Linking Decision Roles to Knowledge Utilization in US State Governments: A Mixed-Method Study

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Wang, Shuping; Cheng, Yuan (Daniel); Xu, Chengxin
• 署名单位: University of Illinois System; University of Illinois Chicago; University of Illinois Chicago Hospital; University of Minnesota System; University of Minnesota Twin Cities; Seattle University
• 刊物名称: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-3352; 1540-6210
• DOI: 10.1111/puar.70164
• 发表日期: 2026-07-27
• 关键词: civil servants; decision-making; knowledge utilization; evidence-based policy; management; science; bureaucrats; legislators; dichotomy; POLITICS; logic; MODEL

摘要

The current movement for evidence-based policymaking advocates the use of scientific knowledge in government. However, in practice, civil servants often prioritize different types of knowledge depending on their decision-making roles and the context. Using survey responses from 259 civil servants across three US state governments and 36 semistructured interviews, we employ a mixed-method approach to understand how civil servants strategically utilize various types of knowledge to meet different role requirements and decision-making responsibilities. Consistent with our hypotheses, our findings indicate that civil servants involved in policy and legislative roles value political knowledge more, while those in contracting roles place greater importance on experiential knowledge. Contrary to our hypothesis, while civil servants in budgeting roles value political knowledge more than their counterparts in other decision roles, they show no such preference for scientific knowledge. Our qualitative interviews provide possible mechanisms for this unexpected finding.