“Rapid Response Research” Framework in Government Research Institutes; An Expert-Based Approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Researcher, Technology Studies Institute, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Technology Studies Institute, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Collaboration between policymakers and researchers always faces a major challenge: high-quality research takes time, while policymakers need to find answers to their questions in the shortest possible time. In other words, in most cases, policy makers do not have enough time to receive the best evidence and research findings for decision making. Hence, the key responsibility of researchers is to rapidly respond to the needs of policy makers with a synthesis of research evidence. Government research institutes, in addition to their mission of expanding knowledge through in-depth research, due to their role in helping decision-making, it is necessary to be able to meet the urgent research needs of policy makers to make effective decisions based on scientific evidence. In this regard “Rapid response research” has been proposed as a solution for interaction of research institutes with policy makers and to meet their urgent need for research. The purpose of this research was to identify a framework for conducting rapid response research, and in it, the results of interviews with some experts who had experience in the interaction between policy and research, were coded and analyzed using the qualitative method of thematic analysis. The resulting components in this framework, what is or the clarification of the definition of rapid response research; Why to do it and how to include prerequisites and process. The prerequisites for conducting rapid response research, in two organizational and individual categories, were clarified and the process was achieved in three stages of problem identification, solution finding, and report presentation. Follow-up for agenda setting, challenges and considerations are also other influential factors that were identified and need to be taken into consideration in playing the role of rapid response research.
 

Keywords


 
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