Table 2 The 36 studies with included research activities, aim of study and indicative If-Then statements
Author (Year) [Ref] | Context | Discipline | Included research activities | Aim of study | Indicative If-Thens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Albert & Mickan (2003) [4] | Australia | Primary Care | Training | To propose a paradigm shift in the content of capacity-building as a step towards closing the gaps between research, policy and practice | IF research ideas and implementation strategies are discussed and translated across several organisational contexts and cultures, THEN research influences practice |
2. Breen et al. (2005) [21]a | South Africa | Public Health | Leadership, Networks, Resources, Training | To seek improved understanding of how RCB can be achieved and to propose a framework to improve understanding and delivery and to achieve better congruence between expectations and outcomes relating to RCB | IF investment is inadequate and incentives inappropriate, THEN organisations are unable to sustain RCD beyond the lifespan of a specific project |
3. Coen et al. (2010) [31] | Canada | Health and Health Services Research | Infrastructure, Leadership, Networks | To explore potential for an expanded conceptualisation of research infrastructure, that specifies its largely assumed qualities whilst extending to articulate the interactive relationships among tangible and intangible systems and structures underlying centre functioning | IF organisational leaders develop an appropriate organisational research culture, THEN members collaborate on research IF researchers share a particular research identity, THEN researchers acquire a sense of belonging or a ‘ready-made affinity group’ |
4. Condell & Begley (2007) [8] | International | Nursing | Funding, Leadership, Training, | To conduct a concept analysis of capacity-building and its relationship to research | IF organisations engage in dynamic RCD activities, THEN organisations can achieve sustainability and ultimately effect social change |
5. Conn et al. (2005) [49] | United States of America | Nursing | Funding, Prioritisation | To describe the success of one school of nursing in moving from having no NIH funding to being ranked in top 20 schools for NIH funding for consecutive years | IF staff in grant support services are not involved in graduate student education or research presentation materials, THEN this conveys a clear message about the importance of preparing competitive grant applications IF an organisation frequently communicates about grant activity, THEN the organisation cultivates an environment that is conducive to high research productivity |
6. Cooke & Green (2000) [50] | International | Nursing Research | Prioritisation, Training | To identify factors that might affect the research capacity of departments of nursing in higher education, and to make recommendations to enable departments to develop their capacity to undertake research | IF nurse educators are encouraged to pursue further qualifications, particularly higher degrees, THEN teaching staff feel able to engage in research activity |
7. Cooke et al. (2005) [9]a | United Kingdom | Primary Care | Networks, Training | To develop the debate around RCB by suggesting a framework for planning change and measuring progress, based on six principles of RCB | IF organisations support research ‘close to practice’, THEN stakeholders perceive that research is useful IF organisations develop linkages, partnerships and collaborations, THEN organisations can build up intellectual capital (knowledge) and social capital (relationships) IF organisations build up intellectual capital (knowledge) and social capital (relationships), THEN their ability to do research is enhanced IF research funders include continuity and sustainability in funding provision, THEN organisations can maintain and continue newly acquired skills and structures to undertake research |
8. Cooke et al. (2015) [12] | United Kingdom | Health and Health Services Research | Funding, Leadership, Networks, Prioritisation, Training | To illustrate the use of collaborative priority-setting in a United Kingdom research collaboration (Collaboration and Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care – CLAHRC) | IF research networks identify ‘needs-led, meaningful’ research projects, THEN research is considered timely IF research networks harness flexible resources (people, funds, skills), THEN research can be responsive IF research leadership is responsive and transformative, THEN research can be co-produced |
9. Del Mar & Askew (2004) [18]a | Australia | Primary Care | Funding, Networks, Training | To promote interventions for family/general practice RCB by describing successful international examples (e.g. diseases and illness research as well as process research); monitor output of research; increase number of research journals; encourage and enable research skills acquisition (including as part of professional training); strengthen academic base; and promote research networks and collaborations) | IF governments have family medicine research on their agendas (as shown by funding for RCB and for research activity itself), THEN governments send a clear message to clinical and academic communities that family medicine research is important and worthy of support |
10. Edwards et al. (2009) [51] | LMICs | Nursing Research | Funding, Mentoring, Training | To identify long-standing barriers to nurses’ engagement in research and to discuss strategies to enable LMIC nurses to lead research of high relevance to local and international policy decisions affecting population health | IF researchers are given opportunities to work alongside senior researchers, both on-site and by distance, THEN they can discuss ways to balance research with teaching, clinical and administrative demands |
11. Farmer & Weston (2002) [19]a | Australia | Primary Care | Funding, Mentoring, Networks | To propose a conceptual model to assist primary care RCB initiatives | IF research funders employ a whole system approach providing funding and resources at multiple levels, THEN practitioners can enter the system at an appropriate level, and then progress to a higher level of research capacity IF research funders accommodate diversity, THEN practitioners develop research interests in topics of ongoing personal interest IF research funders provide protected time for research, THEN individuals participate in research |
