The impact of research and development (R&D) on decision making and managers in vocational education and training (VET) was examined through a review of recent Australian studies in VET and health care. The framework adopted to analyze the relationships between R&D and decision making distinguished between the decision-making domain, the research domain, and the linkages between them. R&D was defined, and a distinction was drawn between the terms "use" and "influence." The similarities and differences between the VET and health care sectors were considered, with special focus on the areas of institution-level decision making and decision making by practitioners. The main conclusions were as follows: (1) R&D does have an impact on decision making by policymakers and practitioners in both fields; (2) it is generally not possible to evaluate the extent of the influence of research on decision in a quantitative fashion; (3) stakeholders can enhance the extent to which research is used and has influence on decision making; (4) workers (in VET) and patients and care providers (in health care) represent an additional set of significant decision makers who can use R&D and be influenced by it; and (5) R&D and decision making can benefit each other in diverse ways. (Contains 27 references.) (MN)