Factors Affecting Public and Political Acceptance for the Implementation of Geological Disposal

The main objective of this paper is to identify conditions which affect public concern (either increase or decrease) and political acceptance for developing and implementing programmes for geologic disposal of long-lived radioactive waste. It also looks how citizens and relevant actors can be associated in the decision making process in such a way that their input is enriching the outcome towards a more socially robust and sustainable solution. Finally, it aims at learning from the interaction how to optimise risk management addressing needs and expectations of the public and of other relevant stakeholders. In order to meet these objectives, factors of relevance for societal acceptance conditions are identified, described and analysed. Subsequently these factors are looked for in the real world of nuclear waste management through cases in several countries. The analysis is conducted for six stages of a repository programme and implementation process, from policy development to the realisation of the repository itself. The diversity of characteristics of such contexts increases insight in the way society and values of reference are influencing technological decision making. These interrelated factors need to be integrated in step by step decision making processes as emerging the last years in HLW disposal management. In the conclusions, the effect of each factor on acceptance is derived from the empirical record. In the course of carrying out this analysis, it became clear that acceptance had a different meaning in the first three stages of the process, more generic and therefore mainly discussed at policy level and the other stages, by nature more site-specific, and therefore requesting both public and political acceptance. Experience as clearly addressed in this report has shown that a feasible solution has its technical dimension but that “an acceptable solution” always will have a combined technical and social dimension. If the paper provides tentative answers to the central question how factors affect public and political acceptance, it also aims at illustrating the added value of broadening the technical dimension with social dialogue and insight in value judgements.

Application of the watershed sustainability index in the Piranhas-Açu watershed

Water Policy ◽

10.2166/wp.2020.011 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 622-640

Author(s):

D. D. Costa e Silva ◽

H. M. L. Chaves ◽

W. F. Curi ◽

J. G. V. Baracuhy ◽

T. P. S. Cunha

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Water Resources ◽

Public Participation ◽

Analysis Method ◽

Resources Management ◽

The Public ◽

Sustainability Index ◽

Semi Arid Region ◽

Brazilian Northeast

Abstract The current worldwide water resources issue is one of the crucial matters to overcome obstacles to sustainable development. This problem, formerly tackled in a sectored manner, is now pointing towards an analysis directed to treating the watershed as a management unit, with regards to all dimensions of knowledge and, especially, to the public participation in the decision-making processes. As an alternative to measure its performance, it has been sought out to develop indexes aimed to measure its sustainability, but there is still a lack of the use of composed efficient methodologies that also enable public participation in decision-making. This research presents a methodology comprising 15 indexes for the calculation of the Watershed Sustainability Index (WSI), followed by the application of the PROMETHEE multi-criteria analysis method and the COPELAND multi-decision-maker method. The methodology was applied to evaluate the performance of subwatersheds of the Piranhas-Açu watershed, located in the Brazilian northeast semi-arid region. The performance ordering, obtained through the application of the methods, emphasizes that subwatersheds' performances are uneven. It can be noticed that the subwatersheds' performances are still far from ideal in relation to water resources management, even in the ones that displayed satisfactory index levels.

Analyzing Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Land Management Practices in Mecha Woreda, Northwestern Ethiopia

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13137007 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (13) ◽

pp. 7007

Author(s):

Habtamu Nebere ◽

Degefa Tolossa ◽

Amare Bantider

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Land Management ◽

Land Degradation ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

Management Practices ◽

Short Term ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Household Heads ◽

