Fostering Resilient Research Partnerships for Institutional Reforms

• Authored by Ahsan Farooqui | Senior Programs Manager IDEAS

There has been a growing instance of studying institutional change through lab-in-field experiments, including survey experiments, behavioural games and randomised controlled trials. Studying institutional change entails developing critical researcher-practitioner relationships between university academia and public institutions. Successful implementation of the studies aiming to understand institutional change depends heavily on the strength of these researcher-practitioner relationships. 

But what happens when rapid bureaucratic changes occur in the institution under study? 

Navigating Innovative Reforms Amidst Rapid Bureaucratic Changes

In 2017, IDEAS was awarded a multi-country grant to test novel ways of increasing citizens’ trust in the Police by implementing a localized version of community policing. In Pakistan, it was decided that the project would be implemented in collaboration with the Punjab Police. This project, was set against a backdrop of the already existing partnership between researchers from IDEAS and the Punjab Police, where a joint study investigated correlates of rising urban crime rates in Punjab (Crime, Policing & State Building). 

The project used an experimental setup to test the effectiveness of two types of citizen-police interfaces: a) through regular local neighbourhood meetings and b) through the process of alternate dispute resolution. Although Community Policing has been widely practised in the developed world, the research team soon realised that our partners in the local police  were quite constrained in implementing the practice of community policing. Our intervention design involved field police officers providing at least 2-3 hours of their time, twice a month in the local neighbourhood. While this commitment looked like a small task on paper, operationally, this was challenging for multiple reasons. Police officers were severely stretched for time, often involved in various tasks including patrolling, investigating crimes and providing security to political figures. This was compounded by their duties in court for ongoing proceedings and also providing security cover during various local and national events.

Data presented from our analysis of various administrative and surveys portrayed a grim picture of the level of resource constraints that the Punjab Police as an institution faced (Figure 1). Due to budget constraints, our study didn’t involve compensating the field officers for the additional time they spent interfacing with residents. Because of a severe lack of resources, field officers often complained about our program. To them, the intervention of community policing was  merely an additional burden tasked to them by their superiors. 

While the work and effort required of police officers was negotiated and a common ground was reached, rapid bureaucratic shifts during the intervention severely impeded the implementation of interventions. Between February 2019 and February 2020, there was rapid change in district and regional leadership of the Punjab Police, resulting in the research team presenting the project design to four different region heads and six different district heads to get their buy-in for keeping the field activities going. The research team had to abandon alternate dispute resolution as an intervention mechanism entirely because it was deemed politically untenable. 

Furthermore, the level of involvement from the Police department was personality-driven. A police officer who perceived value in the novel reform significantly improved/facilitated the program implementation. It also had a positive trickle-down effect on the implementing field officers who saw it as an opportunity to perform better in their assigned community meetings, and  receive acknowledgement in their cadre.  On the contrary, if a police head valued status quo ways of policing more than proactive policing, then it was also reflected in program fidelity and implementation of field activities. Field officers often cancelled their community meetings to do their original tasks  or status quo activities. 

All was not lost: Challenges and lessons learnt

We found that the intervention resulted in some positive impacts: The study significantly improved citizen perceptions of police intentions. More particularly, it greatly enhanced the sensitisation of male police officers to consider gender-based crimes as severe offenses in areas where they worked with female officers and where female officers interacted with female community members. Similarly, while the program was discontinued after the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, based on the findings of the project, research team members were invited by the partners in the Police Department to draft police reforms to improve how police interfaced with the general public. This was seen as a meaningful outcome of the trust forged through a collaborative researcher-practitioner relationship over the course of the study. 

What steps did the research team undertake to meet challenges put forward due to bureaucratic shifts?

• Firstly,  the research team involved retired Inspector Generals to develop a lobby for the reforms. This helped the team build its relationship with higher-level police officers at the Office of the Inspector General. For context, the IG is the highest ranking police officer in charge of provincial and administrative police force. 
• Secondly, the research team offered research co-authorship to one of the police officers  extensively involved in the project since its inception. The police officer helped during the design phase and extended his support in setting up meetings with new district heads in charge of the study site districts. 
• Lastly, the research team kept abreast of the ongoing activities of the district heads through monthly meetings. They highlighted what was working and what needed improvement and required support from the police administration. Providing key action steps helped the District Police Heads weigh their resources and extend support. The team also proactively met a new charge as soon as he was reinstated to ensure that the intervention activities were not disrupted further. 

