Professor
Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology Colin Bell Building, Â鶹´«Ã½AV, Â鶹´«Ã½AV, FK9 4LA
Hello, I'm Richard, a Professor in Public and Social Policy in the Faculty of Social Sciences.
I have over 25 years¡¯ experience of public and social policy research, teaching, impact and leadership, where I have led major projects across a range of public policy agendas including user and community engagement, the governance and delivery of public services, and multi-sectoral partnership working. This spans a range of local (urban, rural, coastal), regional, national and international contexts.
My research focuses on three core areas:
(i) CITIZEN, USER, COMMUNITY VOICE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, where I have undertaken major ESRC/UKRI-funded projects in urban and local government contexts as part of the ?3.5m Democracy and Participation programme ('What Motivates Public Service Users to Participate?') and ?5m Cultures of Consumption programme (¡®Cultures of Consumption and Consumer Involvement in Public Services¡¯) as well as a ?500k NIHR project in the NHS ('Enhancing the patient complaints journey: harnessing the power of language to transform the experience of complaining'). I am currently engaged with colleagues at Glasgow and Â鶹´«Ã½AV in a further ESRC-funded project, 'Developing transformative approaches to complaint handling in adult social care in Scotland'.
(ii) HUMAN CO-OPERATION AND INSTITUTIONAL WORK, where I have undertaken major ESRC/UKRI-funded projects in international contexts - e.g. as part of the ?5m Non-Governmental Public Action programme (¡®The Role and Potential of Co-operatives in Poverty Reduction¡¯) in Tanzania and Sri Lanka, and a €7M EU project, 'Strength2Food', looking at supply-chain co-operation and local economic development through public procurement to improve the quality of primary school meals in urban contexts in Serbia.
(iii) POLICY AND SYSTEM INNOVATION, where I am leading major projects in national and regional contexts. This includes a ?475k UKRI project ('Optimising Outcomes from Procurement and Partnering During Covid-19 and Beyond: Lessons from the Crisis') as part of the COVID-19 Rapid Response Programme, and my current ?5.1m project within the ESRC/AHRC/Innovate UK/UKRI Local Policy Innovation Partnership Programme ('Optimising Outcomes from Water Resources: Raising Levels in the Forth Water Basin¡¯). The latter project is developing important new work on applied policy landscape analysis, data mapping and modelling, holistic value frameworks and relational network connectivity, in support of work to 'optimise outcomes' for business and economic development, place and placemaking, health and wellbeing and our cultural and natural heritage.
Much of my research has focussed on the development of innovative conceptual and theoretical frameworks, and their application in a range of empirical public and social policy contexts. At the local level, this work focuses on local government, health services and economic development, where outcomes for individuals and communities are most keenly experienced and observed. Equally, at the system level, it includes a key perspective on innovation in policy, practice and institutional work, particularly where interventions enhance opportunities to achieve shared goals. New projects are in preparation to investigate the development of 'realistic' public policy, combined added value frameworks, ecosystem and human health interactions, the role of AI in enhancing justice and learning from public service complaints, and public-cooperative partnerships (including data co-operatives) for local and regional economic development.
I have published in a wide range of leading public and social policy journals, such as Public Administration, Social Policy and Administration, Policy and Politics, Public Policy and Administration, Annals of Public and Co-operative Economics, Review of Social Economy, and Housing Studies. My h-index is 23 (17 since 2020) and i-10 index 42 (22 since 2020). I have also published with the Policy Press, most recently as part of the last three volumes of the Social Determinants of Health book series. I contribute widely to policy and practitioner events and activities - from evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees to chairing NHS masterclasses and a national Chief Procurement Officers' Forum, to participation in supporting individuals and communities at the hyperlocal level. Beyond this, I am a founder-director of an innovative 'spin-out' community interest company (HUBS) for the cost-effective provision of high-speed broadband in remote and rural areas of Scotland. HUBS has received a prestigious EU innovation award for this important work.