The Impact

In Ethiopia, the practice of land management started three decades ago in order to address the problem of land degradation and to further boost agricultural production. However, the impact of land management practices in curbing land degradation problems and improving the productivity of the agricultural sector is insignificant. Various empirical works have previously identified the determinants of the adoption rate of land management practices. However, the sustainability of land management practices after adoption, and the various factors that control the sustainability of implemented land management practices, are not well addressed. This study analyzed the factors affecting the sustainability of land management practices after implementation in Mecha Woreda, northwestern Ethiopia. The study used 378 sample respondents, selected by a systematic random sampling technique. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the quantitative data, while the qualitative data were qualitatively and concurrently analyzed with the quantitative data. The sustained supply of fodder from the implemented land management practices, as well as improved cattle breed, increases the sustainability of the implemented land management practices. While lack of agreement in the community, lack of enforcing community bylaws, open cattle grazing, lack of benefits of implemented land management practices, acting as barrier for farming practices, poor participation of household heads during planning and decision-making processes, as well as the lack of short-term benefits, reduce the sustainability of the implemented land management practices. Thus, it is better to allow for the full participation of household heads in planning and decision-making processes to bring practical and visible results in land management practices. In addition, recognizing short-term benefits to compensate the land lost in constructing land management structures must be the strategy in land management practices. Finally, reducing the number of cattle and practicing stall feeding is helpful both for the sustainability of land management practices and the productivity of cattle. In line with this, fast-growing fodder grass species have to be introduced for household heads to grow on land management structures and communal grazing fields for stall feeding.

Decision-making process for introduction of maternal vaccines in Kenya, 2017–2018

Implementation Science ◽

10.1186/s13012-021-01101-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Nancy A. Otieno ◽

Fauzia A. Malik ◽

Stacy W. Nganga ◽

Winnie N. Wairimu ◽

Dominic O. Ouma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Policy Development ◽

Implementation Process ◽

Policy Formulation ◽

Advisory Group ◽

Decision Making Process ◽

Middle Income ◽

Maternal Immunization ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

High Level

Abstract Background Maternal immunization is a key strategy for reducing morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases in mothers and their newborns. Recent developments in the science and safety of maternal vaccinations have made possible development of new maternal vaccines ready for introduction in low- and middle-income countries. Decisions at the policy level remain the entry point for maternal immunization programs. We describe the policy and decision-making process in Kenya for the introduction of new vaccines, with particular emphasis on maternal vaccines, and identify opportunities to improve vaccine policy formulation and implementation process. Methods We conducted 29 formal interviews with government officials and policy makers, including high-level officials at the Kenya National Immunization Technical Advisory Group, and Ministry of Health officials at national and county levels. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. We analyzed the qualitative data using NVivo 11.0 software. Results All key informants understood the vaccine policy formulation and implementation processes, although national officials appeared more informed compared to county officials. County officials reported feeling left out of policy development. The recent health system decentralization had both positive and negative impacts on the policy process; however, the negative impacts outweighed the positive impacts. Other factors outside vaccine policy environment such as rumours, sociocultural practices, and anti-vaccine campaigns influenced the policy development and implementation process. Conclusions Public policy development process is complex and multifaceted by its nature. As Kenya prepares for introduction of other maternal vaccines, it is important that the identified policy gaps and challenges are addressed.

Framing Information Technology Governance in the Public Sector: Opportunities and Challenges

International Journal of Electronic Government Research ◽

10.4018/ijegr.2015100105 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 89-101 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Khalifa Al-Farsi ◽

Ramzi EL Haddadeh

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Information Technology ◽

Public Sector ◽

It Governance ◽

Decision Makers ◽

The Public ◽

Technology Governance ◽

Support Organizations ◽

Information Technology Governance ◽

Information technology governance is considered one of the innovative practices that can provide support for decision-makers. Interestingly, it has become increasingly a de facto for organizations in seeking to optimise their performance. In principle, information technology governance has emerged to support organizations in the integration of information technology (IT) infrastructures and the delivery of high-quality services. On the other hand, decision-making processes in public sector organisations can be multi-faceted and complex, and decision makers play an important role in implementing technology in the public sector. The aim of this paper is to shed some light on current opportunities and challenges that IT governance is experiencing in the context of public sector services. In this respect, this paper examines the factors influencing the decision-making process to fully appreciate IT governance. Furthermore, this study focuses on combining institutional and individual perspectives to explain how individuals can take decisions in response to institutional influences.

