Study to establish a methodology to assess the societal impact of research and research-based innovation June 2021 Study to establish a methodology to assess the societal impact of research and research- based innovation A study commissioned by the Research Council Norway www.technopolis-group.com June 2021 Study to establish a methodology to assess the societal impact of research and research-bas. [...] This is presented in Section 3 and has served to inform Section 4 of this final report (pilot exercise) • D4 Methodological report – This report presented the methodological approach followed to implement two pilots to collect empirical data in the context of the study to establish a methodology to assess the societal impact of research and research-based innovation, commissioned by RCN to Technop. [...] Study to establish a methodology to assess the societal impact of research and research-based innovation 6 Figure 2 presents the results from this analysis and shows the extent to which one should expect a specific portfolio to contribute to one or more of the nine impact pathways listed in the framework. [...] The systemic perspective introduces a complication in the form of the ‘attribution problem’: if the impact of an intervention (including doing research) results from the interaction between the intervention and its context, it is no longer possible to attribute the entire impact to the intervention. [...] 14 (accessed in November 2020) Study to establish a methodology to assess the societal impact of research and research-based innovation 27 The uptake pathways act as proxies to the different channels of impact of RCN-funded knowledge outputs.
Authors
- Pages
- 87
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- United Kingdom
Table of Contents
- 1 Introduction 6
- 1.1 This study 6
- 1.2 This report 6
- 2 Developing a framework for RCN 8
- 2.1 Societal challenges in Norway 8
- 2.2 An impact framework 10
- 2.3 RCN portfolio and societal challenges 11
- 3 Overall conceptual approach 15
- 3.1 Measuring impact of research and innovation activities 15
- 3.2 A conceptual framework for understanding (systemic) change 17
- 3.3 Addressing the distinct nature of the relationship between research and impact 18
- 3.4 The two overall approaches 19
- 4 A data-driven pilot exercise 22
- 4.1 Methodology for tracing effects 22
- 4.1.1 Pillar 1 23
- 4.1.1.1 Approach 23
- 4.1.1.2 Data sources 24
- 4.1.1.3 Indicators 26
- 4.1.1.4 Limitations 27
- 4.1.2 Pillar 2 27
- 4.1.2.1 Approach 27
- 4.1.2.2 Data sources 28
- 4.1.2.3 Indicators 31
- 4.1.2.4 Limitations 31
- 4.1.3 Pillar 3 32
- 4.1.3.1 Approach 32
- 4.1.3.2 Data sources 33
- 4.1.3.3 Indicators 35
- 4.1.3.4 Limitations 36
- 4.2 Methodology for operationalising the impact pathways 37
- 4.3 Results 39
- 4.3.1 RCN portfolio (Pillar 1) 40
- 4.3.2 Publications (Pillar 2) 42
- 4.3.3 Uptake of knowledge outputs (Pillar 3) 45
- 4.3.3.1 Overview 45
- 4.3.3.2 Technological influence 46
- 4.3.3.3 Mass media communication and coverage and knowledge sharing 48
- 4.3.3.3.1 Wikipedia 48
- 4.3.3.3.2 Blogs and news 49
- 4.3.3.4 Policy influence 50
- 5 Lessons learned and recommendations 55
- 5.1 Lessons learned from pilot 55
- 5.1.1 Recommended steps for reproducing the analysis 55
- 5.1.2 Limitations and caveats 56
- 5.2 Recommendations for future M&E 58
- 5.2.1 Building upon this data driven approach 58
- 5.2.2 Other approaches to measuring impact on societal challenges 59
- 5.2.2.1 Theory-based evaluation 59
- 5.2.2.2 ‘Packaged’ approaches 61
- 5.2.2.3 Meta-evaluation 62
- 5.2.2.4 Impact case studies 63
- 5.2.2.5 Econometric methods 64
- Appendix A Analysis of RCN portfolio and links to societal challenges 66
- Appendix B Pipeline of analysis 73
- B.1 Data sources 73
- B.2 Codes and pipeline 74
- Appendix C Classification - media topics 76
- Appendix D Analytical framework for impact case studies 80
- Appendix E Literature review references 85
