The UK Experience by Malcolm Morley*
It is always interesting when academics, management consultants and practitioners come together to discuss issues. Academics are looking for how existing theoretical models are reinforced by the evidence available or where there is a gap in knowledge. Management consultants are looking for gaps in knowledge and opportunities in the marketplace and practitioners are looking for opportunities to share their problems and to gain solutions.
I recently chaired a day long seminar for the Government’s Communities and Local Government Department where this heady mix of people was brought together.
I represent the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives on the national Steering Group evaluating the Local Government modernising agenda and have experience as an academic, as a management consultant and in the private sector. This unusual combination of experience enables me to put the contributions of each sector into perspective. My role is to act as the critical friend to ensure that the focus remains on how research/consultancy will make a difference for practitioners in making a difference for their communities.
The seminar was designed to identify the evidence base gaps required to be filled to facilitate the evaluation of the outcome and effectiveness of new initiatives allied to the Local Government White Paper. It was also designed to identify how the academics, management consultants, practitioners and Government can work in partnership to achieve the ambitions of the White Paper.
The day was designed in common with many such days on the basis of a scene setting introduction, keynote speeches, workshops, and a plenary session. With over 200 delegates a variety of views were guaranteed. Views ranged from an expression that the research that had been carried out to date was neither interesting nor exciting, to the need for further expensive long term research projects to evaluate policy impacts and learning. I’m sure that you can probably hazard a pretty good guess about the backgrounds of those expressing these two views!
At the end of the day I was able to sum up on the basis that research is a means to an end and not an end in itself. When initiating and evaluating research the key is the difference it is going to make in practice. Can people learn from the research and apply it to make a difference in their own contexts? Local Government in England is being challenged on three fronts. These are the state of local democracy, the effectiveness of community leadership/engagement and the delivery of performance/value for money.
It seems to me that research most practically needs to focus on these three areas.
Perhaps its time for Government, regulatory bodies and all of those that commission research nationally to work together to focus on the real challenges being faced by Councils. In this way the outputs of the investment in research will be maximised and more practical outcomes will be achieved that can really help Councils to respond positively to the challenges that they face. This will only happen, however, if Councils engage with and influence the research agenda.
*Malcolm Morley is Chief Executive of Harlow District Council and can be contacted via the Editor, email info@lgfocus.com.au The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of his employer.
