Abstract:

Social research has, this paper contends, a central role in public sector decision-making. It enables the public to participate directly in some decisions, and to exercise an important influence on others. Even when the public is not asked to contribute to a decision, that decision should nevertheless be informed by a thorough understanding of the circumstances, behaviour and needs of the public: and to obtain that understanding requires social research. The paper considers two types of situation in which the public is invited to contribute to the making of a decision.