WASHINGTON NATIONAL NUTRITION AND OBESITY POLICY RESEARCH NETWORK (WA NOPRN): ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDED NEXT STEPS

Corinne McCuskeyUniversity of Colorado Denver, School of Public Affairs

Seminar in Public Policy and Management – PAD 5361

Spring 2010 – Dr Malcolm Goggin

OBESITY IN AMERICA

Obesity rates in America are escalating at an alarming rate

Agreement about overall issue, not about how to solve the problem

Growing recognition that population-based strategies are the most effective obesity prevention measuresHow to measure development and

effectiveness of obesity policies?

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PROBLEM STATEMENT & PURPOSE

• If policy and environmental change are the preferred modes of prevention, need evidence as to why and how they work

• Washington National Obesity Policy Research Network (WA NOPRN) aims to address obesity policy research by combining academic and professional experts from around the state

• Best way to engage and motivate WA NOPRN members

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS

RQ1: What are the best methods for network engagement and motivation in a collaborative structure?

RQ2: What are WA NOPRN members’ reasons for engagement?

RQ3: What are nutrition and obesity research areas of interest and collaboration for WA NOPRN members?

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WASHINGTON NATIONAL OBESITY POLICY RESEARCH NETWORK (WA NOPRN)

CDC funded WA NOPRN for 3 years along with 4 other universities

Initiated in Fall of 2009 Established collaborative of academic, public

health, agriculture, and community stakeholders to plan and conduct research that will inform the policy activities of state and local nutrition and obesity prevention programs

Pilot project: Food-labeling programs in three local health departments

Management Team and 18 member Leadership Team

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LITERATURE REVIEW

Literature most relevant to WA NOPRN and the purposes of this project are:

Network

Wicked Problems

Collaboration

Strategic Planning

Need for nutrition and obesity policy research 6

NETWORK

Most common term used by scholars in the field

Collaborative structure, multi-organizational arrangements put together to solve problems, knowledge transfer and discussion

Leading authors include: Robert Agranoff, Michael McGuire, Laurance

O’Toole, Jr., Keith Provan, H. Brinton Milaward A network brings together individuals or

groups of organizations to tackle a problem as an assembly

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WICKED PROBLEMS

Networks are a result of groups coming together to solve a problem

“Wicked Problem” is a problem with no solution, or one that only has temporary resolutions and to solve one component only leads to another problem (Agranoff and McGuire, 2001)

Wicked problems require collaborative capacity

Obesity could be classified as a wicked problem

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COLLABORATION

Key element in successful partnerships is collaboration

Collaborative structure: Framing, mobilizing, synthesizing, flexibility,

accountability, trust, history of cooperation Engagement:

Efficiency Partner Contributions

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COLLABORATION

Benefits and Drawbacks to collaboration Benefits:

Enhanced ability to address a problem Useful knowledge to support activities Development of new valuable relationships Meaningful contributions Utilization of their skills

Drawbacks: Diversion of time and resources Reduced independence Conflict of time Frustration with collaborative process

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STRATEGIC PLANNING

Disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions shaping the direction of an organization’s activities (Bryson, 1988)

Develops purpose and framework for collaborative effort

Facilitates communication and participation Fosters decision-making and implementation Includes SWOT (strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities, and threats) Analysis

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NEED FOR NUTRITION AND OBESITY POLICY RESEARCH

Literature emphasizes politics, laws, and feasibility of nutrition and obesity policy and calls for: Building science base while implement

interventions Lessons from anti-tobacco movement Surveillance Understand determinants of establishing policy Process of developing and establishing policy Assess outcomes of policy implementation Policy development

Leading scholars: R. Brownson, K. Brownell, D. Haire-Joshu, W. Dietz, R. Kersh, and D. Luke

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METHODS

Approach and Research Design Conducted in-depth literature review of current

literature regarding networks and collaboration Created an interview tool and policy matrix Management team sought next steps that would

facilitate and guide the team through the grant cycle

Sample Interviewed all 18 members via phone and in-

person, took ~30 minutes per interview

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METHODS

How information was used:

Pooled all interviews by question and coded responses based on themes, concepts or findings

Codes were created and used to find any key similarities, thoughts or perspectives of members

Policy matrix was populated by members during the interview and all responses were combined for the final product

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INTERVIEW RESULTS

Members were asked:

What they hope WA NOPRN accomplishes?

What will entice them to stay for the grant cycle?

Meeting and communication logistics

Policy Matrix

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INTERVIEW KEY FINDINGS

Work in a collaborative structure

Policy research focus

Engagement in the political process

Opportunities to share work

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INTERVIEW KEY FINDINGS

Identify specific goals and projects

Relevancy to personal work, skills, and policy agenda

Framing meetings and communications

Opportunities to engage students

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INTERVIEW KEY FINDINGS

WA NOPRN member policy interest and involvement

Presentation topics

Policy Matrix

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DEVELOPMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Reviewed the literature about networks, collaboration, and network engagement

Asked for WA NOPRN Leadership Team thoughts, perspectives, needs, and wants for engagement to develop key findings

Developed six recommendations for WA NOPRN Management Team to use as they pursue next phase of their grant

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RECOMMENDATIONS

1) Conduct a strategic planning exercise

SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats)

Internal Strengths: Sophisticated and highly experienced Leadership

Team, previous member relationships and collaborative, convening power, initial commitment

Internal Weaknesses: Time, conflict between own work and Network

expectations, commitment to all projects 20

RECOMMENDATIONS

1) Conduct a strategic planning exercise

SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats)

External Opportunities: Politically feasible and popular topic, current

funding, collaborative structure

External Threats: Economic priorities, shifting national focus, big

industry 21

RECOMMENDATIONS

2) Establish team commitment

Expectations of team, overall commitment, framework for specific project involvement

Management Team ability to facilitate communication and interaction between members

Establish sub-groups or topic areas to create buy-in and ownership

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RECOMMENDATIONS

3) Identify specific projects

This will establish purpose, goals and member roles

Assess members’ interests and current work in WA Policy Matrix to identify relevant projects

This will assist in establishing sub-groups

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RECOMMENDATIONS

4) Presentation Topics with high interest “Models and frameworks for policy

development and implementation” and “Methods for assessing policy development” possible presentations and/or informational sessions to get members at same level of policy understanding

“Results of extant research” – add to WA Policy Matrix and present if pertinent to specific research project

“Potential collaborative grants” – meet if necessary, discuss, conference calls, pursue when applicable as whole group or sub-groups

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RECOMMENDATIONS

5) Define WA NOPRN relationship with policy makers

Should they be a part of WA NOPRN?

Is this an advocacy group?

Clarify for members their role in relation to policy makers and when it is appropriate to invite policy makers to the table

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RECOMMENDATIONS

6) WA NOPRN Policy Matrix next steps

Fluid document

Update on a regular basis with members feedback

Use statewide advocacy skills and information to continually populate and keep up to date

Opportunities to add other components

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CONCLUSIONS

WA NOPRN addressing a “wicked problem” from a collaborative vantage

Collaborative partnerships are a known and reliable structure to move solutions and ideas forward

In order to be successful a collaborative needs: Strong leadership, trust, purpose, strategic

planning, and enthusiasm27

CONCLUSIONS

Project offers: Current literature and background on

components of successful collaborative WA NOPRN wants and needs to be thriving Current list of policy involvements and interests

Overwhelming participation in interviews and completion of WA Policy Matrix

Unique and exciting position to frame nutrition and obesity policy research locally and nationally 28

QUESTIONS?Thank you!