Strategies and Structures for Research and
Policy Networks: Presented to the Canadian
Primary Health Care Research Network, 2012
Heather Creech, Director, Global Connectivity
IISD’s Networks Practice
 Why we became involved in strategic planning
and evaluation of networks and partnerships
• The intersection of technology and social
organization
• Increasing international interest in the role
of knowledge and collaborative process as
necessary to sustainable development
implementation
 Evidence and consent
• The potential for “networked” governance
to address complex problems
Managing complex problems by using networks
Networked governance is…
“not a search for the optimal solution to
one problem but an ongoing learning
and negotiation process where a high
priority is given to questions of
communication, perspective sharing,
and the development of adaptive group
strategies for problem solving” (PahlWostl and Hare, 2004)
Necessary conditions for “networked”
governance
• Social capital
 Social capital has been shown to be related to
the capacity of teams to process information,
make sense of data and connect it to an
empirical context.
• Social capital built through
 Creation of shared value
 Knowledge sharing, learning, exploration and
experimentation
 Drivers: institutional and individual
Networked governance and the
place for research and policy
networks
•
If there is insufficient social capital for a
networked approach, there is still a need for
research and policy networks to inform active
steering and centralized problem solving
(Huppé et al, 2012).
Structures for collaboration
• The limits of typologies
 Formal/informal; focus/extensiveness
• Two basic structures
 Groups of institutions
• Inter-organizational relationships
• Driven by institutional mandates and interests
 Groups of individuals
• Communities of practice, knowledge networks,
expert networks
• Driven by self interest and/or shared challenges
Some recent lessons
• Knowledge sharing and subsidiarity
• Recognition of social capital and personal
social networks
• Shared value creation
• Recognizing and mitigating the impact of
the 1-9-90 rule
• Recognizing and mitigating the impact of
“Dunbar’s number”
• The role of social network analysis in
practical network planning and
management
• Recognizing adaptive cycles in network
evolution
EXPLORATION
MATURITY/CONSERVATION
New Ideas: Creative * Messy * Uncertain*
First-hand insights * Outside ideas * Multiple
Perspectives * Flat structure & process *
Probes & Little Experiments * Options
Productivity: Efficiency * Certainty * Stability *
Hierarchical structure & process * Clear Tasks,
Rules, Policies & Procedures * Standardization
* Specialists * Fast Returns * Low Risk Tolerance
expand
possibilities new
place & buy-in thinking
bets
choice
sustain
birth
& grow
develop &
adapt
refine
conserve
crisis
broad direction
confusion
shared vision
reconnect
Effectiveness: Entrepreneurial * Generalists *
Roles * Adaptive structure and process *
Prototypes & Pilot Projects * Variation * Lag times
•Flexible funding * Flexible rules * Tolerance for
•Risk * Dead ends * Emerging Practice
DEVELOPMENTAL
declining
ROI
manage
Vision: Charismatic * Unraveling * Chaotic *
Loss, Anger, Blame, Conflict * Little structure
or process * Reflection * Relationships * Essence *
Values * Principles * New Energy & Urgency
CREATIVE DESTRUCTION/RELEASE
From: Cabaj, M. Network Death & Renewal in the Adaptive Cycle, 2011.
Critical success factors
for performance of
networks
• Purpose, focus, roles; shared
understanding
• Leadership and coordination
• Knowledge sharing and
communications skills
• Understanding short- and
long-term needs and
outcomes
• Organizational capacity and
commitment
• Monitoring and assessment:
Relevance, Effectiveness,
Efficiency, Impact and
sustainability
Critical success
factors for
sustainability of
networks
•
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Timing
Relevance
Relationships
Resources
[from: Willard & Creech, 2006]
Operating models for sustainability
of research networks
• Centralized
– Hosted, with external support
– Hosted, with institutional membership fees
– Hosted, with internal, in-kind support for coordination and
• Decentralized
– National, semi-autonomous, chapters
– Professional association model, with membership dues
– Virtual model (e.g., through Linked In)
A range of questions for consideration
•
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What is the need? [demand]
Who are the stakeholders/boundary partners/members/constituency?
How to integrate the beneficiaries into knowledge sharing?
What are the special conditions for each region?
What are the major research questions ?
What inputs are available to meet the need? [people and
information][supply]
What is the capacity to access/use the inputs to meet the need?
What is the competition? [other sources of inputs to meet the need]
What are the institutional and individual drivers to use the inputs?
What are the enabling conditions and incentives?
What are the institutional barriers to access/use the inputs?
What are the phases and the timeframe?
What coordination is needed?