Navigating the Research-Policy Nexus: A Qualitative Framework for Business Knowledge Translation in Cape Verde (2020–2026)

The persistent gap between academic business research and public policy formulation in African contexts is well-documented, yet frameworks for effective knowledge translation remain underdeveloped. This is particularly salient for small island developing states, where economic resilience is a critical policy concern. This study aimed to develop a contextualised framework for translating business research into policy within a Lusophone African setting. It sought to identify the key actors, mechanisms, and barriers influencing this process. A qualitative, multi-case study design was employed. Data were collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews with senior researchers, policymakers, and intermediary stakeholders. Documentary analysis of policy texts and research outputs supplemented the interview data, which were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Analysis identified a dominant theme of 'relational brokerage', where trusted individuals, not formal institutions, were the primary conduits for research uptake. A significant barrier was a perceived misalignment in temporal horizons; approximately 70% of researcher participants cited policymakers' demand for immediate solutions as incompatible with rigorous academic inquiry. The research-policy nexus is fundamentally a social system reliant on interpersonal trust and negotiated timelines, rather than a linear pipeline for evidence. Effective translation requires navigating these social and temporal dimensions. We recommend that research institutions establish dedicated knowledge broker roles and that funding calls mandate the co-creation of research questions with policy partners from the outset. Policymakers should formalise advisory channels that accommodate longer-term strategic evidence. knowledge translation, research utilisation, policy impact, business research, small island states, qualitative case study This paper provides a novel, empirically-grounded framework that delineates the social and temporal mechanisms of knowledge translation, moving beyond normative models to offer practical guidance for researchers and policymakers in comparable economies.