Knowledge Mobilization in Chinese Education Policy-Making: Conceptual Frameworks for Motivation Analysis of Policymakers’ Adoption of Research

Abstract

Increasing investments and efforts were devoted to Chinese educational policy research in past decades, yet the adoption of research reports remains limited. The education policymakers, who take superior roles as knowledge users, are decisive in mobilizing the research results to policy-making. This study, based on knowledge mobilization framework, had clarified the role of Chinese education policymakers as knowledge user and privilege side in research adoption. Their motivations for research adoption are analyzed: Political motivations and knowledge motivations are initiative and core motivations, while environment influences and knowledge mobilization (KMb) efforts are decisive catalysts and facilitators. In Chinese education system, the environment for decision making and relationship between researchers and policymakers are quite diverse, while knowledge mobilization (KMb) efforts are still limited. Suggestions were provided for building healthy networks and effective mobilization.