Communicating the Value of Research: Contractor's Final Report (2009) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 15-28
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 15 CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH-RELATED COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS LEADING TO PASSAGE OF SAFETEA-LU Introduction This chapter describes and assesses communication efforts to promote investment in transportation research programs during the passage of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 16 Education, and Training Reauthorization Coalition (RETRC) to retain a lobbyist to facilitate their advocacy for increased funding for existing UTCs.
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 17 Communicating National Values of Research Interviewees who were knowledgeable about what it takes to be "heard" on the Hill said that it was essential to communicate a broad vision and national message theme that illustrates the value of research to constituents and local agencies. Several interviewees mentioned that chances for success were enhanced if the many diverse voices throughout the transportation community articulated the overall value of research in ways that made it easier to support research than other programs.
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 18 political fence." Another interviewee said, "You need to have allies to do this kind of thing." Several examples of these broad coalitions were identified. To build support for the Transit Cooperative Research Program, a broad constituency of universities, industry associations (including the American Public Transit Association [APTA]
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 19 upon objectives. It took organized leadership -- as a focused core surrounded by a wider group of supporters -- to bring about the common goal.
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 20 Strategy formulation is a formal, goal-driven planning process -- actions and programs are directly derived from higher-level goals and strategies while strategy formation sees strategy as a pattern or theme that surfaces organically as the many parts of an organization respond to the environment. Advocacy and dealing with the Hill requires strategy formation.
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 21 Two-Way Communication for Ongoing Influence Providing new, research-based information and expert analysis to Congress to help the members understand an issue or the rationale for investment in research has another tangible benefit that is tied to the concept of "influence."6 Consider the Interests of the Audience According to sociologists, one of the most widespread and basic norms of human culture is embodied in the rule of reciprocity. This rule requires that one person try to repay what another person has provided.
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 22 Importance of Illustrative Success Stories Case studies, in the form of anecdotal reports, were an opportunity to showcase research results in a way that makes the connection with constituencies. As one interviewee aptly phrased it, "a handful of dramatic stories is powerful." This is not a technique that is unique to advocacy communications.
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 23 allowed an exchange of ideas -- even among House and Senate staff, which are not often in the same room. The Texas Transportation Institute was also mentioned as representing the "power of effectively developing a rapport with Congressional staff and then using that relationship to get across a message." Effective relationship building is cultivated in several dimensions.
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 24 Conclusions and Issues for the Next Reauthorization This chapter described and assessed the activities (i.e., political, mathematical, and communications) that influenced investment in transportation research programs during the passage of the SAFETEALU.
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 25 21. The funding, however, contained no earmarks and contained a greater percentage of apportioned programs than would have been available in the final bill.
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 26 Positioning an issue or reframing it in an inspiring way will increase the chances that it will be heard. "New engineers" are needed who understand the technical complexities of transportation research and can connect the dots to emotive issues -- quality of life, national security, economic development.
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 27 Persons Interviewed Ann Brach, Ph.D., Senior Program Officer, Transportation Research Board; Deputy Director of the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP II) , National Academy of Sciences William Buechner, Vice President Economics and Research, American Road and Transportation Builders Association Rod Diridon, Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute, San Jose State University Richard J
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NCHRP 20-78: Final Report Page 28 David Schulz, founding Executive Director, Northwestern University's Infrastructure Technology Institute Neil Schuster, President and CEO, Intelligent Transportation Society of America Jonathan Upchurch, former Congressional staffer, currently, National Park Transportation Scholar, National Park Foundation
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