Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This article examines the factors that influence academic–practitioner research partnerships at the state level. The state longitudinal data system (SLDS) offers the capacity to link client-level data across multiple state agencies, providing an unparalleled opportunity to facilitate data informed decision making across PreK–20 educational and workforce agencies. Analysis of sixty-nine qualitative interviews with agency administrators and university researchers in four SLDS states (Maryland, Texas, Virginia, and Washington) suggests that understanding organizational culture, combined with formal and informal factors, influences the quality and likely long-term sustainability of these efforts. Fostering effective partnerships is fundamental to advancing public-sector, data-driven decision making.

Keywords

research academic practitioner organizational culture

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Abrams

Lisa C.

Cross

Rob

Lesser

Eric

Levin

Daniel Z.

. 2003. Nurturing interpersonal trust in knowledge sharing networks. Academy of Management Executive 17:64–77.

Argyris

Chris

. 1982. Reasoning, learning and action. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Baranowski

Michael

. 2001. Legislative professionalism and influence on state agencies. Politics & Policy 29:147–61.

Battaglio

Paul

. 2008. University-based training programs for local elected officials in the southeast. State and Local Government Review 40:125–31.

Bolton

Michael

Stolcis

Gregory B.

. 2003. The ties that do not bind: Musings on the specious relevance of academic research. Public Administration Review 63:626–30.

Chao

Georgia T.

Moon

Henry

. 2005. The cultural mosaic: A metatheory for understanding the complexity of culture. Journal of Applied Psychology 90:1128–40.

Cross

Rob

Rice

Ronald E.

Parker

Andrew

. 2001. Information seeking in social context: Structural influences and receipt of informational benefits. IEEE Transactions 31:438–48.

Cunningham

Deborah H.

Wyckoff

Jim

. 2013. Policymakers and researchers schooling each other: Lessons in educational policy from New York. Education Finance and Policy 8:275–86.

Currall

Steven C.

Judge

Timothy A.

. 1995. Measuring trust between organizational boundary role persons. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 64:151–70.

10.

Data for Action. 2012. Focus on people to change data culture. Data Quality Campaign 12.

11.

Dometrius

Nelson C.

2002. Gubernatorial approval and administrative influence. State Politics & Policy Quarterly 2:251–67.

12.

Ferguson

Julie E.

2005. Bridging the gap between research and practice. Knowledge Management for Development Journal 1:46–54.

13.

Habermas

Jurgen

. 1972. Knowledge and human interest. London, UK: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.

14.

Hannan

Michael T.

Freeman

John

. 1984. Structural inertia and organizational change. American Sociological Review 49:149–64.

15.

Herbert

F. Ted

Brudney

Jeffrey L.

Wright

Deil S.

. 1983. Gubernatorial influence and state bureaucracy. American Politics Quarterly 11:243–64.

16.

Institute for Education Sciences. 2012a. P20 W data governance: Tips from the states. National Center for Education Statistics. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/slds/pdf/brief4_P_20W_DG.pdf (accessed August 2013).

17.

Institute for Education Sciences. 2012b. SLDS data use issue brief 2: Forming research partnerships with state and local education agencies. National Center for Education Statistics. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/slds/pdf/Data-Use-Issue-Brief-2_Research-Partnerships.pdf (accessed October, 2013).

18.

Jaworski

B. J.

2011. On managerial relevance. Journal of Marketing 75:211–24.

19.

Mayer

Roger C.

Davis

James H.

David Schoorman

. 1995. An integration model of organizational trust. Academy of Management Review 20:709–34.

20.

Newland

Chester A.

2000. The public administration review and ongoing struggles for connectedness. Public Administration Review 60:20–38.

21.

O’Reilly

Charles

Roberts

Karlene H.

. 1974. Information filtration in organizations: Three experiments. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 11:253–65.

22.

Orr

Kevin

Bennett

Mike

. 2012. Public administration scholarship and the politics of coproducing academic-practitioner research. Public Administration Review 72:487–96.

23.

Ospina

Sonia M.

Dodge

Jennifer

. 2005. It’s about time: Catching method up to the meaning: The usefulness of narrative inquiry in public administration research. Public Administrative Review 65:409–23.

24.

Penley

Larry E.

Hawkins

Brian

. 1985. Studying interpersonal communication in organizations: A leadership application. Academy of Management Journal 28:309–26.

25.

Posner

Paul L.

2009. The pracademic: An agenda for re-Engaging practitioners and academics. Public Budgeting and Finance 29:12–26.

26.

Raadschelders

Jos C. N.

2008. Understanding government: Four intellectual traditions in the study of public administration. Public Administration 86:925–49.

27.

Radin

Beryl A.

2010. Brenda Bryant: There is nothing more practical than a good theory. Public Administration Review 70:289–94.

28.

Radin

Beryl A.

2012. Reclaiming our past: Linking theory to practice. PS, January, 1–7.

29.

Schein

Edgar H.

1985. Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

30.

Shields

Patricia M.

2008. Rediscovering the taproot: Is classical pragmatism the route to renew public administration? Public Administration Review 68:205–21.

31.

Snow

Charley Percy

. 1959. The two cultures and scientific revolution. New York: Cambridge University Press.

32.

Waldo

Dwight

. 1977. And in Conclusion. Public Administration Review 37:315–18.

33.

Wang

Junfeng

Bunch

Beverly

Stream

Christopher

. 2013. Increasing the usefulness of academic scholarship for local government practitioners. State and Local Government Review 45:197–213.

34.

Zaheer

Akbar

McEvily

Bill

Perrone

Vincenzo

. 1998. Does trust matter? Exploring the effects of interorganizational and interpersonal trust on performance. Organization Science 9:141–59.

35.

Zand

Dale E.

1972. Trust and managerial problem solving. Administrative Science Quarterly 17:229–39.

Supplementary Material

Please find the following supplemental material available below.

For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.

For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.

0.00 MB

0.08 MB

0.21 MB