United Kingdom | Primary Care | Networks | To reflect on the understanding of networks from organisational science and how this understanding can inform the development and evaluation of primary care research networks | IF researchers demonstrate socialisation, teamwork and openness, THEN researchers resist the tendency towards groupthink and open up opportunities for the exchange of ideas and knowledge | |
13. Fitzgerald et al. (2003) [54] | United States of America | Nursing | Mentoring, Networks | To discuss two paediatric critical care clinical nurse specialists’ participation in a collaborative research team led by university faculty | IF healthcare professionals are included as an integral part of the research team, THEN healthcare professionals receive mentoring in many aspects of the research process IF healthcare professionals are pulled away from their clinical unit to engage in research responsibilities, THEN other staff may resent the intrusion or see involvement in the project as frivolous when they are left with more work or without ready access to consultation |
14. Gadsby (2011) [16] | LMICs | Health and Health Services Research | Funding, Networks, Training | To inform understanding of RCS, and how to consider the effectiveness of these initiatives by examining (1) understandings of and approaches to RCS, and (2) different ways in which RCS is monitored and evaluated | IF donors support individual capacity development at the expense of system capacity development, THEN individuals from LMICs leave for better jobs elsewhere |
15. Golenko et al. (2012) [55] | Australia | Allied Health | Infrastructure, Leadership | To describe and analyse allied health senior manager perspectives of how organisational factors impact on RCB | IF staff are supported from a staff-time perspective to do research, THEN staff are motivated to participate in research IF staff receive recognition for research participation, THEN staff are motivated to participate in research |
16. Green et al. (2007) [56] | United Kingdom | Nursing Research | Leadership, Networks, Training | To evaluate different approaches to RCD and to answer: ‘How do university departments develop the research capacity of their nursing/midwifery staff, what approaches do they use, and why are outcomes as they are? | IF researchers form alliances between novice and experienced researchers, THEN organisations achieve a balance between capacity development and leading-edge development |
17. Jenerette et al. (2008) [6]a | United States of America | Nursing Research | Networks | To describe the models of research collaboration emerging from the Yale-Howard Partnership Center on Reducing Health Disparities by Self and Family Management | IF partners demonstrate effective communication and are sensitive to the history and unique characteristics of the partnering institution as well as its population, THEN investigators successfully complete projects on time and deliver subsequent presentations and publications |
18. Johnson et al. (2005) [20]a | Liberia | Health and Health Services Research | Infrastructure, Training | To present an RCB model to strengthen HIV/AIDS service delivery system through a proposed Liberia–United States of America research partnership that focuses on establishing and strengthening HIV/AIDS service delivery system infrastructure and enhancing research and application skills of Liberian scientists and professionals | IF participant perceives the salience of the North–South partnership, THEN the participant is ready to participate in research IF participants are ready to participate in research, THEN their organisation sustains its research activities |
19. Jones et al. (2003) [26]a | Australia | Primary Care | Training | To determine general practitioners’ research training needs and the barriers to involvement in research | IF GPs perceive that they do not possess the necessary research skills, THEN they are reluctant to engage in research |
20. Lansang & Dennis (2004) [1]a | LMICs | Health and Health Services Research | Funding, Infrastructure, Mentoring, Networks, Training | To review the broad approaches taken to RCB and the likelihood that these efforts will prove sustainable | IF research funders promote ‘learning by doing’ approaches, such as developmental or seed grants, hands-on training in ongoing research programmes or mentorship programmes, THEN practitioners are encouraged to participate in research IF developing countries develop partnerships and networks with developed countries or other developing countries, THEN their collective outputs are greater than the sum of their isolated efforts |
21. Levine et al. (2013) [13] | United States of America | Health and Health Services Research | Funding, Infrastructure, Mentoring, Networks, Training | To study two RCB programmes with similar goals and to expand upon the knowledge base of strategies and approaches to RCD and thus provide a better understanding of contextual factors that may influence the efficacy of RCD strategies | IF organisations develop good external and internal health services research partners, THEN they can build research capacity IF organisations are able to build on or leverage larger organisational changes, THEN they can achieve successful RCB |
22. Macfarlane et al. (2005) [14]a | United Kingdom | Primary Care | Funding, Infrastructure, Leadership, Networks, Training | To identify key structural, developmental and environmental characteristics associated with successful and sustained involvement in research, and to inform national strategy for RCB in primary care | IF organisations produce a mission statement that acknowledges the value of research, THEN GPs develop a research practice |
23. Mahmood et al. (2011) [5] | Bangladesh | Health and Health Services Research | Funding, Prioritisation | To identify problems faced by a health research institute in Bangladesh, describe two strategies developed to address these problems, and identify the results after 3 years of implementation | IF organisations develop a monitoring and evaluation framework, THEN donors do not exert an influence over organisational research priorities |