I welcome enquiries regarding PhD supervision across the span of human co-operation in society, with particular applications within the spheres of public and social policy and governance. This extends to the inclusion of citizens, communities and public service users through meaningful voice and participation.
local and regional economic development; urban futures; policy and system innovation; governance design; institutional work; user involvement and participation; mutuality in public and social policy; public service cultures
Optimising Procurement Outcomes for Covid-19 and Beyond: Lessons from the Crisis
PI: Professor Richard Simmons
Funded by: UK Research and Innovation
¨C
Strength2Food Secondment
PI: Professor Richard Simmons
Funded by: European Training Academy
¨C
Technical Support on anti-corruption in Greece
PI: Professor Richard Simmons
Funded by: Queen Margaret College
¨C
Comparative Funding (NGPA Programme).
PI: Professor Richard Simmons
Funded by: Economic and Social Research Council
¨C
Article
Rhys CS, Benwell B, Erofeeva M & Simmons R (2024) Harnessing the power of language to enhance patient experience of the NHS complaint journey in Northern Ireland: a mixed-methods study. Health and Social Care Delivery Research, 12 (33). https://doi.org/10.3310/nrga3207
Article
Should we share qualitative data? Epistemological and practical insights from conversation analysis
Joyce JB, Douglass T, Benwell B, Rhys CS, Parry R, Simmons R & Kerrison A (2022) Should we share qualitative data? Epistemological and practical insights from conversation analysis. International Journal of Social Research Methodology. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2022.2087851
Other
Minimising risks to the researcher in post-war zones
Gunasinghe NPAS & Simmons R (2020) Minimising risks to the researcher in post-war zones. SAGE Advance [Preprint] 03.02.2020. https://advance.sagepub.com/articles/preprint/Minimising_risks_to_the_researcher_in_post-war_zones/11777880
Article
Using cultural theory to navigate the policy process
Simmons R (2018) Using cultural theory to navigate the policy process. Policy and Politics, 46 (2), pp. 235-253. https://doi.org/10.1332/030557318X15230060606081
Article
User Voice and Complaints as Drivers of Innovation in Public Services
Simmons R & Brennan C (2017) User Voice and Complaints as Drivers of Innovation in Public Services. Public Management Review, 19 (8), pp. 1085-1104. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2016.1257061
Book Chapter
Credit Co-operatives in Serbia: Retrospect and Prospect
Simmons R & Nikolic M (2016) Credit Co-operatives in Serbia: Retrospect and Prospect. In: Karafolas S (ed.) Credit Cooperative Institutions in European Countries. Contributions to Economics. Dordrecht: Springer, pp. 379-404. http://www.springer.com/gb/book/9783319287836; https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28784-3_21
Article
Improvement and Public Service Relationships: Cultural Theory and Institutional Work
Simmons R (2016) Improvement and Public Service Relationships: Cultural Theory and Institutional Work. Public Administration, 94 (4), pp. 933-952. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12257
Edited Book
Co-operatives for Sustainable Communities
Brown L, Carini C, Gordon Nembhard J, Ketilson LH, Hicks E, McNamara J, Novkovic S, Rixon D & Simmons R (eds.) (2015) Co-operatives for Sustainable Communities. Ottawa: Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada. http://www.cooperativedifference.coop/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CoopsforSustainableCommunities1.pdf
Book Chapter
Measuring Member Engagement: Building a Model of Change
Simmons R (2015) Measuring Member Engagement: Building a Model of Change. In: Brown L, Carini C, Gordon-Nembhard J, Hammond-Ketilson L, Hicks E, McNamara J, Novkovic S, Rixon D & Simmons R (eds.) Co-operatives for Sustainable Communities. Ottawa: Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada, pp. 239-265. http://www.cooperativedifference.coop/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CoopsforSustainableCommunities1.pdf
Book Chapter
Governing Resilient Co-operatives: Agricultural Co-operatives in Scotland
Simmons R, Yuill B & Booth J (2015) Governing Resilient Co-operatives: Agricultural Co-operatives in Scotland. In: Novkovic S & Miner K (eds.) Co-operative Governance Fit to Build Resilience in the Face of Complexity. Brussels: International Co-operative Alliance, pp. 35-48. http://www.ica-ap.coop/sites/ica-ap.coop/files/ICA%20GOVERNANCE%20PAPER%20-%20EN.pdf
Book Chapter
