audiences. They have been framed by some as useful intermediaries between research and policy, which academics aiming to influence policy might seek to emulate. Yet, there has been very little empirical work to explore…

This paper reports on a knowledge exchange project involving academics and practitioners in six local authority social work departments. It contributes to recent debates about the coproduction of knowledge, presenting findings in three key areas: the importance of relationships for knowledge exchange; "what works" for practitioners…

Knowledge derived from practice forms a significant portion of the knowledge base in the education field, yet is not accessible using existing empirical research methods. This paper describes a systematic, rigorous, grounded approach to collecting and analysing practice-based knowledge using the authors' research in teacher leadership as an…