Figure 1 - uploaded by Desre Monique Kramer
Content may be subject to copyright.
Conceptual Framework for Research Knowledge Transfer and Use
Source publication
In workplace health interventions, engaging management and union decision makers is considered important for the success of the project, yet little research has described the process of making this happen. A case study of a knowledge-transfer process is presented to describe the practices and processes adopted by a knowledge broker who engaged work...
Similar publications
Around the world, there is a growing interest among policy scholars and practitioners in the role of knowledge in relation to public policy. These debates are accompanied by some confusion about what is meant by knowledge or evidence, as well as controversies around the role of scientists and suspicions of increasingly technocratic decision making....
Citations
... We based the framework on our previous work, 11,16,18 including findings from our related national surveys, 12,14 and the work of Kramer and Cole. 19,20 Interviews From October 2020 to January 2021, we conducted in-depth individual interviews with health promotion managers and staff who had participated in the technical assistance portion of the intervention. Because of challenges faced by LHDs in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic during this time period, we selected only 4 of the 12 LHDs-LHDs that had high engagement during the intervention period and showed favorable change in key quantitative measures in the larger study. ...
Objectives:
Evidence-based decision making (EBDM) capacity in local public health departments is foundational to meeting both organizational and individual competencies and fulfilling expanded roles. In addition to on-the-job training, organizational supports are needed to prepare staff; yet, less is known in this area. This qualitative study explores supportive management practices instituted as part of a training and technical assistance intervention.
Design:
This qualitative study used a semistructured interview guide to elicit participants' descriptions and perceptions via key informant interviews. Verbatim transcripts were coded and thematic analyses were conducted.
Setting:
Local public health departments in a US Midwestern state participated in the project.
Participants:
Seventeen middle managers and staff from 4 local health departments participated in remote, audio-recorded interviews.
Intervention:
Following delivery of a 3½-day in-person training, the study team met with health department leadership teams for department selection of supportive agency policies and procedures to revise or newly create. Periodic remote meetings included collaborative problem-solving, sharing of informational resources, and encouragement.
Main outcome measures:
Included management practices instituted to support EBDM and impact on day-to-day work as described by the interview participants.
Results:
Leadership and middle management practices deemed most helpful included dedicating staff; creating specific guidelines; setting expectations; and providing trainings, resources, and guidance. Health departments with a preexisting supportive organizational culture and climate were able to move more quickly and fully to integrate supportive management practices. Workforce development included creation of locally tailored overviews for all staff members and onboarding of new staff. Staff wanted additional hands-on skill-building trainings. Several worked with partners to incorporate evidence-based processes into community health improvement plans.
Conclusions:
Ongoing on-the-job experiential learning is needed to integrate EBDM principles into day-to-day public health practice. Management practices established by leadership teams and middle managers can create supportive work environments for EBDM integration.
... First, we found that the terms, 'broker' and 'brokerage', were commonly applied in the health sector to describe a person engaged in multiple functions including capacity building, dissemination, and relationship building. Table 4 provides five archetypal definitions from the health sector of the term 'broker' that illustrate this pattern (Kramer et al, 2004;Armstrong et al, 2007;Ritter, 2015;Glegg and Hoens, 2016;Hurtubise et al, 2016). In each case, 'brokers' are clearly defined as individuals, people, or humans. ...
Background
A growing literature focuses on the roles of brokers, intermediaries, and boundary spanners (BIBS) in addressing the challenges of transferring research evidence between the research and practice or policy communities.
Aims and objectives
In this systematic review, we examined two research questions: (1) where, how, and when are different BIBS terms (broker, intermediary, and boundary spanner) used? and (2) which BIBS terms get defined, and when these terms are defined, who are BIBS and what do they do?
Methods
We conducted literature searches designed to capture articles on BIBS and the transfer of research evidence. We extracted information about eligible articles’ characteristics, use of BIBS terms, and definitions of BIBS terms.
Findings
The search revealed an initial pool of 667 results, of which 277 articles were included after screening. Although we coded 430 separate uses of BIBS terms, only 37.2% of these uses provided explicit definitions. The terms, ‘broker’ and ‘brokerage’, were commonly applied in the health sector to describe a person engaged in multiple functions. The term, ‘intermediary’, was commonly applied in the education sector to describe an organisation engaged in dissemination. Finally, the terms ‘boundary spanner’ and ‘boundary spanning’ were commonly applied in the environment sector to describe people or organisations that engage in relationship building.
