Social Interaction Between Policy-Makers and Social Scientists.

Abstract

This is a companion report to an earlier analysis of the gap between knowledge and decision-making. In that paper, the emphasis was on the intellectual components of this gap. By contrast, the present paper treats the social aspects of the interaction between social scientist and policy-maker. Use of knowledge is seen as a process in which there are several distinguishable phases with their own social requirements. Thus, sociologists or policy-makers can be initiators of research. As the project moves along, there is a division of labor and control between the two partners. When the point of recommending is reached, many complex factors facilitate or impede implementation of the social scientist's suggestions. The nature of various misunderstandings and misplaced communications are discussed in some detail. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1973
Accession Number
AD0764857

Entities

People

  • Jeffrey G. Reitz

Organizations

  • Columbia University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Contrast
  • Explosive Devices
  • Explosives Initiators
  • Igniters
  • Ignition Systems
  • Mental Processes
  • Scientists

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Economics
  • Educational Psychology
  • Systems Analysis and Design