The Role and Potential of Co-operatives in the Poverty Reduction Process
Birchall J & Simmons R (2013) The Role and Potential of Co-operatives in the Poverty Reduction Process. In: Howell J (ed.) Non-governmental public action and social justice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 86-111. http://us.macmillan.com/nongovernmentalpublicactionandsocialjustice/JudeHowell
Conference Paper (unpublished)
Sacchetti S, Campbell C & Simmons R (2012) Community benefit clauses in public procurement: considerations on the role of partnerships in Scotland [ASE Conference, Glasgow (UK) June 2012]. 14th World Congress of the Association for Social Economics, Glasgow, Scotland, 20.06.2012-22.06.2012. http://www.socialeconomics.org/Papers/Saccjetti7B.pdf
Article
User Involvement in Public Services: 'Choice about Voice'
Simmons R, Birchall J & Prout A (2012) User Involvement in Public Services: 'Choice about Voice'. Public Policy and Administration, 27 (1), pp. 3-29. https://doi.org/10.1177/0952076710384903
Article
Vocational education teacher training in Scotland and England: Policy and practice
Avis J, Canning R, Fisher R, Morgan-Klein B & Simmons R (2011) Vocational education teacher training in Scotland and England: Policy and practice. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 63 (2), pp. 115-127. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2011.566348
Article
The co-operative reform process in Tanzania and Sri Lanka
Birchall J & Simmons R (2010) The co-operative reform process in Tanzania and Sri Lanka. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 81 (3), pp. 467-500. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8292.2010.00418.x
Edited Book
The Consumer in Public Services
Simmons R, Powell M & Greener I (eds.) (2009) The Consumer in Public Services. Bristol: The Policy Press. http://www.policypress.co.uk/display.asp?k=9781847421807
Book Chapter
Understanding The 'Differentiated Consumer' in Public Services
Simmons R (2009) Understanding The 'Differentiated Consumer' in Public Services. In: Simmons R, Powell M & Greener I (eds.) The consumer in public services: Choice, values and difference. Bristol: The Policy Press, pp. 57-76. http://www.policypress.co.uk/display.asp?k=9781847421807
Book Chapter
The public service consumer as member
Birchall J & Simmons R (2009) The public service consumer as member. In: Simmons R, Powell M & Greener I (eds.) The Consumer in Public Services: Choice, Values and Difference. Bristol: The Policy Press, pp. 235-254. http://www.policypress.co.uk/display.asp?k=9781847421807
Research Report
Co-operatives and Poverty Reduction: Evidence from Sri Lanka and Tanzania
Birchall J & Simmons R (2009) Co-operatives and Poverty Reduction: Evidence from Sri Lanka and Tanzania. Co-operative College, Paper 13. Manchester: Co-operative College. http://www.co-op.ac.uk/about/bookstore/international/co-operatives-and-poverty-reduction-evidence-from-sri-lanka-and-tanzania/
Article
The role of co-operatives in poverty reduction: Network perspectives
Simmons R & Birchall J (2008) The role of co-operatives in poverty reduction: Network perspectives. Journal of Socio-Economics, 37 (6), pp. 2131-2140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2008.04.016
Book Review
Beyond Delivery: Policy implementations as sense-making and settlement
Simmons R (2008) Beyond Delivery: Policy implementations as sense-making and settlement. Review of: Beyond Delivery: Policy Implementations as Sense-Making and Settlement. Edward Peck, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 237. 1403996067. Journal of Social Policy, 37 (4), pp. 723-725.
Book Review
Managing Networks of Twenty-First Century Organisations
Simmons R (2008) Managing Networks of Twenty-First Century Organisations. Review of: Managing Networks of Twenty-First Century Organisations. N. Goodwin, E. Peck, and T. Freeman Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. (2006), pp.309. 978-1403996091. Journal of Social Policy, 37 (4), pp. 723-725.
Article
Harnessing Social Enterprise for Local Public Services
Simmons R (2008) Harnessing Social Enterprise for Local Public Services. Public Policy and Administration, 23 (3), pp. 278-301. https://doi.org/10.1177/0952076708089977
Article
Hearing Voices: User Involvement in Public Services
Simmons R, Birchall J & Prout A (2007) Hearing Voices: User Involvement in Public Services. Consumer Policy Review, 17 (5), pp. 234-240. http://direct.bl.uk/bld/PlaceOrder.do?UIN=219108318&ETOC=RN&from=searchengine
Article
'Citizen governance': opportunities for inclusivity in policy and policy making?
