New Proposals for Generating and Exploiting Solution-Oriented Knowledge

Abstract

The claim that professional social work should be based on scientific knowledge is many decades old with knowledge transfer usually moving in the direction from science to practice. The authors critique this model of knowledge transfer and support a hybrid one that places more of an emphasis on professional knowledge and action occurring in the real world. The authors particularly focus on the organizational contexts in which social work practice occurs in presenting a model of cooperative knowledge formation.

Connecting Research to Action: Perspectives on Research Utilisation

“…Secondly, despite the emergence of some models that integrate both researcher and user communities in iterative processes of knowledge co-production and utilisation (Gredig and Sommerfeld, 2008;Nutley et al, 2003), our analysis highlights that most approaches still denote a linear movement of research to practice, albeit one entailing communicative or iterative processes. These approaches to research utilisation have yet to be tested for their effectiveness in connecting research and action.…”

A model of cooperation: the Pact op Zuid information system

“…As an example of the recalculation we use, the score for the borough of Feijenoord (6.3) is compared to the average for Rotterdam (7.6), which results in a score of (6. In adopting the concept of the "cooperative knowledge production" (Gredig & Summerfeld, 2008) one might suspect that there was no friction between the objectives of researchers and those of interventionists, but this is untrue.…”

“…Building a common information system that is valid for all is complicated. Gredig & Summerfeld's (2008) concept of cooperative knowledge production on action was a helpful starting point in the process of information system management. A circular model, honouring the important role of both practice and research in knowledge development (Steyeart, Spierings & Autant Dorier, in press) is promising.…”

“…Why is the concept of "cooperative knowledge production" (Gredig & Summerfeld, 2008) important? There is ample evidence to suggest that innovation -new ideas put into daily practicefrequently derives from social networks involving both science and practice.…”

“…A circular model, honouring the important role of both practice and research in knowledge development (Steyeart, Spierings & Autant Dorier, in press) is promising. Furthermore, cooperative knowledge production (Gredig & Summerfeld, 2008) combines well with the ideology and practice of sustainable development. Both involve multiple partners, shared targets and an aspect of creating and maintaining multi-agency support.…”