Discussion and conclusions
Results demonstrated that when BIBS were defined, there were important (albeit implicit) distinctions between terms. Based on these results, we identify archetypal definitions for brokers, intermediaries, and boundary spanners and offer recommendations for future research.
... Nonetheless, in the attempt to promote the exchange of information, intermediaries must decide to use their strategic positions in advantageous ways (Burt, 2004;Powell et al., 1996Powell et al., , 2005. Lomas (2007) emphasizes that the most capable brokers are entrepreneurial agents, who clearly and directly advocate for ideas to all stakeholders (Kramer & Cole, 2003;Kramer et al., 2004;Ward et al., 2011). They are also strategic, utilizing their networks deliberately and advantageously, having a deep understanding of field-level norms and professional expectations (Lomas, 2007;Kramer & Cole, 2003;Kramer et al., 2004;Ward et al., 2011). ...
... Lomas (2007) emphasizes that the most capable brokers are entrepreneurial agents, who clearly and directly advocate for ideas to all stakeholders (Kramer & Cole, 2003;Kramer et al., 2004;Ward et al., 2011). They are also strategic, utilizing their networks deliberately and advantageously, having a deep understanding of field-level norms and professional expectations (Lomas, 2007;Kramer & Cole, 2003;Kramer et al., 2004;Ward et al., 2011). While scholars have examined the knowledge-brokering process of intermediaries in higher education policy, few have explored this from the vantage point of organized philanthropy. ...
Philanthropic foundations are influential policy entrepreneurs in higher education, advocating new ideas, engaging in collaborative activities, and seeding research to inform the decision-making process. Despite occupying this role, the higher education literature has yet to examine how philanthropic foundations promote ideas between entities or how shared granting relationships are used to distribute and exchange information. By utilizing several sources of data, including in-depth interviews and an original dataset of postsecondary grants, and by applying social network concepts, this study explores the strategies educational funders use to disseminate ideas and promote information exchange. This study found that major foundations are not only taking on an advocacy-oriented role within their communication strategies, but they are also facilitating information sharing among intermediaries based on mutual granting relationships and shared agendas. Furthermore, the most impactful grantees are those who cross sectoral boundaries, such as advocacy nonprofits, think tanks, membership associations, and government agencies.
... Across the health and safety KTE approaches there were three broad categories of target audiences that included workplaces (see Table 2). Many approaches targeted workplace audiences directly [Baines, 2007;Carlan et al., 2012;(see also Chapman, et al., 2003, 2008, 2010; Elkind, Pitts, & Ybarra, 2002;Guzman, Yassi, Baril, & Loisel, 2008; (see also Kramer et al., 2004); (see also Kramer et al., 2010); Kramer et al., 2013;Lehtinen, 2006;Lortie, Desmarais, & Laroche, 2012 (see also Lortie & Desmarais, 2011);Sinden & MacDermid, 2014]. Workplace audiences included employers, workers and managers as well as health and safety personnel. ...
... There were also approaches involving entire research organizations in transferring knowledge (research organizations might incorporate researchers plus other staff such as communications, KTE and/or other technical staff) [Castillo et al., 2006;Gillen et al., 2010;Hudson & Hall, 2013;Lehtinen, 2006;Reardon et al., 2006;Roy et al., 2003 (see also Parent & Beliveau, 2003); Schneider & Check, 2010;Schulte et al., 2003;Sinclair et al., 2013]. Some approaches explicitly noted that knowledge brokers 1 were involved in transferring the knowledge (see also Kramer et al., 2004); (see also Kramer et al., 2010); Kramer et al., 2013;Sinclair et al., 2013]. There were also some approaches that described involving practitioners or workplace parties in transferring the evidence [Elkind et al., 2002;Roy et al., 2003 (see also Parent & Beliveau, 2003); Sinden & MacDermid, 2014]. ...
... This type of direct contact occurred because audience members were involved in research studies (e.g. Baines, 2007;Carlan et al., 2012;Kramer et al., 2004Kramer et al., , 2013Sinden & MacDermid, 2014) or meetings were specifically noted as part of the KTE approach [Castillo et al., 2006;(see also Chapman, et al., 2003, 2008, 2010; Mayhew, 1997;Roy et al., 2003 (see also Parent & Beliveau, 2003)]. The KTE approaches were tailored to the audience and context making each approach unique. ...
