Knowledge Transformation in the Third Sector: Plotting Practical Ways to Have an Impact

Abstract

The Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC) in the UK is a unique initiative established in 2008 by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Office of the Third Sector (recently changed to the Office for Civil Society) and Barrow Cadbury Trust. Initially over a five year period it aims to develop a solid evidence and knowledge base about the third sector to inform policy and practice. TSRC, hosted by the Universities of Birmingham and Southampton has established mechanisms for knowledge transfer in the design and delivery of the research process, offering virtual as well as physical participatory spaces for knowledge exchange to occur. This paper explains TSRC’s policy approach to knowledge exchange based on current definitions, theories and models of knowledge transfer. The paper details some of the initial reflections from the approach used by the Centre to engage with, and involve nonacademic stakeholders in knowledge exchange through its formal structures and the activities of the knowledge exchange team. The paper presents, a Knowledge Exchange Impact Matrix (KEIM) (adapted from Arnstein’s ‘Ladder of participation’) which plots different types of TSRC knowledge exchange activities based on: the extent of meaningful knowledge exchange; and the number of stakeholders engaged. The paper ends by exploring TSRC’s planned methods for monitoring and evaluating TSRC’s knowledge exchange activities and how these support research reach and impact.