@article {bnh-7165, title = {Implementing research to support disaster risk reduction}, journal = { Australian Journal of Emergency Management}, volume = {35}, year = {2020}, month = {07/2020}, pages = {54-61}, abstract = {

One of the challenges facing disaster risk reduction is the gap between research and practice. Despite the considerable investment in publicly funded and commissioned disaster risk reduction research, the application of research findings to operational practice often lags, if implemented at all. This paper addresses the need to understand the antecedents of implementation and identifies activities involved in the research utilisation process. This paper reports on findings that led to the development of a research utilisation maturity matrix that encompasses four levels of maturity being: basic, developing, established and leading. This study involved collaboration and discussion with emergency services practitioners and a conceptual model of the elements needed to support implementation of research was identified. This model suggests that the four elements play key roles in effective implementation. The study gathered information from emergency services practitioners and their stakeholders about the meaning of the research findings and what, if anything, needed to change. The study{\textquoteright}s findings can help emergency services personnel assess organisational practices to improve research utilisation within the emergency sector and contribute to greater disaster risk reduction outcomes.

}, keywords = {Disaster risk reduction, Research utilisation}, url = {https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/ajem-july-2020-implementing-research-to-support-disaster-risk-reduction/}, author = {Owen, Christine and Noreen Krusel and Loriana Bethune} } @article {bnh-5745, title = {Restorative inquiries and natural disasters - symposium report}, number = {495}, year = {2019}, month = {07/2019}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

In October 2016, the Policies Institutions and Governance of Natural Hazards research project released a discussion paper on {\textquoteleft}Learning for emergency services, looking for a new approach{\textquoteright}. As a result of feedback on that paper a forum was held to discuss the use of restorative practices in post event inquiries.
This forum, held at the Universtiy of Newcastle, identified that:

Communities and people need to be at the centre of the process. Those affected need to be involved in designing the process and taking responsibilities for implementing the learning. In traditional inquiries the inquiry decides what is important, makes meaning from the evidence and hands down its recommendations to others. It does not have responsibility to implement the recommendations and the findings may not be about what matters to those involved.

This report summarises the presentations and their findings to stimulate agencies and governments to think about alternative ways to conduct post event inquiries.

}, keywords = {communities, inquiries, Research utilisation}, issn = {495}, author = {Michael Eburn} } @article {bnh-4571, title = {How emergency services organisations can {\textendash} and do {\textendash} utilise research}, journal = {Australian Journal of Emergency Management}, volume = {33}, year = {2018}, month = {01/2018}, abstract = {

In emergency management organisations, the drive to use research to inform practice has been growing for some time. This paper discusses findings from a survey used to investigate perceived effectiveness of a number of important processes in research utilisation. In 2016, a survey was completed\  by 266 respondents in 29 fire and emergency services agencies. Questions sought answers on perceived effectiveness in disseminating research within agencies, assessing and evaluating the impacts on agency practice of the research, implementing agency changes that may be needed, monitoring processes to track changes and communicate outcomes of changes made as a result of research. The study found that there were differences in levels of perceived effectiveness between those in senior management and front-line service positions. The differences suggest that front-line services personnel have lower levels of perceived effectiveness in how research is disseminated. The study also found agencies had different approaches to keep up-to-date with research advances. An examination of the activities identified four developmental levels of research utilisation maturity. The findings suggest more work is needed to better understand the enablers and constraints to utilising research to support development of evidence-informed practice.

}, keywords = {Emergency management, lessons management, Research utilisation, research., teamwork}, url = {https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/ajem-apr-2018-how-emergency-services-organisations-can-and-do-utilise-research/}, author = {Owen, Christine} } @article {bnh-6761, title = {Opportunities and constraints identified in existing frameworks in use for organisational learning}, number = {543}, year = {2018}, month = {12/2018}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

This deliverable is adapted from the Owen, Bethune \& Krusel (2018) Report on Research Utilisation Review. This review was a collaboration between AFAC, the BNHCRC and the Decision tools project {\textendash} organisational learning stream. The review included previous data collection about use of BNHCRC tools (e.g., websites, hazard notes) as well as the opportunity to collect data nationally to inform the Decision Making tools organisational learning stream. That included the work further developing and validating a research utilisation matrix and to identify opportunities and constraints in agencies for organisational learning.

The analysis reported here continues to be further advanced in discussions with the Knowledge Innovation and Research Utilisation Network (KIRUN) where the findings were presented in August 2018. Based on that consultation work continues to be advanced to establish the next deliverable:

Framework synthesising existing agency practice in assessing and evaluating evidence that may require organisational learning and change{\textquotedblright}. The further development will also facilitate the development of papers for publication.

}, keywords = {data, Emergency management, organisational learning, Research utilisation}, issn = {543}, author = {Owen, Christine} }