Workplace injury and illness can be burdensome for workers and workplaces regardless of jurisdiction. The notion of research to practice is important in health and safety research. The objective of this article is to describe and synthesize the literature describing knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) approaches relevant to workplaces. A rapid review of the literature was done. Search strategies were run in eight electronic databases. Documents describing a KTE approach for workplaces were reviewed. Data related to key aspects of the KTE approach as well as conceptual guidance were extracted and synthesized. Literature searches revealed 34 documents that described 23 different KTE approaches designed to reach workplace audiences. Many KTE approaches were guided by conceptual frameworks. Common elements related to audience, activities and impact were found to guide future KTE approaches. Including workplace parties as an audience in a multi-faceted approach are important principles of KTE for health and safety.
... While the larger study sought to examine effects of study participation between the control and intervention sites [18], this qualitative study sought to explore perspectives on facilitators and barriers to EBPH generally across the sample of 12 state health departments. Figure 1 shows a map of state health department EBPH capacity building informed by a literature review, the work of Kramer and Cole, and study team findings [2,11,21,22]. The study obtained human subjects exempt approval from the Washington University Institutional Review Board. ...
Evidence-based public health (EBPH) practice, also called evidence-informed public health, can improve population health and reduce disease burden in populations. Organizational structures and processes can facilitate capacity-building for EBPH in public health agencies. This study involved 51 structured interviews with leaders and program managers in 12 state health department chronic disease prevention units to identify factors that facilitate the implementation of EBPH. Verbatim transcripts of the de-identified interviews were consensus coded in NVIVO qualitative software. Content analyses of coded texts were used to identify themes and illustrative quotes. Facilitator themes included leadership support within the chronic disease prevention unit and division, unit processes to enhance information sharing across program areas and recruitment and retention of qualified personnel, training and technical assistance to build skills, and the ability to provide support to external partners. Chronic disease prevention leaders’ role modeling of EBPH processes and expectations for staff to justify proposed plans and approaches were key aspects of leadership support. Leaders protected staff time in order to identify and digest evidence to address the common barrier of lack of time for EBPH. Funding uncertainties or budget cuts, lack of political will for EBPH, and staff turnover remained challenges. In conclusion, leadership support is a key facilitator of EBPH capacity building and practice. Section and division leaders in public health agencies with authority and skills can institute management practices to help staff learn and apply EBPH processes and spread EBPH with partners.
... The conceptual model was developed specifically for workplace-based, knowledge-translation occupational health and safety initiatives [21][22][23][24]. The constructs included in the model are described in Table 1. ...
Background:
Ontario's occupational health and safety prevention system has identified a need for the systematic collection of occupational exposure data for ongoing surveillance and targeted prevention initiatives.
Objectives:
To examine the feasibility of collecting occupational exposure information within a primary-care clinical setting.
Methods:
Five healthcare centres were recruited. Working patients answered basic occupational exposure questions. Clinicians reviewed the answers with patients. Answers were entered into the patient's electronic medical records (EMR). A knowledge broker supported the clinics throughout the trial with background information and linking to occupational expertise. Interviews with administrators and clinicians examined the usefulness of the survey to primary care, the barriers and facilitators, and sought suggestions for sustaining the practice. A cross-case analysis, framed by a conceptual framework, was conducted from the feedback.
Results:
Themes highlighted the importance of clinicians and administrator buy-in, the perceived relevance of occupational exposures to primary care clinicians and the patient population, and the need for clinicians to feel confident about the health impact and relevance of occupational exposures to presenting clinical problems.
Conclusion:
Clinicians ask work exposure-related questions when patients have a health concern that the clinicians suspect may be related to a work exposure. No clear clinical purpose for routinely asking exposure questions emerged.
... In this era of increasing accountability for social services, there has been an ongoing search for ways to model evidence-informed practice, create learning environments, construct knowledge-sharing communities, and promote a culture of ongoing practice improvement to support the capacities of practitioners to integrate research and practice (Austin, Dal Santo, & Lee, 2012;Gray, 2009;Plath, 2014;Raffel, Lee, Dougherty, & Greene, 2013). Some of the knowledge brokering tasks needed to strengthen the development of learning organizations include the capacity to (1) identify, evaluate, and translate research for use in different practice settings (Jackson-Bowers, Kalucy, & McIntyre, 2006;Lomas, 2007;Meyer, 2010;Waring, Currie, Crompton, & Bishop, 2013); (2) apply relevant research to specific practice settings (Jackson-Bowers et al., 2006;Kramer, Cole, & Leithwood, 2004;Lomas, 2007;Meyer, 2010;Waring et al., 2013); (3) build research-focused relationships between practitioners and researchers (Jackson-Bowers et al., 2006;Lomas, 2007; (4) build the research capacity of staff (Meyer, 2010;Rivard et al., 2010;Traynor, DeCorby, & Dobbins, 2014); and (5) manage research resources and data (Jackson-Bowers et al., 2006). ...
