Organizational Influence on Knowledge Co-production

Author

Evora Dakota Glenn, University of Montana, MissoulaFollow

Year of Award

2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Name

Resource Conservation

Department or School/College

W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

Committee Chair

Laurie Yung

Commitee Members

Carina Wyborn, Daniel Williams, Neva Hassanein

Keywords

Co-production, social-ecological systems, decision-making, natural resource management

Subject Categories

Forest Management

Abstract

Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches are needed to effectively address the challenges facing our complex social-ecological systems. To meet this need, many approaches, including co-production, have been proposed to overcome the difficult relationship between science and governance, often termed a ‘gap’, which can continue to impede natural resource problem solving. Co-production is an iterative process that engages scientists, managers, and community members in knowledge creation and problem solving. Evidence indicates that participants are more likely to view co-produced knowledge as more salient, legitimate, and credible, and that they are more likely to use it. Evidence also indicates that this iterative and inclusive process can foster relationships between participants that enhance their ability to collaborate going forward. Despite these potential benefits, siloed and ‘static’ approaches to natural resource science and management can create organizational structures and cultures that are not conducive to collaborative research processes like co-production. This study focuses on seven co-production case studies to examine how organizational structures and cultures within the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) enable or constrain co-production processes and their subsequent outcomes. In-depth interviews with participants indicate that by adjusting performance evaluations to value the time and energy that collaborative work requires, as well as by adjusting funding to compensate for this additional time, RMRS could enhance their support of scientists’ engagement in collaborative process like co-production. However, participants also indicate that RMRS may have to invest in more scientists overall, especially those that focus on addressing management needs, to enhance their capacity as an organization to engage in co-production processes.

Recommended Citation

Glenn, Evora Dakota, "Organizational Influence on Knowledge Co-production" (2020). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 11582.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/11582