Demand-driven science: the role of knowledge partnerships in improving the public value of conservation science

近年来，保护科学家已经认识到与学术界以外的利益攸关方建立伙伴关系以创新和实现可衡量的保护成果的重要性。知识伙伴关系是一种能够促进公共价值成果的知识生产形式。虽然公共价值是科学和创新政策研究和管理中的一个重要概念，但关于机构之间的伙伴关系如何提供公共价值的研究很少，特别是在保护科学方面。我们建议研究如何以及何时将保护知识的供求联系起来。我们特别要研究的是，1)知识的需求通过什么机制为保护方面的科学生产和供应提供信息？2)知识伙伴关系在连接保护知识的供应和需求方面发挥了什么作用，这些伙伴关系的设计对它们提供公共价值的能力有什么影响？3)如何设计研究项目和知识伙伴关系，以避免公共价值失灵，改善科学生产和使用之间的联系，从而增加科学活动的公共价值？我们提议的研究建立在我们最近关于保护科学中公共价值结果供应决定因素的工作基础上。通过分析知识用户的经验和知识伙伴关系作为一种独特的组织形式所固有的可能性，我们的目标是了解最适合促进需求驱动的保护科学的组织结构。我们提出的研究将为在保护科学和相关领域实现和提高公共价值成果提供一个模型和工具。公共价值成功指标的确定可直接翻译并适用于政府、私营和非营利组织。这项研究将为如何为公共价值设计知识伙伴关系提供指导方针，并将提供新的机构伙伴关系模式，以解决生物多样性保护的复杂社会和生态问题，从而实现相关、文化敏感、经济可行和灵活的解决方案。我们拟议的研究将为在保护科学的生产中最大化公共价值结果提供一种基于证据的方法。在研究中实现公共价值成果需要构建科学研究合作，以满足既定的知识需求，而不是生产没有需求的知识。研究中的公共价值成果还需要组织机构，为公共价值成果提供激励；以及根据记录的具有最佳成功潜力的方法，为产生影响的研究方案和合作进行结构和规模调整。在审查将知识使用者与知识生产者联系起来的交流和翻译过程时，我们将特别关注那些经常没有被纳入这些过程的人。以创造公共价值为指导原则，我们将为研究项目、合作伙伴关系和知识生产组织的设计提供经验教训。我们将制定一个框架，以了解如何将科学研究过程转变为更包容利益相关者，并改善科学生产和使用之间的联系，从而增加科学活动的公共价值。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

In recent years, conservation scientists have recognized the importance of partnerships with stakeholders outside of academe to innovate and realize measurable conservation outcomes. Knowledge partnerships represent a form of knowledge production that can advance public value outcomes. While public value is an important concept in science and innovation policy research and management, there is little research on how partnerships between institutions can deliver public value, especially in conservation science. We propose to study how and when the supply of and demand for conservation knowledge are linked. In particular, we seek to examine, 1) What are the mechanisms by which the demand for knowledge informs the production and supply of science in conservation?; 2) What role do knowledge partnerships play in linking the supply of and demand for conservation knowledge, and what effect does the design of these partnerships have on their ability to deliver public value?; and 3) How can research projects and knowledge partnerships be designed to avoid public value failures, improve the connection between the production and use of science, and thus increase the public value of scientific activity? Our proposed research builds on our recent work on determinants of the supply of public value outcomes in conservation science. By analyzing experiences of knowledge users and the possibilities inherent in knowledge partnerships as a distinct organizational form, we aim to understand the organizational configurations best suited for facilitating demand-driven conservation science. Our proposed research will provide a model and tools for achieving and enhancing public value outcomes in conservation science and related fields. The identification of indicators of public value success is directly translatable and adaptable to governmental, private and non-profit organizations. This research will provide guidelines on how to design knowledge partnerships for public value and will offer new models of institutional partnerships to address complex social and ecological aspects of biodiversity conservation, thus enabling solutions that are relevant, culturally sensitive, economically viable and nimble.Our proposed research will provide an evidence-based approach for maximizing public value outcomes in the production of conservation science. Realizing public value outcomes in research entails structuring scientific research collaborations to meet established knowledge needs rather than producing knowledge for which there is no demand. Public value outcomes in research also entails structuring institutions to provide incentives for public value outcomes; and structuring and scaling research programs and collaborations for impact based upon approaches documented to have the best potential for success. In examining the communication and translation processes that link knowledge users to knowledge producers, we will focus specifically on those who often have not been included in these processes. With public value creation as the guiding principle, we will uncover lessons for the design of research projects, partnerships and knowledge-producing organizations. We will produce a framework for understanding how the processes of scientific research can be transformed to be more inclusive of stakeholders and improve the connection between the production and use of science, thus increasing the public value of scientific activity.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.