Book chapter
Towards Impact: Best Practice in Community and Stakeholder Engagement
The Impactful Academic: Building a Research Career That Makes a Difference, pp.69-82
Surviving and Thriving in Academia, Emerald Publishing
2022
Abstract
As academics, quantitative and/or qualitative methods are at the heart of the research we conduct and the insights we seek to share with the world. However, this does not always translate into impactful engagement for the stakeholders and communities we engage with, despite the evidence that indicates the potential to do so. One of the critical ways that academics can generate impact is through community and stakeholder engagement – developing networks and external partnerships that work collaboratively to generate change. Research indicates that more participatory methods of engagement where stakeholders can co-create solutions have the greatest transformational potential for impact. The key to differentiating meaningful and impactful stakeholder engagement from distinct concepts such as communication or consultation is understanding the level of influence the stakeholder will have on the decision. This chapter provides a practical guide for academics to build their practice in impactful engagement throughout their career through eight simple steps. Using the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) spectrum of public participation, an example of how engagement methods can be selected to build impactful engagement skills throughout the academic career is illustrated. Impactful engagement has the capacity to bring diverse voices and perspectives together to shape decisions and change, and in so doing, create greater impact.
Details
- Title
- Towards Impact: Best Practice in Community and Stakeholder Engagement
- Authors
- Caroline Osborne (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Sustainability Research Centre
- Contributors
- Wade Kelly (Editor) - Monash University
- Publication details
- The Impactful Academic: Building a Research Career That Makes a Difference, pp.69-82
- Series
- Surviving and Thriving in Academia
- Publisher
- Emerald Publishing
- DOI
- 10.1108/978-1-80117-842-620221006; 10.1108/9781801178426
- ISBN
- 9781801178426; 9781801178440
- Organisation Unit
- Community Engagement; Sustainability Research Centre; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99666998102621
- Output Type
- Book chapter
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