Unpacking Contexting and Institutionalizing as Complex Sustaining Practices Comment on "Sustaining Knowledge...

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Knowledge Translation
• Organizational Studies

Background:

• The concept of 'sustaining work' is introduced to describe efforts in maintaining health research use in policy and practice.
• Existing frameworks for sustaining work require deeper examination of specific practices like contexting and institutionalizing.
• Knowledge translation (KT) involves complex organizational change and diverse stakeholder perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically analyze the practices of contexting and institutionalizing within the framework of sustaining work in KT.
• To highlight the importance of understanding organizational change processes in health research utilization.
• To identify key elements for future research in improving sustaining work in KT.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of 'sustaining work' and its components.
• Discussion of KT as organizational change across and within institutions.
• Examination of actor diversity and institutional dynamics in research utilization.

Main Results:

• Contexting and institutionalizing are crucial but require further unpacking for effective sustaining work in KT.
• KT processes are influenced by actors with potentially conflicting views and institutional affiliations.
• Understanding diverse perspectives on research context is vital for successful knowledge application.

Conclusions:

• Deeper understanding of contexting and institutionalizing is necessary for advancing sustaining work in knowledge translation.
• Future KT research must account for organizational change, actor diversity, and institutional complexities.
• Improved strategies for sustaining health research use depend on addressing these nuanced factors.