ABSTRACT
This chapter expresses that universities and social scientists are placing far too much emphasis on the public side of social policy. It also expresses that from a longer term perspective, universities should develop mechanisms to place research findings directly into the hands of those who need them. Differences of opinion, ideology, and interpretation among social scientists are frequent problems in the acceptance of social science research by policymakers and result in a general undermining of the credibility of social science. Two strategies have been suggested for universities to follow: First, much greater attention is needed to the processes by which social policies flow from the private sector; and second, concentrated effort to place information from the results of research into the hands of those who need it is required. The first strategy should have an immediate impact on social policy, and the latter strategy will influence social policy—both public and private—in the long run.