24. Nchinda (2002) [57] | LMICs | Health and Health Services Research | Training | To describe some experiences in RCS over the last few decades and to propose, from these, mechanisms for sustainable RCB | IF returning researchers learn new skills and techniques when training overseas, THEN these researchers require access to appropriate equipment and resources when returning to their own institutions |
25. North American Primary Care Research Group (2002) [27]a | North America | Primary Care | Infrastructure, Leadership, Mentoring, Training | To present a position paper to guide development of a strategic planning process | IF academic leaders understand the research process and the types of infrastructure services and skills required to support a successful independent investigator, THEN organisations can identify experienced investigators willing to support each other and to mentor others |
26. Nuyens (2007) [15] | International | Health and Health Services Research | Prioritisation | To look at major issues emerging from countries’ experiences in setting priorities during the past 15 years and at the challenges still to be addressed | IF national organisations institute a bottom-up approach to the generation of research priorities, THEN a context-sensitive and culturally sensitive process of priority-setting occurs |
27. O’Byrne & Smith (2011) [58] | United Kingdom | Nursing | Facilitation, Infrastructure, Leadership, Mentoring, Networks, Prioritisation | To identify models used to provide local research opportunities and thereby develop research capacity and capability in clinical nurses in the United Kingdom | If organisations prioritise expansion of research initiatives for nurses and allocates resources for an accompanying infrastructure, THEN organisations achieve successful RCB |
28. Pickstone et al. (2008) [59] | United Kingdom | Allied Health | Funding | To describe the nature of RCB in allied health professions and to explore the vision of RCB using the United Kingdom as an example | IF professionals receive sustained targeted funding to release them to undertake research, THEN professionals are able to resist workload pressures |
29. Priest et al. (2007) [60] | United Kingdom | Nursing | Networks | To explore nursing lecturers’ RCD through their engagement as co-researchers in a larger case study project | IF organisations identify a specific person as a research contact, THEN staff interested in research involvement feel able to approach that person |
30. Raghunath et al. (2004) [61] | United Kingdom | Primary care | Funding, Networks, Training | To explore the meaning, understanding, usefulness and reality of multidisciplinary research in primary care and provide examples | IF external assessment provides definable indicators of success, THEN organisations are able to demonstrate accountability and value for money |
Australia | Primary care | Networks, Training | To understand the background and skills of the membership and to tailor South Australian Primary Health Care Research Network (SARNet) services to members’ needs | IF organisations utilise a whole system approach to RCB, THEN diverse individuals are encouraged to participate in research activities | |
32. Sarre & Cooke (2009) [65] | United Kingdom | Primary care | Infrastructure, Leadership, Training | To provide practical support to primary care organisations through the development of indicators against which to plan and measure progress of RCD at an organisational level | IF RCD occurs at different structural levels, including change and sustainable development in individuals, teams and organisations, THEN it can demonstrate clear links to the effectiveness and quality of healthcare organisations in improving health and well-being |
33. Segrott et al. (2006) [66] | International | Nursing | Facilitation, Prioritisation, Training | To report a critical overview of nursing RCD in academic departments, major barriers to RCD, and capacity-building strategies from the literature, and to examine the wider context within which capacity-building takes place | IF departments have a flexible approach to research activities, THEN researchers are given the creative space to pursue their own research interests alongside core research priorities |
34. Stephens et al. (2011) [67] | United States of America | Health and Health Services Research | Funding, Leadership | To synthesise and share what has been learned about RCB to help organisations and institutions develop and enhance their ability to plan and conduct health services research and obtain funding for their research | IF organisations secure departmental and institutional leadership support for capacity-building activities, THEN this facilitates future research activities IF research leaders demonstrate how a department/organisation’s existing experiences can be used to leverage and build an interdisciplinary team in health services research, THEN potential participants become less sceptical about the value of health services research |
35. Van Weel & Rosser (2004) [68] | International | Primary Care | Networks, Training | To summarise World Organisation of Family Doctors (Wonca) conference discussions and present recommendations proposed by conference attendees from 34 countries | IF research teams display research achievements to policy-makers, health funders, and academic leaders, THEN policy-makers and others have a greater perception of the relevance of that research IF a tight link is created between clinical practice and a research environment, THEN clinicians and policy-makers will perceive the greater relevance of research to clinical practice |
36. Whitworth et al. (2012) [3] | United Kingdom | Allied Health | Facilitation, Funding, Leadership, Mentoring, Networks, Training | To outline a comprehensive model developed and successfully implemented by speech and language therapists in North East England | IF organisations acknowledge the developmental stage at which the practitioner is positioned, THEN organisations can arrange suitable pathways into the research pathway |