Can Social Outcomes Contracts Contribute to Systems Change? Exploring Potential Mechanisms via Process Tracing
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For our January Research Forum we were joined by Hilary Olson, who discussed her recent research into the potential for social impact bonds to contribute towards systems change.
The Government Outcomes Lab Research Forum is a gathering of researchers whose work engages with, or relates to, outcomes-based approaches to public service provision. Bi-monthly (once every two months), the Forum will host a guest speaker to present an aspect of their research, or talk through a particular issue that is currently influencing their work.
Themes of interest to the Forum include:
- Outcomes-based approaches to public service provision including social outcomes contracting
- Cross-sector partnerships in the pursuit of policy goals
- Stewardship of mixed economies of public service delivery (outsourcing, voluntary sector involvement, place-based working)
We aim to reflect the full breadth that these topics entail, as well as issues relating to research process and methodology. We therefore welcome empirical content from different locations around the world, as well as theoretical discussions covering the various conceptual frameworks through which efforts to improve social outcomes can be interpreted and understood.
The sessions are intended to be informal in nature, allowing for free-flowing discussion, the testing of ideas among peers, and wrestling with the challenges of interdisciplinary work in this space. It therefore provides an arena for researchers away from the demands of having a polished ‘policy message’ or published paper. In doing so, we hope to develop a scholarly network that will enrich our research, disseminate ideas, and foster collaboration across institutions.
What to expect
Forum meetings are one hour long, and are held online on the last Friday of every other month. They are free to attend, and anyone who is interested is welcome to join. The target audience is principally researchers, however, and these sessions will particularly appeal to members of academic institutions, consultancies, and/or think tanks, whose work relates to the above outlined themes.
If you are interested in presenting at the Forum please contact Dr Eleanor Carter, Research Director at the Government Outcomes Lab.
Session overview
Hilary Olson is a doctoral candidate at the Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, where she researches social innovation and program evaluation. For our first Research Forum of the new year, Hilary presented a forthcoming paper from her PhD. Drawing on interviews, user data, and document analysis, the presentation examined the potential for social impact bonds to contribute to systems change.