Research is important for developing effective advocacy strategies and supporting advocacy work. It allows for a thorough understanding of the root causes and effects of issues, potential policy solutions, relevant stakeholders and their motivations. Effective research utilizes a wide range of sources and references them reliably. It is important to select policy issues based on relevance, passion, likelihood of success, and potential benefits. Researching organizations, people, power structures, and one's own power aids in influencing policymaking. Targeted research supports advocacy targets, messages and submissions. Investigations can document issues and provide evidence to fuel campaigns and legislative changes.

1. Research
Module 3

2. Any systematic
investigation to
discover facts or
collect information
Research is …

3. Research is the Foundation
for Strategic Advocacy
It is important for both:
An effective advocacy strategy
- by enabling thorough strategic analysis;
and
Successful advocacy work
- by providing authoritative and accurate
evidence to support advocacy.

4. Why is Research Important?
To gain a clear understanding of
root causes and effects of animal
welfare issues
To identify practical and feasible
policy solutions
 To understand the people and
players involved, and their
motivations
To build logical and coherent
arguments for policy change,
targeted to different audiences
and purposes

5. Research Methodology
Use a wide range of sources to give your
research context, depth and interest
Consider including: desk research, fact-finding
meetings, investigations (and even surveys,
focus groups, media analysis etc.)
Always choose/quote reliable sources
Reference well (so these can be checked)
Keep an organizational library
Scan relevant media regularly
Attend relevant conferences for new
developments/analysis

6. Selecting a Policy Issue
Relevance to your organization’s work
You care passionately about it!
Likelihood of success
Potential benefits for animals
Potential for collaboration/alliances
Others are not already dealing (overcrowded
bus)
It won’t harm your organization (risk analysis)

7. From Issues to Solutions
Issues
Issue Solutions
Political
Will
Issue
identification
Developing
solutions
Building political
support
Evaluating policy
action
Bringing three aspects together
for policy action
-
SolutionsIssue Issue
Issue
Political
Will
Political
Will
Solutions
Solutions

8. Policy Environment
Key elements of policy context analysis:
Identifying policy-related causes of animal
issues
Understanding the structure of policymaking
bodies
Understanding formal and informal policy
processes
Identifying key actors and
institutions/organisations, and - importantly -
influencers
Analyzing the distribution of political power
Understanding the social and political context

9. Include the International
Context
Even if you are working nationally and locally, it will help

10. Organizations & People – At the
Heart of Policy
To succeed in influencing policy, you need to research
and understand:
Relevant organizations, and their policies and roles
Key people and their motivations
Sources of power and influence
Successful advocacy involves building and maintaining
relationships which enable you to influence
policymaking in favor of your issue.

11. Your Own Sources of Power
You should also analyze your own
power sources (and plan how to use
and develop these).
Charles Handy, in ‘Understanding
Organisations’ (1976) said that if you
want to change anything, you need
first of all to think about your source of
power.

12. Targeted Research
After broad research
Decide on advocacy targets and
messages
Then prepare more detailed targeted
research
Also useful for linking your issue into topical
concerns, and for submissions
Consider use of visual or audio-visual materials
for impact

13. Investigations can be
useful to:
Document how animals are treated, through
video/photographic evidence and eyewitness
accounts
Uncover evidence that laws & regulations
surrounding farm animal welfare are being
broken
Provide investigative material to fuel
campaigns
Provide investigative material to be used as
evidence to lobby for changes in legislation to
improve farm animal welfare

14. More on Investigations
There is more
information on
investigations – covert
and overt - in the course
materials
Prepared by a leading
expert in animal welfare
investigations

15. Time spent on reconnaissance
is never “wasted”
An adage from Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art
of War’
(widely quoted in the military -
including reportedly by General
Montgomery!)