Luigi Mauri

L. MAURI, Applied Social Research and Policy Making: multiple methodological approaches This contribution deals with the cognitive and methodological issues that involve applied social research in its relation with policy design and political decision making, showing some exemplifications of empirical options considered effective to produce good knowledge for facing social changes and all the new needs and questions it produces. In this prospective, surpassing the dichotomy within «academic research» and «applied research», the essay on one hand wants to focus on the techniques and tools addressed to improve a knowledge-based decision making in the field of welfare policies and on the other hand to discuss the role and the ethical commitment of social researchers in the policy community, their responsibility in contributing of the best «social organization of future». Key words: social research, social survey, indicators, customer satisfaction, social design, methodology.