Consulting Skills for Social Researchers

Consulting skills help a researcher frame and define research projects, manage the social research process, engage with stakeholders, and even influence change, as sometimes a researcher is asked to consult with interested parties about what he or she has found, and how this new knowledge might be applied to improve the functioning of groups, services, and other social organizations. But most social researchers have no training in consultancy, which means they risk being ineffective or even counterproductive as consultants. This book aims to change that: a practitioner-focused text, it aims to teach social researchers the skills they need—particularly in communications and management—to become effective consultants and engage with stakeholders to bring about positive change.