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How do institutional conditions influence research use by policy makers?
Jakob Edler1,2, Maria Karaulova1, Erlend Osland Simensen3,4
1Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, Germany.
Evidence & Policy : a Journal of Research, Debate and Practice
|January 9, 2026
Summary
Institutional conditions significantly influence how policymakers use research. Encouraging factors, particularly informal encouragement and formal instruction, are key drivers for both short-term and long-term research application in policy.
Area of Science:
- Policy Studies
- Public Administration
- Organizational Behavior
Background:
- Effective research utilization in policy-making is crucial for addressing societal challenges.
- Understanding institutional influences on policy-maker research use remains limited.
- Existing knowledge focuses on individual preferences rather than structural factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how institutional conditions shape research use in policy-making.
- To analyze the relationship between specific institutional conditions and different types of research use.
- To identify which institutional factors are most impactful on research utilization.
Main Methods:
- Survey data collected from 1,606 respondents in Norwegian ministries and directorates.
- Analysis of policy makers' perceptions of four institutional conditions: formal instruction, financial/infrastructural support, peer environment, and informal encouragement.
- Examination of the association between these conditions and instrumental, conceptual, and symbolic research uses.
Main Results:
- Encouraging institutional conditions are stronger determinants of research use than enabling conditions.
- The distinction between formal and informal institutional conditions is significant.
- Formal instruction correlates with conceptual research use (long-term planning), while informal encouragement links to instrumental use (short-term tasks).
Conclusions:
- Institutional context plays a critical role in shaping research use by policymakers.
- Both formal and informal institutional factors impact research utilization, with different effects.
- Policy interventions aimed at enhancing research use should consider tailored approaches based on formal and informal encouragement strategies.
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