What lessons can be learned from IDEAS’ Community Policing Project’s experience to minimise disruptions amidst political and bureaucratic changes?

Design is the Key

The closer the study design is to the daily functioning of the institution, the greater the acceptability towards activities  in the study design. To put it this way, the greater the benefit that is perceived by the practitioner for the institution, the greater the chance that the study will be successfully implemented. For the community policing project, we found that the reform design was novel to the institution’s status quo activities, and thereby faced greater implementation challenges. On the contrary, a recent project investigating the political economy of progressive taxation had a strong buy-in from the provincial Excise and Taxation department because it aligned well with the problem the department is facing i.e. persistent tax collection issues. 

Intellectually Engage Top-Level Bureaucrats

The Community Policing Project underscored the value of engaging top-level bureaucrats intellectually. This can be done in several ways. Firstly, engaging them in the development of the intervention helps in developing institutional ownership. Such an approach leverages their experience and insights in aligning the project objectives with the institutional goals and priorities. Regularly updating top bureaucrats on the progress, challenges, and successes of the project helps maintain their interest and support. Lastly, engaging top bureaucrats as intellectual collaborators rather than just administrative gatekeepers can be highly effective as they can value the science behind experimental methods of investigation. This sense of ownership is crucial during periods of bureaucratic change, as it can lead to a more steadfast commitment to the project’s continuation, regardless of shifts in personnel or policy.

Involve Mid-Tier Bureaucrats in the Design Phase

Mid-tier bureaucrats, who often serve as the bridge between high-level policy directives and ground-level implementation, possess critical insights into the practical challenges and opportunities within their respective domains. By engaging them from the outset, projects can benefit from their hands-on experience, which can greatly enhance the design’s relevance and applicability. Mid-tier bureaucrats are often less susceptible to changes than top-level or field-level bureaucrats hence engaging them ensures institutional memory of the ongoing project activities. 

Find Ways to Motivate the Field Bureaucrat

Projects that offer training sessions, workshops, or other professional development opportunities for staff can also garner support from field-level bureaucrats. These offerings are an added value to the institution, enhancing the skills and capabilities of the workforce. Field-level bureaucrats should also receive more acknowledgement for their work from superiors, as that can increase their interest in the implementation. Lastly, if the project is demanding, monetary compensation for their additional time boosts the speed of implementation. During periods of bureaucratic change, those field bureaucrats who are visibly contributing to and invested in successful projects can stand out. Their enhanced skills, recognition within the institution, and alignment with the project make them valuable assets that new leadership will want to retain and support.

Form Institutional Partnerships (as opposed to personnel-level partnerships)

While working with district heads may yield benefits, forming alliances and networking at the highest level of the bureaucracy is crucial. This can be achieved by effectively showcasing how the intervention can enhance efficiency, public perception, or other key performance indicators, which can help sustain their support. In the Community Policing Project, highlighting any positive feedback or improvements in police-community relations in the short term proved to be instrumental.  Additionally, collaborating on additional avenues, such as aiding the institution in streamlining its services by analysing its administrative data, can be pivotal. For example, IDEAS recently collaborated with the Excise and Taxation Department for a project on the Political Economy of Progressive Taxation. The IDEAS team of researchers analysed administrative data on property taxes and conducted a valuation survey to enable the Department to benchmark their latest assessment values. This exercise proved crucial in aligning the goals of the research team and the government department. This can prove vital during change, as it ensures the project remains relevant and aligned with institutional priorities, making it more resistant to being sidelined or discontinued amidst shifts.

To conclude, the success of projects aiming to drive institutional change, like the Community Policing Project, hinges on strategic engagement with bureaucrats at all levels and the thoughtful design of interventions. By fostering ownership, leveraging insights, and aligning with personal and institutional goals, these projects can navigate and thrive amidst bureaucratic changes, ensuring their objectives are met and positive impacts are sustained.

Learn more about the Community Policing project by visiting the project page.

This blog is part of a blog series called the Fieldwork Diaries at IDEAS that serves as a platform for researchers to reflect analytically on their field experiences (and challenges) and share important insights/learnings from their point of view. The series also serves as a means of facilitating cross-learning across project teams housed at IDEAS, particularly on the use of innovative research methods. This piece is authored by Ahsan Zia Farooqui (Senior Programs Manager IDEAS & Doctoral Fellow ICTD), currently pursuing a doctorate in Economics from the University of Sussex.