Join KTER on Wednesday, August 5, from 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET for a practical discussion on how researchers can build meaningful partnerships with businesses to strengthen knowledge translation and disability employment research. The event features a facilitated panel with representatives from three businesses— Livingston Educational Service Agency, Kuehne + Nagel, and Morley Companies— and a member of the KTER Center’s Business Advisory Council, Sriram Narayanan of the Eli Broad Business School at Michigan State. The discussion will explore strategies for engaging employers, building trust, navigating organizational structures, and using business insights to develop more relevant research, dissemination products, and implementation strategies.

Speakers

• Kathleen Murphy, PhD, AIR, moderator
• Jenny Piatt, MA, Michigan Rehabilitation Services
• Sriram Narayanan, PhD, Michigan State University
• Lauren Samyn, Kuehne + Nagel, Detroit, MI
• Alana Anderson, Livingston Educational Service Agency, Howell, MI
• Jill Gushow, Morley Company, Inc., Saginaw, MI

Background

This facilitated session will demonstrate how researchers can use relationship-building with businesses as the foundation for understanding workforce needs and strengthening collaboration. The discussion will highlight effective approaches to initiating contact with businesses (including navigating gatekeepers and organizational structures), explore how trust-building influences access to information and long-term partnership success, and share practical tools (e.g., business profiles) that support engagement and deepen understanding over time.

Webinar Description

NIDILRR-funded researchers are called to translate research into practical strategies that improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities. One way to accomplish that goal is through strong partnerships with businesses and other stakeholders who influence workforce outcomes. This webinar features a facilitated panel discussion highlighting strategies for building and sustaining relationships with businesses to support knowledge translation and workforce research.

This session will focus on practical, relationship-driven approaches to engaging businesses, including navigating organizational structures and building trust to support long-term collaboration. Panelists will share insights on how business relationships can strengthen the relevance and use of research findings. The session will also introduce tools such as business profiles to support ongoing engagement and help researchers apply business insights to shape research questions, dissemination products, and implementation strategies.

Learning Objectives

• Demonstrate how to establish and maintain relationships with businesses to support knowledge translation and co-development of business-relevant research products
• Identify effective approaches to contacting businesses, including navigating gatekeepers and organizational structures
• Discuss how trust-building influences access to data and long-term partnership success
• Apply business insights to shape dissemination products, implementation strategies, and research questions
• Share practical tools such as business profiles and how they support engagement and understanding