ABSTRACT
This chapter lays out the parameters of one of these lines of inquiry: research on the ‘dissemination and utilisation of knowledge. Work in communications, in person perception, in social influence, also inform this field. Action research addresses directly the theory-practice relationship as well. ‘Sustained interactivity’ contains another premise: in the final phase of dissemination, the researcher will be trading on his or her expertise to legitimate his or her claims against truth, claims made by other actors trading on their formal status, on their experience, on their access to other sources ofinformation, on their informal influence, etc. The dissemination strategy described acts to improve the level of understanding of the findings among practitioners, to increase the perception of their validity in the setting and, in response to the time invested by researchers, to increase the corresponding investment.
