Title: Assessing models of research utilisation for emergency management practice

Authors: Christine Owen; Noreen Krusel; Loriana Bethune

Addresses: College of Arts, Law and Education, University of Tasmania, Churchill Ave, Sandy Bay TAS 7004, Australia ' Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council, 340 Albert Street, East Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia ' Bushfire and Natural Hazards Co-operative Research Centre, 340 Albert Street, East Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia

Abstract: In Australian and New Zealand emergency management organisations, using research to inform practice has been increasing. However, models to inform utilisation remain untested. This paper assesses two models of research utilisation to inform the practice of emergency managers. These are the science-push/demand-pull model and a socially interactive organisational model. The paper discusses findings from a 2018 survey that was used to investigate the perceived effectiveness of research utilisation. The findings show that both models are positively associated with implementation of research utilisation and perceived organisational learning. However, the socially interactive organisational model was a better fit to predict these indicators. Of the social interaction variables, conversations and communities-of-practice were positively associated with utilisation. The findings show that more work is needed to understand the organisational conditions that facilitate successful implementation of research outcomes.

Keywords: research utilisation/utilisation; learning; emergency services organisations; evidence-informed practice; socially interactive organisational model; communities-of-practice.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2022.123166

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2022 Vol.31 No.4, pp.423 - 442

Received: 14 Jul 2020
Accepted: 11 Dec 2020
Published online: 01 Jun 2022 *

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