Managing outcome-focused, engaged 'human' research

Abstract

Many of the people who will read this book invest considerable effort trying to influence and shape people's behaviour to reduce the economic, human welfare and environmental costs caused by invasive species. It is likely that their attempts to bring about change in people's behaviour will often not have been as successful as they would wish. As other chapters highlight, creating desirable patterns of behaviour is very difficult, as is understanding the complex patterns of causes and consequences of human behaviour. Building community awareness and citizen motivation to 'do the right thing' in the face of competing messages and other demands requires skill, knowledge and investment. The challenge is made more difficult because the economic incentives for responsibly managing invasive species (and many other natural resource challenges) are often weak, and managing these problems requires ongoing effort and financial investment, often by 'volunteer' citizens who are prepared to do the right thing. As earlier chapters demonstrate, the problems of motivation and capabilities are only two of the impediments that must be overcome. Other chapters have highlighted issues of coordination, funding, political complexities and public communications that also should be examined. This chapter considers what all this means for the design and implementation of research.