ABSTRACT
It is widely recognized, and well documented within this volume, that organizational knowledge is consequential (see, for example, Chapters 5, 6, and 15 in this volume). However, those consequences also reach beyond traditional boundaries of organizations. Although most research on organizational knowledge has taken place within single organizations or with related organizational systems, little research has examined consequences of these processes beyond organizational boundaries. Many contexts exist for such examinations, and this line of research is a necessary extension of organizational knowledge theory and research. One context for extending knowledge studies is the arena of public policy. Public policies are pervasive and consequential features of everyday life for a large number of societal members. These policies address social concerns, such as education or health care, and involve members of multiple social systems that differ in structure and purpose, including government agencies, implementing organizations, and families (Birkland, 2005). Public policy knowledge warrants careful consideration by communication researchers and organizational practitioners because the construction of such knowledge represents the nexus of policy, organizational, and epistemological processes (Canary & McPhee, 2009). Examining communication within and between policy-related systems is important for identifying knowledge resources as well as communicative strategies, language use, and features of interaction that are integral to constructing knowledge (Canary & McPhee, 2009). Accordingly, the purpose of this chapter is to examine the communicative construction of policy knowledge within and between policy-related social systems. First, a review of previous research of organizational knowledge, policy studies, and professional-lay interactions demonstrates the value of a communication-centered approach to policy knowledge. The review is followed by a brief theoretical discussion and a description of results from an empirical study of cross-system policy knowledge. The chapter concludes with a discussion of implications for theory, research, and practice.