Simmons R, Birchall J, Doheny S & Powell M (2007) 'Citizen governance': opportunities for inclusivity in policy and policy making?. Policy and Politics, 35 (3), pp. 457-478. https://doi.org/10.1332/030557307781571551
Research Report
Our Say: User Voice and Public Service Culture
Simmons R, Birchall J & Prout A (2007) Our Say: User Voice and Public Service Culture. National Consumer Council. http://www.consumerfutures.org.uk/wpfb-file/our-say-user-voice-and-public-service-culture-2007-pdf
Article
Tenant participation and social housing in the UK: Applying a theoretical model
Simmons R & Birchall J (2007) Tenant participation and social housing in the UK: Applying a theoretical model. Housing Studies, 22 (4), pp. 573-595. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673030701408535
Book Review
The new individualism: The emotional costs of globalization
Simmons R (2007) The new individualism: The emotional costs of globalization. Review of: The New Individualism: The Emotional Costs of Globalization. Elliott, A. and Lemert, C. London: Routledge, (2005) 218pp, ISBN 0-415-56069-1. Journal of Social Policy, 36 (3), pp. 497-499. https://doi.org/10.1017/S004727940721102X
Article
The Role and Potential of Co-operatives in the Poverty Reduction Process: a research agenda
Birchall J & Simmons R (2007) The Role and Potential of Co-operatives in the Poverty Reduction Process: a research agenda. Journal of Co-operative Studies, 40 (1), pp. 43-51. http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ukscos/jcs/2007/00000040/00000001/art00005
Book Chapter
Prout A, Simmons R & Birchall J (2006) Reconnecting and extending the research agenda on children¡¯s participation: mutual incentives and the participation chain. In: Tisdall E, Davis J, Hill M & Prout A (eds.) Children, Young People and Social Inclusion: Participation for what?. Bristol: Policy Press, pp. 75-104. http://www.policypress.co.uk/display.asp?k=9781861346629
Article
Simmons R & Birchall J (2005) A joined-up approach to user participation in public services: Strengthening the "participation chain". Social Policy and Administration, 39 (3), pp. 260-283. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9515.2005.00439.x
Article
Birchall J & Simmons R (2004) The involvement of members in the governance of large-scale co-operative and mutual businesses: A formative evaluation of the co-operative group. Review of Social Economy, 62 (4), pp. 487-515. https://doi.org/10.1080/0034676042000296236
Research Report
User Power: the participation of users in public services
Birchall J & Simmons R (2004) User Power: the participation of users in public services. National Consumer Council (now Consumer Focus). http://collections.europarchive.org/tna/20080520143211/
Article
What motivates members to participate in co-operative and mutual businesses?
Birchall J & Simmons R (2004) What motivates members to participate in co-operative and mutual businesses?. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 75 (3), pp. 465-495. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8292.2004.00259.x
Article
Creating and Supporting Co-operative Members in the West Midlands
Simmons R & Birchall J (2004) Creating and Supporting Co-operative Members in the West Midlands. Journal of Co-operative Studies, 37 (1), pp. 22-37. http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ukscos/jcs/2004/00000037/00000001/art00003
Research Report
Motivating members: member participation on governance - a study of the Co-operative Group
Simmons R & Birchall J (2003) Motivating members: member participation on governance - a study of the Co-operative Group. Co-operative College Paper, 3. http://www.co-op.ac.uk/bookstore/member-participation/motivating-members-member-participation-governance-study-operative-group/
Research Report
Getting involved: studies of member participation in co-operatives across the West Midlands
Wilson M, Woodin T, Simmons R & Birchall J (2003) Getting involved: studies of member participation in co-operatives across the West Midlands. Co-operative College Paper, 2. The Co-operative College.
Book Chapter
Member participation in mutuals: a theoretical model
Birchall J & Simmons R (2001) Member participation in mutuals: a theoretical model. In: Birchall J (ed.) The New Mutualism in Public Policy. Routledge Studies in Business Organizations and Networks, 15. London: Routledge, pp. 202-225. http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415241304/