measuring development effects of agricultural research - prof. l. k. vaswani

7/31/2019 Measuring Development Effects of Agricultural Research - Prof. L. K. Vaswani

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CASE STUDY METHODOLOGIESCASE STUDY METHODOLOGIESCASE STUDY METHODOLOGIESCASE STUDY METHODOLOGIES(Opportunities for Case Study Research)(Opportunities for Case Study Research)(Opportunities for Case Study Research)(Opportunities for Case Study Research)

MEASURING DEVELOPMENT EFFECTSMEASURING DEVELOPMENT EFFECTSMEASURING DEVELOPMENT EFFECTSMEASURING DEVELOPMENT EFFECTS

OFOFOFOF

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCHAGRICULTURAL RESEARCHAGRICULTURAL RESEARCHAGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

Prof.Prof.Prof.Prof. L. K. Vaswani

KIIT School of Rural ManagementKIIT University, Bhubaneswar,

Orissa, India


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AGRICULTURALAGRICULTURALAGRICULTURALAGRICULTURAL

"RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT""RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT""RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT""RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT"

It is necessary to measure agricultural research in

terms of its contribution to development i.e. "researchfor development"

These calculations can help to improve agriculturalresearch investment decisions.

Other valid reasons for studying the developmenteffects of research arising from

Link between researchers work and probability of

useful outcomes in developmental termsAbility of decision-makers at national and

international levels to extract the greatest benefitfrom current and future investments in research.


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Research Outputs

Figure 1: TheFigure 1: TheFigure 1: TheFigure 1: The Research for DevelopmentResearch for DevelopmentResearch for DevelopmentResearch for Development (R for D) Process(R for D) Process(R for D) Process(R for D) ProcessHardie (1988)Hardie (1988)Hardie (1988)Hardie (1988)

DevelopmentDevelopmentDevelopmentDevelopmentEffectsEffectsEffectsEffects

Other

Factors

Other

knowledge

Research Resources

(Staff, Funds, Infrastructure)

Zone ofZone ofZone ofZone of

Concern ofConcern ofConcern ofConcern of

researchresearchresearchresearchsystemsystemsystemsystem

Zone of Influence ofZone of Influence ofZone of Influence ofZone of Influence of

Research systemResearch systemResearch systemResearch system


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Research Contributions To Development.Research Contributions To Development.Research Contributions To Development.Research Contributions To Development.

The agricultural research output most commonly

considered is probably the improved crop variety a tangible item and associated soft

knowledge. Also common are items of

hardware, such as seeders or crop driers. The useful outcomes in developmental terms

are sometimes overlooked in discussion of the

benefits from agricultural research. The research "impacts arising from the adoption

of knowledge outputs are equally important to

understand.


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Agricultural Research Impact & DevelopmentAgricultural Research Impact & DevelopmentAgricultural Research Impact & DevelopmentAgricultural Research Impact & Development

Agricultural research alone does not causedevelopment.

Other factors and knowledge to be applied inconjunction with research output in order for

development effect to be realised.

This feature of R for D process gives rise to themost common and serious difficulties with studies

on research "impact.

To establish cause and effect, and of attributingbenefits among the various possible contributing

factors.


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The Research for Development ProcessThe Research for Development ProcessThe Research for Development ProcessThe Research for Development Process

The process that involves

use of research resources

produce knowledge outputs

use of knowledge outputs to contribute todevelopment effects.


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Zone of Influence and Zone of Concern.Zone of Influence and Zone of Concern.Zone of Influence and Zone of Concern.Zone of Influence and Zone of Concern.

The entire R & D process is the Zone of

Concern of researchers with limited Zoneof Influence.

Zone of influence of research is smallerthan the zone of concern.

Thus researchers feel pressure to justify

their work in terms of development,without having any influence over many of

the factors that cause it to happen.


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Moving Technology from Researchers toMoving Technology from Researchers toMoving Technology from Researchers toMoving Technology from Researchers to

Growers.Growers.Growers.Growers.

Research activity can generate useful

knowledge.

There are complexities of moving the

technology from researchers into thehands of the growers.

At some point along the line, (the point

may vary, the frontier is hazy) the processmoves beyond the influence of the formal

research community.


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The R for D Process Is UncertainThe R for D Process Is UncertainThe R for D Process Is UncertainThe R for D Process Is Uncertain

Use of research resources for the production ofspecified outputs are < 1.

Disseminating output to the target users and carriesits share of constraints and uncertainty.

Use of research output to produce net positive effecton development, including desired equity goals, is

less certain still.

Regardless of relative sizes of the sequentialprobabilities, their cumulative (even if measured

and proven) can be quite small.


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Dealing with Uncertainty of Research

Impact

Researchers/Extension Personnel are confronted

with uncertainty in their environment while movingtechnologies from research farm to farmers field.

There is uncertainty because researchers

competencies are insufficient to meet thecomplexity of the environment.

A researcher can reduce the C-D gap through

``learning.


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Reducing the CReducing the CReducing the CReducing the C----D gap by ``LearningD gap by ``LearningD gap by ``LearningD gap by ``Learning....

CurrentCompetence

Researcher) Research forDevelopment

Research forScience/Knowledge

New Learning to fillCompetence- Difficult Gap

New Competence


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New Learnings

New learning has two aspects: the ``why and

the ``how The general idea of the ``why of individual

learning is depicted in Figure

The expression "bounded rationality" is used todenote the type of rationality that people (ororganizations) resort to when the environment inwhich they operate is too complex relative to theirlimited mental abilities.

Human behavior is intendedly rational, but onlylimitedly so"


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Why of Individual Learning

Complexity

Uncertainty Learning

Bounded Rationality


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The Inseparable Why and How

The ``why is relatively easy to address.

However, dealing with the ``why does notexplain the sometimes vast differences in theviews that people have on similar topics.

To explain such differences an answer to the``how is needed. By combining the inseparably related ``why and

the ``how questions concerning individuallearning some avenues for new insights arecreated.


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Case for Case Study ResearchCase for Case Study ResearchCase for Case Study ResearchCase for Case Study Research

MethodologiesMethodologiesMethodologiesMethodologies

To improve understanding of the R for D process,thereby contributing to the greater effectiveness ofcurrent research programs and projects or theirfuture replicates.

Research produces a range of useful outputs, not

just specific technologies; that its zone of influenceis limited and

Other factors need to be added to research outputfor it to have a positive development effect; that

research is to do with uncertainty, therefore some"dry holes" are inevitable and it is as important toknow what does not work as what does.


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Full appreciation of the case method

comes with recognition that it fits within thetraditions of qualitative research. The

qualitative approach to research has

features that differentiate it from the

quantitative research.

In qualitative research the researcher isactively involved in understanding thesituation and, in describing this

understanding, creates knowledge.


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On recognizing these differences, one can

appreciate that the qualitative research is asscholarly demanding as quantitative research.

The benefit of using qualitative research is that it

is better equipped than is quantitative researchto tackle certain problems.


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measuring development effects of agricultural research - prof. l. k. vaswani

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