Tracing the Pathways from Research to Innovation: Evidence from Case Studies

Abstract

Summary The complex process through which agricultural research stimulates innovation and achieves policy goals has commonly been treated as a ‘black box’ in the scientific literature. Statistical correlations between measured expenditure and impacts, where satisfactorily established, have mostly led to details of the research and innovation system being ignored. However, identifying and exploring causal chains of impact propagation can strengthen agricultural innovation. IMPRESA investigated impact mechanisms for research‐based innovations in six case studies using a Participatory Impact Pathway Assessment approach. Several suggestions result for improving performance and public support for agricultural research. Planning for impact is needed at the design phase of research so that expected advances in technology and their consequences can be explored. At that stage and throughout the research process, soft social skills are required to promote uptake. Greater impact can be achieved through the close involvement of key public and private sector stakeholders, using stakeholder mapping as a supporting tool. There is a strong argument for the close involvement of relevant social scientists and professional facilitators from the design phase of research through to its ultimate impacts. Funding frameworks and the specification of calls for tenders would function more effectively by giving more flexibility for stakeholder engagement.

Engaging with research impact assessment for an environmental science case study

“…Context is a key driver of research impact 1,45 . Context can provide goals for research agendas and impact that feeds into ex ante assessments, or provide a lens through which to analyse the conditions within which certain impacts emerged and occurred as part of ex post assessment.…”

“…Impact can be probabilistically generated ex ante by the researcher(s) regularly placing themselves and their outputs in key locations or ‘rooms’ and in ‘moments’ where the chance of non-academic translation is high 47 . Context is also critical 45 . Economic, political, institutional, social and environmental conditions need to come together if an innovation or initiative is to ‘get off the ground’, gain traction and lead to impact (e.g., Fig.…”

“…Such impact mapping work cannot be undertaken quickly 44,45 . Lateral thinking is required about what research impact really means, moving beyond the perception in academia that outputs and outcomes equals impact 4,9,12 .…”

Circular Economy in Mountain Value Chains: The Case of Three PDO Cheeses

“…Public actors and local authorities provide the constitutional and structural framework for transitioning towards a CE. Previous work on agriculture research impact [25] shows that if a constitutional and structural framework for agriculture research aims at reaching out towards the local actors, the change and adoption of new approaches and technologies increases. This was also suggested by the evidence gathered among all cases studies that most of the respondents were interested in receiving support from research and outreach to become more informed about the circular economy principles and related technologies.…”

Quel rôle joue la recherche lors du développement d’une indication géographique ? Le cas particulier de l’AOP GRUYÈRE en Suisse

“…Les travaux sur les points techniques cruciaux pour la formulation des cahiers des charges sont très importants (Bérard et Marchenay, 1995 ;Hauwuy et al, 2000), ainsi que ceux portant sur la construction de connaissances et la capacité à innover (Petit et al, 2008 ;Toillier et al, 2018), et sur la construction de capacités organisationnelles (Cerdan et al, 2018 ;Faure et al, 2018Faure et al, , 2020) sous l'effet de la spirale de connaissance. Cela conforte et élargit les conclusions du projet européen IMPRESA, qui soulignent que les impacts directs constatés auprès des béné ciaires de la recherche s'accompagnent le plus souvent de changements dans la gouvernance, les conditions du marché, le cadre juridique et le soutien nancier (Barjolle et al, 2018).…”