Publisher's Synopsis
The current emphasis on "evidence-based policy" is generating ever greater volumes of research relevant to local authorities. However, emphasis now has to be placed on ensuring that the research that is being produced reaches the right people in the right form at the right time; and that those people have the requisite skills and motivation to interpret and apply the findings of research to their own local context. This report examines the impact of research on local government, with a view to reconsidering how research is utilised and the impact it has on policy makers and practitioners.;"Promoting Change Through Research" begins with an examination of the way in which the research function within local authorities is structured and organised, and how research is understood in the local government context. It examines the means by which officers and members gain access to both in-house research and external sources, and how key research findings are disseminated throughout the authority. The role of research in encouraging policy and practice change is analysed, together with the processes through which this takes place and the factors encouraging or inhibiting research utilisation. The report relates to the need for local government to be "evidence based" and offers clear recommendations and action points.
