Knowledge for policy: policy for knowledge

I've been wandering around for a few weeks with a copy of the report Kennis voor belied: beleid voor kennis, produced by the Dutch Advisory Council for Science and Technology Policy (AWT), in my rucksack. Frankly, I think it's dynamite!

This report was published in May 2005 under the title which translates as 'Knowledge for policy: policy for knowledge.' In this report, the Advisory Council argues that policy creation and implementation of the Dutch government would be improved if these processes of policy creation and implementation were supported by trustworthy, varied and independent knowledge. It is convinced that to obtain knowledge for policymaking, policy for knowledge is needed. Government departments need to have a knowledge policy which:

• Integrates diverse perspectives or countervailing knowledge
• Should be based on trustworthy, varied and public knowledge
• Applies knowledge in a transparaent manner

If the government underestimates the importance of knowledge for supporting policy, the Advisory Council argues that it runs the following risks:

• generating inadequate ploicy
• policy failure as a result of unexpected, dramatic developments
• insufficient preparation for the future
• damage to its reputation

When knowledge policy does not function effectively, the Advisory Council argues that the following problems appear in the civil service practice: an overload of knowledge and information; fragmentation of knowledge domaines; and more attention to process than to actual content.

I found this report fascinating and applicable to much wider areas than policy alone. Also thought it was very interesting that commentators on Dutch policy are looking at policy in the UK for reference and comparison.