Policy Canvas: A Tool for Fostering Convergence Between Policymakers and Policy Scholars

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Financial Sciences, Management and Economics, University of Kashan

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Progress Engineering, Faculty of Management, Economics, and Progress Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology

3 University Instructor, Faculty of Skills, Islamic Azad University

4 Professor, Faculty of Public Management and Organizational Sciences, School of Management, University of Tehran

Abstract

Objective: The growing complexity of public issues and the multiplicity of actors in the governance arena have highlighted the need for tools that can facilitate communication between policymakers and policy researchers. In this context, the Policy Canvas emerges as a visual and interactive framework that, by simplifying concepts and clarifying the relationships among policy components, provides a basis for shared understanding and convergence.
Research Method: This study employs a qualitative approach using the method of qualitative content analysis to examine the capacities of this tool. Data were collected through two channels: first, a systematic analysis of articles indexed in the Scopus database; and second, semi-structured interviews with experts and specialists in the field of public policy. The data gathered from these two sources were then organized and analyzed through three stages of open, axial, and selective coding.
Findings and Conclusion: The findings indicate that the Policy Canvas can serve as a common language among actors in this domain and, by creating semantic coherence, enhance the linkage between research and practice. Moreover, using this tool contributes to more data-driven decision-making, as well as greater transparency and rationality in the policy-making process. The integrated results of the study show that the effectiveness of the canvas depends on prerequisites such as institutional capacity, policy literacy, a culture of dialogue, professional ethics, and inter-organizational collaboration. Overall, the Policy Canvas, as an innovative tool, can help bridge the gap between theory and practice and, by supporting collective learning and stakeholder participation, improve the quality of public decision-making and strengthen governance sustainability.

Keywords