Academic and Business Partnerships Panel with Dean Karlan, Susan Athey, and Josh Wright

TL;DR

Understanding the obstacles and solutions for successful partnerships that drive social impact.

Transcript

[MUSIC] I just heard a lot of theory, let's call it, about what makes partnerships work, but sometimes it's helpful to hear bad stories too. When it goes wrong, what goes wrong? What is the big driver? And hopefully, and this is going to be a question for you, Josh. >> Mm-hm. >> I'm sorry. [LAUGH] But I think you made one point that I wanted to hig... Read More

Key Insights

• 👻 The portfolio approach allows for flexibility and increases the chances of finding compatible partners.
• 😚 Losing a champion within an organization can jeopardize a partnership, emphasizing the need for multiple ongoing projects to spread relationships.
• 🍉 Measuring impact in social issues requires careful consideration of short-term metrics and long-term goals.
• ❓ Researchers must navigate conflicts of interest and maintain transparency and integrity in partnerships.
• ❓ The social impact sector offers ample opportunities for partners motivated by genuine improvement to collaborate.
• 💦 Working with the real world involves inherent conflicts and challenges, and researchers must adapt while upholding integrity.
• 👨‍🔬 Transparency and replication are crucial in research collaborations with organizations.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the significance of the portfolio approach in partnership success?

The portfolio approach allows for diversity in problem-solving and partnering options. By widening the scope, one can increase the chances of finding ideal matches between academia and partners, leading to successful collaborations.

Q: How do personnel changes within partner organizations affect partnership success?

When a champion within an organization leaves, the project is at risk of losing support and funding. Having multiple ongoing projects with one partner spreads the relationship and mitigates the impact of personnel changes, increasing the probability of long-term success.

Q: What challenges arise when measuring impact in social issues?

Social issues often require long-term impact evaluation, but short-term metrics may be used to attract funding and satisfy stakeholders. This misalignment creates an incentive problem and can undermine the credibility of impact claims. Balancing short-term expectations with long-term goals is a challenge that needs to be addressed.

Q: How can researchers navigate conflicts of interest when partnering with organizations?

Transparency and integrity are essential. It is crucial to define project objectives clearly, ensure replicability, and manage conflicts by addressing credibility concerns. Finding partners motivated by improving the sector, rather than solely seeking impact evaluation, can also mitigate conflicts of interest and foster successful collaborations.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The portfolio approach is recommended, as it allows for a broader scope of problems and potential partners, increasing the likelihood of successful matches and relationships.

• The departure of a champion within an organization is a common failure in partnerships, emphasizing the need for multiple ongoing projects to spread the relationship and minimize the impact of personnel changes.

• Measuring impact in social issues poses challenges, including the use of short-term metrics that may not accurately represent long-term impact. Aligning incentives and establishing agreed-upon evaluation metrics can address this issue.