Why Isn't Policy Research Used More By Decisionmakers?

This article appeared in the GAO Review, Vol. 15, Issue 1, Winter 1980. The availability of relevant, timely, objective, reliable, and valid research does not automatically ensure its use in decisionmaking. Recent evidence indicates that policymakers believe social science research can help them, but in practice, the translation of research results into usable products or problem solving techniques has been limited. The crucial factor in planning for utilization of research results is an interaction process between the decisionmakers and the policy researchers. GAO is interested in increased interaction in a variety of contexts but particularly in the relationship between Congress and the programs it authorizes. There is a growing consensus within the Congress on the need to improve its capability both to find out how well or poorly laws are working and to act through legislation on the basis of what it has learned. The major elements of a congressional oversight process for improving audit, evaluation and research utilization include: (1) a review schedule which can relate analytical efforts to coincide with congressional oversight timetables; (2) statements of legislative objectives for programs which can provide better criteria for assessing how well programs are working and whether alternative approaches may offer greater promise; and (3) establishing periodic performance reporting requirements which will be directly useful in committee reviews.