Abstract
Transferring and mobilising knowledge from research into healthcare delivery is an enduring international challenge. Our aim was to explore how knowledge sources were used to advance healthcare practice. We analysed data from 28 interviews with senior representatives from Health Boards and an Academic Health Science Partnership in Wales. Although all recognised the need to keep up to date with research evidence, knowledge mobilisation activities were largely individually-driven, rather than embedded within organisations. Lack of time, limited management support, and coordination-failure between different professions (within/outside the organisation) hindered knowledge mobilisation. Enablers included a supportive infrastructure, good leadership and management at all levels. Alongside embedding knowledge mobilisation as an intrinsic part of everyone’s role, enhancing the knowledge broker role of identified individuals was recommended to provide visibility and structure.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Argyris, C., & Schön, D. (1978). Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley.
Baumbusch, J. L., Kirkham, S. R., Khan, K. B., et al. (2008). Pursuing common agendas: A collaborative model for knowledge translation between research and practice in clinical settings. Research in Nursing & Health, 31(2), 130–140.
Birken, S., Lee, S.-Y., & Weiner, B. (2012). Uncovering middle managers’ role in healthcare innovation implementation. Implementation Science, 7(1), 28.
Bullock, A., Barnes, E., Morris, Z., et al. (2016). Getting the most out of knowledge and innovation transfer agents in health care: A qualitative study. Health Service Delivery Research, 4(33).
Bullock, A., Morris, Z., & Atwell, C. (2012). Collaboration between health service managers and researchers: Making a difference? Journal of Health Service Research Policy, 17(Suppl. 2), 2–10.
Burgess, N., Strauss, K., Currie, G., et al. (2015). Organizational ambidexterity and the hybrid middle manager: The case of patient safety in UK hospitals. Human Resource Management, 54(51), 87–109.
Clark, G., & Kelly, L. (2005). New directions for knowledge transfer and knowledge brokerage in Scotland. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive Social Research.
Contandriopoulos, D., Lemire, J. M., Denis, J. L., et al. (2010). Knowledge and exchange processes in organizations and policy arenas: A narrative systematic review of the literature. Milbank Quarterly, 88(4), 444–483.
Currie, G., Burgess, N., & Hayton, J. C. (2015). HR practices and knowledge brokering by hybrid middle managers in hospital settings: The influence of professional hierarchy. Human Resource Management, 54(5), 793–812.
Davenport, T., & Prusak, L. (1998). Working knowledge: How organizations manage what they know. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Davies, H., Nutley, S., & Walter, I. (2008). Why ‘knowledge transfer’ is misconceived for applied social research. Journal of Health Service Research Policy, 13(3), 188–190.
Dobbins, M., Robeson, P., Ciliska, D., et al. (2009). A description of a knowledge broker role implemented as part of a randomized controlled trial evaluating three knowledge translation strategies. Implementation Science, 4(1), 23.
Dopson, S., Bennett, C., Fitzgerald, L., et al. (2013). Health care managers’ access and use of management research (Final report). Southampton: NIHR Service Delivery and Organisation Programme.
Edwards, C., Fox, R., Gillard, S., et al. (2013). Explaining Health Manager’ Information Seeking Behaviour and Use (Final report). Southampton: NIHR Service Delivery and Organisation programme.
Evans, S., & Scarbrough, H. (2014, April). Supporting knowledge translation through collaborative translational research initiatives: ‘Bridging’ versus ‘blurring’ boundary-spanning approaches in the UK CLAHRC initiative. Social Science & Medicine, 106, 119–127.
Evans, B. A., Snooks, H., Howson, H., et al. (2013). How hard can it be to include research evidence and evaluation in local health policy implementation? Results from a mixed methods study. Implementation Science, 8(1), 17.
Golenko, X., Pager, S., & Holden, L. (2012). A thematic analysis of the role of the organisation in building allied health research capacity: A senior managers’ perspective. BMC Health Service Research, 12, 276.
Greenhalgh, T., Robert, G., Macfarlane, F., et al. (2004). Diffusion of innovations in service organizations: Systematic review and recommendations. Milbank Quarterly, 82(4), 581–629.
HM Treasury. (2006). A review of UK health research funding: Sir D Cooksey. London: HM Treasury.
Kitson, A., Rycroft-Malone, J., Harvey, G., et al. (2008). Evaluating the successful implementation of evidence into practice using the PARiHS framework: Theoretical and practical challenges. Implement Science, 3(1), 1–12.
Long, J., Cunningham, F., & Braithwaite, J. (2013). Bridges, brokers and boundary spanners in collaborative networks: A systematic review. BMC Health Service Research, 13(1), 158.
Mitton, C., Adair, C., Mckenzie, E., et al. (2007). Knowledge transfer and exchange: Review and synthesis of the literature. Milbank Quarterly, 85, 729–768.
NISCHR AHSC. (2014). Mobilising the use of research in practice for impacts on health and wealth––Recommendations of the AHSC Knowledge Transfer Task and Finish group to NISCHR, Welsh Government. Cardiff: NISCHR AHSC.
Pedler, M., Burgoyne, J., & Boydell, T. (1991). The learning company: A strategy for sustainable development. London: McGraw-Hill.
Ritchie, J., & Spencer, L. (1994). Qualitative data analysis for applied policy research. In A. Bryman & R. Burgess (Eds.), Analyzing qualitative research (pp. 173–194). London: Routledge.
Rushmer, R. K., Cheetham, M., Cox, L., et al. (2015). Health Services and Delivery Research. In Research utilisation and knowledge mobilisation in the commissioning and joint planning of public health interventions to reduce alcohol-related harms: A qualitative case design using a cocreation approach. Southampton: NIHR. Journals Library.
Schön, D. A. (1973). Beyond the stable state. Public and private learning in a changing society. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Scottish Government Knowledge Exchange Committee. Main Research Providers (MRPS). (2011). Scottish Government Research Programme 2011–2016. Knowledge Transfer/Exchange (KTE) Strategy. Edinburgh.
Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. London: Random House.
Sin, C. (2008). The role of intermediaries in getting evidence into policy and practice: Some useful lessons from examining consultancy-client relationships. Evidence & Policy, 4(1), 85–103.
Walker, H. J., Armenakis, A. A., & Bernerth, J. B. (2007). Factors influencing organizational change efforts: An integrative investigation of change content, context, process and individual differences. Journal of Organisational Change Management, 20(6), 761–773.
Walshe, K., & Davies, H. T. (2013). Health research, development and innovation in England from 1988 to 2013: From research production to knowledge mobilization. Journal of Health Service Research Policy, 18(Suppl. 3), 1–12.
Ward, V., House, A., & Hamer, S. (2009). Knowledge brokering: The missing link in the evidence to action chain? Evidence & Policy, 5(3), 267–279.
Williams, P. (2002). The competent boundary spanner. Public Administration, 80(1), 103–124.
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the support of Aneurin Bevan and Cwm Taf University Health Boards for funding this scoping review. We thank all the study participants who gave generously of their time. We are especially grateful to the input of our project reference group: Sue Bale, John Geen, Maureen Fallon, Rosamund Howell, Sue Figueirido and to Susan Denman for her critical feedback on earlier versions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Barnes, E., Bullock, A., Warren, W. (2018). Processes and Responsibilities for Knowledge Transfer and Mobilisation in Health Services Organisations in Wales. In: McDermott, A., Kitchener, M., Exworthy, M. (eds) Managing Improvement in Healthcare. Organizational Behaviour in Health Care. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62235-4_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62235-4_11
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-62234-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-62235-4
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)