Social workers have an ethical obligation to the consumers and communities they serve to draw on practice-relevant research evidence in planning and executing interventions. A model for using evidence in social work practice is proposed, which rests on a foundation of competence in the common factors of helping relationships. The model integrates the use of evidenced-informed resources in executing a treatment plan created through a modified evidence-based practice process. This practice framework is presented, followed by a discussion of how relevant training can be incorporated into generalist and specialist educational curricula while fulfilling requirements of the Council on Social Work Education accreditation standards.
... The conceptual model was developed specifically for workplace-based, knowledge-translation occupational health and safety initiatives [21][22][23][24]. The constructs included in the model are described in Table 1. ...
... Finally, to overcome the inherent difficulty in implementing and adapting interventions to local contexts, this study's workplace interventions were supported by knowledge brokers who were members of the research team. Although the effectiveness of knowledge brokers was deemed to need more research (Bornbaum et al., 2015), others (Elueze, 2015;Kramer et al., 2004) have found that having knowledge brokers facilitate the intervention on behalf of the research team to be an effective implementation strategy. ...
Outdoor workers have a higher risk for skin cancers and heat stress. Workplaces need solutions relevant to their needs, proven to be effective in the real-world, and trialed in workplace settings. This article examines a workplace-based knowledge transfer and exchange intervention project, called Sun Safety at Work Canada. The objective was to have sun exposure included as a hazard within the workplaces’ health and safety management systems. Knowledge brokers from the research team engaged intensively and supported workplaces in the municipal and electrical-utility sectors to enhance sun safety for their outdoor workers. They provided assessment and feedback, sun safety resources, and sun safety training. The adoption of sun safety programs and practices was evaluated three times, in 12 workplaces, across three Canadian provinces. The intervention, interview questions and analyses were based upon an Organization Implementation Model. This article focuses on the barriers and facilitators to the adoption of sun safety, elements of the knowledge transfer and exchange intervention, and influences from the external environment. Over 40 h of interview data with workplace champions and key informants were analyzed using matrix-based methods and thematic coding. Barriers and facilitators to adoption included: the priority given to sun exposure as an occupational hazard; the workplaces’ available resources; the ability to engage key supervisors and workers; aspects of the intervention; and assistance from the knowledge brokers. The lack of provincial occupational health and safety legislation specific to ultraviolet exposure, and the regional climate also affected adoption. This intervention process is applicable to other hazards in occupational settings.
... There are numerous theories and frameworks in D&I science that can inform the development of a model for measuring EBDM in the SHD setting (Tabak, Khoong, Chambers, & Brownson, 2012). These include diffusion of innovations, theories for knowledge transfer and exchange in work settings, and institutional theory (Kramer & Cole, 2003;Kramer, Cole, & Leithwood, 2004;Kramer et al., 2013;March & Olsen, 1983;North, 1990;Rogers, 2003;Scott, 2008). While there has been some previous research in conceptualizing and developing theory-based measures for studying dissemination and implementation of EBI's in public health organizational settings (Barrett, Plotnikoff, Raine, & Anderson, 2005;Elliott et al., 2003;Stamatakis et al., 2012;Yousefi-Nooraie, Dobbins, & Marin, 2014), there are few measurement scales for EBDM that have been empirically tested in these settings and mapped closely to a conceptual framework. ...
... The resulting factors from the final CFA model aligned with several constructs previously suggested as being important for knowledge transfer in organizational settings, providing some support that the theoretical bases for our measures development was reflected in the final measurement model. For example, our factors representing capacity to conduct evaluation and access to evidence and resources to support EBDM correspond to previously proposed work unit resources, and factors representing expectation and incentive for using EBDM and participatory decision making reflect previously proposed characteristics of workplace context (Allen et al., 2013, adapted from Kramer & Cole, 2003Kramer et al., 2013;Kramer et al., 2004). In addition, the factors align with priorities of the national public health accreditation program, and thus provide a set of research-tested measures that may be of interest to public health agencies seeking ways to gauge improvements in their organizations' functions (Public Health Accreditation Board, 2013). ...
