Published September 30, 2025
| Version v1
Preprint
Open
Tracing causal mechanisms for the impact of societally targeted funding
Description
Drawing on two in-depth cases of research projects that have received societally targeted funding and appear to have involved highly intensive academic/non-academic engagements, this study examines processes leading from research funding towards societal outcomes. We trace causal linkages from the specific research funding to the societally relevant outcomes of the research they fund. Using process-tracing, we aim to explore how societally targeted funding and its specific characteristics can be linked to societal outcomes, with particular focus on collaboration/productive interactions. Through interviews and document analysis, we trace how the funding shaped the research projects and how research was conducted, and subsequently how the project design promoted the development of societally relevant research results.
Files
Process tracing 210925.pdf
Files
(394.6 kB)
| Name | Size | Download all |
|---|---|---|
|
md5:4f7da4eb173217ed306ae9ee0f94def9
|
394.6 kB | Preview Download |
Additional details
Funding
- Novo Nordisk (Denmark)
- NNF18OC0034422
References
- Aagaard, K., Mongeon, P., Ramos-Vielba, I., & Thomas, D. A. (2021). Getting to the bottom of research funding: Acknowledging the complexity of funding dynamics. Plos one, 16(5), e0251488. Aagaard, K., Norn, M. T., & Stage, A. K. (2022). How mission-driven policies challenge traditional research funding systems. F1000Research, 11(949), 949. Ankrah, S. N., Burgess, T. F., Grimshaw, P., & Shaw, N. E. (2013). Asking both university and industry actors about their engagement in knowledge transfer: What single-group studies of motives omit. Technovation, 33(2-3), 50-65. Beach, D., and Pedersen, R. B. (2018). Selecting Appropriate Cases When Tracing Causal Mechanisms. Sociological Methods & Research. 2018; 47(4), 837-871. Beach, D., and Pedersen, R. B. (2019). Process-tracing methods: Foundations and guidelines. University of Michigan Press. Beach, D. (2022). Process Tracing Methods in the Social Sciences. Oxford Research Encyclopedias. Boon W. and Edler, J. (2018). Demand, Challenges, and Innovation. Making Sense of New Trends in Innovation Policy. Science and Public Policy. 2018; 45(4): 435–447. Bornmann, L. (2013). What is societal impact of research and how can it be assessed? A literature survey. Journal of the American Society for information science and technology, 64(2), 217-233. Bush, V. (1945). Science: The Endless Frontier. Washington, D.C.: National Science Foundation. D'Este, P., Ramos-Vielba, I., Woolley, R., & Amara, N. (2018). How do researchers generate scientific and societal impacts? Toward an analytical and operational framework. Science and Public Policy, 45(6), 752-763. Donovan, C., & Hanney, S. (2011). The 'payback framework' explained. Research Evaluation, 20(3), 181-183. Gläser, J., & Laudel, G. (2019). The discovery of causal mechanisms: Extractive qualitative content analysis as a tool for process tracing. SSOAR-Social Science Open Access Repository. Gläser, J. and Velarde, K. S. (2018). "Changing Funding Arrangements and the Production of Scientific Knowledge: Introduction to the Special Issue." Minerva 56 (1):1-10. Haddad, C. R., Nakić, V., Bergek, A., & Hellsmark, H. (2022). Transformative innovation policy: A systematic review. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 43, 14-40. Joly, P. B., Gaunand, A., Colinet, L., Larédo, P., Lemarié, S., & Matt, M. (2015). ASIRPA: A comprehensive theory-based approach to assessing the societal impacts of a research organization. Research Evaluation, 24(4), 440-453. Kattel, R., & Mazzucato, M. (2018). Mission-oriented innovation policy and dynamic capabilities in the public sector. Industrial and corporate change, 27(5), 787-801. Kok, M. O., & Schuit, A. J. (2012). Contribution mapping: a method for mapping the contribution of research to enhance its impact. Health research policy and systems, 10(1), 1-16. Lam, A. (2011). What motivates academic scientists to engage in research commercialization:'Gold','ribbon'or 'puzzle'?. Research policy, 40(10), 1354-1368. Lundvall, B. A. (1992). National systems of innovation: towards a theory of innovation and interactive learning. Matt, M., Gaunand, A., Joly, P. B., & Colinet, L. (2017). Opening the black box of impact–Ideal-type impact pathways in a public agricultural research organization. Research Policy, 46(1), 207-218. Mazzucato, M. (2018). Mission-oriented innovation policies: challenges and opportunities. Industrial and corporate change, 27(5), 803-815. Molas-Gallart, J., & Tang, P. (2011). Tracing 'productive interactions' to identify social impacts: an example from the social sciences. Research evaluation, 20(3), 219-226. Norn, M.T., Aagaard, K., Bjørnholm, J., & Stage, A.K. (2024). Funder strategies for promoting research addressing societal challenges: Thematic, impact, and collaboration targeting. Science and Public Policy, 51(5), 910–922. Penfield, T., Baker, M. J., Scoble, R., & Wykes, M. C. (2014). Assessment, evaluations, and definitions of research impact: A review. Research evaluation, 23(1), 21-32. Perkmann, M., Salandra, R., Tartari, V., McKelvey, M., & Hughes, A. (2021). Academic engagement: A review of the literature 2011-2019. Research policy, 50(1), 104114. Polk, M. (2015). Transdisciplinary co-production: Designing and testing a transdisciplinary research framework for societal problem solving. Futures, 65, 110-122. Ramos-Vielba, I., Sánchez-Barrioluengo, M., & Woolley, R. (2016). Scientific research groups' cooperation with firms and government agencies: motivations and barriers. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 41, 558-585. Ramos-Vielba, I., Thomas, D. A., & Aagaard, K. (2022). Societal targeting in researcher funding: An exploratory approach. Research Evaluation, 31(2), 202-213. Schmitt, J. (2020). The causal mechanism claim in evaluation: Does the prophecy fulfill? In J. Schmitt (Ed.), Causal Mechanisms in Program Evaluation. New Directions for Evaluation, 167, 11–26. Sjöö, K., & Hellström, T. (2021). The two sides of the coin: joint project leader interaction in university‐industry collaboration projects. R&D Management, 51(5), 484-493. Spaapen, J., & Van Drooge, L. (2011). Introducing 'productive interactions' in social impact assessment. Research evaluation, 20(3), 211-218. Stier, J., & Smit, S. E. (2021). Co-creation as an innovative setting to improve the uptake of scientific knowledge: overcoming obstacles, understanding considerations and applying enablers to improve scientific impact in society. Journal of innovation and entrepreneurship, 10(1), 1-14. Tartari, V., & Breschi, S. (2012). Set them free: scientists' evaluations of the benefits and costs of university–industry research collaboration. Industrial and Corporate Change, 21(5), 1117-1147. Thune, T., & Gulbrandsen, M. (2014). Dynamics of collaboration in university–industry partnerships: Do initial conditions explain development patterns?. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 39, 977-993.