| Overarching
Frameworks |
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The CEL framework can be used as a conceptual framework to
help researchers and policy entrepreneurs understand the role
that evidence-based research plays, amongst other issues,
in influencing policy.
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The World Bank's Knowledge Economy
framework is used to evaluate the quality, adaptation, and use
of knowledge in an economy, with the goal of creating effective
knowledge economies capable of competing in the global economy. |
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The National Systems of Innovation (NSI) framework aims
to enhance understanding and provide policy advice about how
to innovate successfully and increase the impact of research.
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Research Tools
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Episode studies are a method of investigating the influence
of research on policy. Each study focuses on a clear policy
change and tracks back to assess what impact research had
among the variety of issues that led to the policy change.
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A focus group gathers together people from similar backgrounds
or experiences to discuss a specific topic of interest, guided
by a moderator who introduces topics for discussion and helps
the group to participate in a lively and natural discussion
amongst themselves.
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Context Assessment Tools
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All good influence planning has three simple stages at its
core: identification of objectives, careful analysis of the
policy audience and targeted promotion of the evidence-based
message.
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Force field analysis is a powerful method for gaining a comprehensive
overview of the different forces acting on a potential policy
issue, and for assessing their source and strength.
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Problem tree analysis helps to find solutions by mapping
out the anatomy of cause and effect around an issue in a similar
way to a Mind map, but with more structure.
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Stakeholder analysis is a method
used to identify all parties engaged in conducting the research,
those who make or implement policy, and the intermediaries between
them. It can help define a way to engage stakeholders so that
the impact of research on policy can be maximised. |
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Influence Mapping identifies the individuals and groups with
the power to effect a key decision. It further investigates
the position and motives of each player and the best channels
through which to communicate with them.
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SWOT analysis uses a framework of
internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities
and threats, to provide a simple way to assess how a strategy
can best be implemented. |
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Triangle Analysis is a technique
for both analysing and finding answers to a problem, structured
around structure, content and culture in the policy system.
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Country Social Analysis combines
social, economic, political and institutional analysis to improve
the understanding of the linkages between development dynamics
and the political and social structures that shape development
and policy outcomes. |
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DFID's Drivers of Change analysis aims to improve the understanding
of political, economic, social and cultural forces that bring
about change in a regional and country context in order to
identify the key policy and institutional drivers of change.
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Sida's Power Analysis is used to
understand and analyse power relations at the macro level. |
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GTZ's Governance Questionnaire is used to analyse the political
and institutional framework of a country, including the actors
and processes within a government.
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Communication Tools
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Mapping the product life cycle draws
on diffusion theory to understand how the roles of the change
agent leaders vary in adoption, level of support and spread
through the different stages of the cycle. |
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The marketing approach emphasises understanding the state
of the market audience, those to be targeted with a social
change message or policy innovation, and developing the innovation
or message so that it is fills their needs.
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The Amherst H. Wilder Foundation's handbook provide a series
of worksheets and tools designed to assess readiness and commitment
to take on public policy issues. It reviews existing champions
and initiatives, helps focus goals and begins the planning
process.
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Drawing on marketing theory, the Segmentation Matrix Business
Battlemap involves the identification of subsets within a
market who share similar needs and plotting various products
on a matrix against these market segments.
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The Marketing Mix is probably the most famous phrase in marketing
and involves mixing and varying elements of marketing tactics
including: product, price, place and promotion.
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Modes of promotions can be plotted along an axis of confrontation
vs collaboration, set against involvement of the public, thus
different organisations may choose the same overall methods,
but may use them in very different ways, with different language.
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After segmenting a market and then targeting a consumer,
a product is positioned within that market. Products or services
are 'mapped' together on a 'positioning map' which allows
them to be compared and contrasted in relation to each other.
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Once a message's position is clarified
and simplified, the 'copy platform' provides the vehicle for
bringing it alive. This might be a story, a joke or an analogy
that will appeal to the target audience. |
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There are three ways to pre-test
your message: polls, focus groups and the brother-in-law test.
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The Wilder Manual summarises the
steps necessary to go through to be 'camera ready' and provides
a checklist for reflecting on how to be camera ready and how
to build up a rapid response team who can respond to relevant
media opportunities. |
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A writeshop is a very intensive process aimed at bringing
together a range of relevant stakeholders - along with desktop
publishing specialists - to produce a publication in a very
short time.
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| Policy Influence
Tools |
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Life and literature point to four broad styles of policy
entrepreneur: story-tellers, networkers, engineers and fixers.
Identification of a researcher's style can help to capitalise
on their strengths, develop their weaknesses and improve the
impact of research on policy.
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The Boston Box is a classic tool of strategic planning which
uses a matrix to plot the degree of influence generated by
a new idea or research against the rate at which this influence
is being gained, and the (usually proportional) rate at which
resources are being consumed.
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The LGI / Urban Institute have developed a series of guidelines
for writing effective policy briefs or papers, ensuring they
are an effective problem-oriented, value-driven communication
tool designed to aid decision making.
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Four modes and techniques have been identified through which
policy research institutes engage with one another and with
policymakers, business, and civil society: person-to-person,
organisational, research and virtual networks.
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Much useful lobbying is about building relationships with
decision-makers and allowing information to flow; Politico
describes these levels in a hierarchy of needs: Need to Know,
Need to Inform and Need to Negotiate.
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Getting to Yes involves four steps to reach agreement with
others without giving in: separating the people from the problem;
focusing on interests; inventing options for mutual gain;
and insisting on using objective criteria.
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While principles of persuasiveness should determine the style
of communication, the type of person making the case is also
important. Wilder calls these skills 'the four Ps': passion,
position, power and persuasiveness.
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Most think tanks will at some point want to engage in a public
consultation or engagement process. The International Association
for Public Participation provides a set of core values which
it feels such processes should benchmark themselves.
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Coalitions and alliances are difficult to form and sustain,
and can suffer from unrealistic expectations on how much they
will agree. Pros and cons for building such partnerships are
discussed in this tool.
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