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How do researchers approach societal impact?
Benedikt Fecher1,2, Marcel Hebing1,3
1Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany.
Plos One
|July 9, 2021
Summary
Academic researchers view societal engagement as integral to their work and support impact evaluation. However, they perceive limited institutional prioritization and communication reach for societal impact, highlighting disciplinary and organizational differences.
Area of Science:
- Science and Technology Studies
- Sociology of Science
- Research Policy
Background:
- The societal impact of research is a growing area of focus in research governance.
- Academic researchers, a key group in research, have received limited attention regarding their perspectives on societal impact.
- Understanding researchers' views is crucial for effective research impact strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine academic researchers' approaches to societal impact.
- To investigate researchers' perceptions of societal impact in research governance.
- To analyze researchers' societal goals and communication strategies.
Main Methods:
- An empirical survey was conducted among 499 researchers in Germany.
- Data were collected between April and June 2020.
- A communication-centered approach was utilized.
Main Results:
- Most researchers consider societal engagement part of their job and favor impact evaluation.
- Few researchers believe societal impact is a high institutional priority or that communication departments effectively reach stakeholders.
- Societal goals and communication formats vary significantly across disciplines and organizational types.
Conclusions:
- Research assessment needs to be sensitive to disciplinary and organizational context factors.
- Findings support the hypothesis that context influences the effectiveness of societal impact strategies.
- The study contributes empirical evidence to the science-society discourse.
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