Table 1 Possible organisational level components of a research knowledge infrastructure (RKI)

I. Climate for Research Use

• Accreditation acknowledges and rates the use of research evidence in decision making

• Mission, vision, values, and strategic plan reflect the value placed on the use of research evidence in decision making

• Structures or positions exist within the organisations to ensure accountability for using research evidence in decision making

• Clear points of contacts within organisations regarding where to turn to obtain research evidence

• Formal and informal relationships with people outside the organisation who can assist in obtaining the appropriate research evidence

• Recruitment and retention strategies that reflect the value of the use of research evidence in decision making

• Recognition of employees who use research evidence within the organisation

II. Research Production

• Participating in regular priority setting processes for the research evidence needed to meet managerial and policy-making needs

• Ensuring that the appropriate research commissioning capacity is in place to commission or execute the research if it is deemed high priority yet no applicable research is available

III. Activities Used to Link Research to Action (4 parts)

IIIa. Push Efforts

• Knowledge intelligence service that scans the literature and distributes relevant research evidence throughout the organisation

• Individual(s) responsible for identifying teaching moments to profile research evidence

IIIb. Facilitating Pull Efforts

• Enabling 'easy access' to research evidence through physical tools (e.g., information technology systems)

• Enabling 'easy access' to research evidence through appropriate resources (e.g., websites with optimally packaged reviews)

IIIc. Pull Efforts

• Summarising or conducting primary research via a rapid response unit that supports the use of research in decision making

• Decision-making processes that promote the use of research in decision making

• Self-assessment tools that focus on capacity to find and use research evidence in decision making

• Training and continuing education that focus on finding and using research evidence in decision making

• Use of dedicated staff to 'pull' research into decision making

IIId. Exchange Efforts

• Regular meetings that highlight relevant research

• Interactive workshops that focus on the use of research in decision making

IV. Evaluation of Efforts

• Monitoring and evaluation efforts on the use of research in decision making