The Role of Public Participation in Governance towards Achieving Sustainable Development. Part 1

RUDN Journal of Public Administration ◽

10.22363/2312-8313-2021-8-4-395-404 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 395-404

Author(s):

Maurice S. Nyarangaa ◽

Chen Hao ◽

Duncan O. Hongo

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Sustainable Development ◽

Public Participation ◽

Good Governance ◽

Policy Formulation ◽

Government Officials ◽

Political Class ◽

The Public ◽

The Government

Public participation aimed at improving the effectiveness of governance by involving citizens in governance policy formulation and decision-making processes. It was designed to promote transparency, accountability and effectiveness of any modern government. Although Kenya has legally adopted public participation in day-to-day government activities, challenges still cripple its effectiveness as documented by several scholars. Instead of reducing conflicts between the government and the public, it has heightened witnessing so many petitions of government missing on priorities in terms of development and government policies. Results show that participation weakly relates with governance hence frictions sustainable development. Theoretically, public participation influences governance efficiency and development, directly and indirectly, thus sustainable development policy and implementation depends on Public participation and good governance. However, an effective public participation in governance is has been fractioned by the government. Instead of being a promoter/sponsor of public participation, the government of Kenya has failed to put structures that would spur participation of citizens in policy making and other days to activities. This has brought about wrong priority setting and misappropriation of public resources; The government officials and political class interference ultimately limit public opinion and input effects on decision-making and policy formulation, which might be an inner factor determining the failure of public participation in Kenya. The study suggests the need for strengthening public participation by establishing an independent institution to preside over public participation processes.

Decision Biases and Heuristics Among Emergency Managers: Just Like the Public They Manage For?

The American Review of Public Administration ◽

10.1177/0275074018799490 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 292-308 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Patrick S. Roberts ◽

Kris Wernstedt

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Structured Decision Making ◽

The Public ◽

Public Managers ◽

Emergency Managers ◽

Decision Biases ◽

Show Evidence ◽

Outcome Bias ◽

Attribution Bias

We present evidence that emergency managers exhibit some of the same decision biases, sensitivity to framing, and heuristics found in studies of the general public, even when making decisions in their area of expertise. Our national survey of county-level emergency managers finds that managers appear more risk averse when the outcomes of actions are framed as gains than when equivalent outcomes are framed as losses, a finding that is consistent with prospect theory. We also find evidence that the perceived actions of emergency managers in neighboring jurisdictions affect the choices a manager makes. In addition, our managers show evidence of attribution bias, outcome bias, and difficulties processing numerical information, particularly probabilities compared to frequencies. Each of these departures from perfect rationality points to potential shortfalls in public managers’ decision making. We suggest opportunities to improve decision making through reframing problems, providing training in structured decision-making processes, and employing different choice architectures to nudge behavior in a beneficial direction.

Advances in Business Strategy and Competitive Advantage - Digital Marketing Strategies and Models for Competitive Business ◽

Geographic Marketing in Support of Decision-Making Processes

10.4018/978-1-7998-2963-8.ch005 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 103-115

Author(s):

Maria Fernanda Augusto

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Geographic Information ◽

Essential Elements ◽

Added Value ◽

Key Factors ◽

Digital Maps ◽

Growth Prospects ◽

Definition Of ◽

Different Sources

Nowadays, geographic information and spatial aspects are essential elements for the definition of companies' strategies. With the use of different sources data, companies were able to obtain insights that they could not obtain without the spatial component and were able to use them to optimize their business. Then, geographic marketing presents itself as an added value for companies, one of the key factors being its role in supporting decision making. The main attributes of geographic marketing or GeoMarketing allow us to identify and present through digital maps the behavior and trends of certain variables based on characteristics of a market. The meticulous study of spatial and demographic information generated by GeoMarketing are crucial for important strategic adjustments in the business plan, such as definitions related to the location considered ideal for the business, target audience, price and growth prospects, among other factors. In this context, GeoMarketing will be introduced, exploring its scope, applicability, and relevance of its use in support of the decision-making process.

Conclusion: SDO Decision-making and the Public Interest

Global Standard Setting in Internet Governance ◽

10.1093/oso/9780198841524.003.0012 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 210-237

Author(s):

Alison Harcourt ◽

George Christou ◽

Seamus Simpson

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Civil Society ◽

Public Interest ◽

Self Regulation ◽

International Level ◽

Multiple Streams ◽

Policy Entrepreneurship ◽

Historical Representation ◽

The Public ◽

The conclusion situates the book’s findings in academic debates on democracy and the Internet, global self-regulation, and civil society, and international decision-making processes in unstructured environments. It assesses whether current standards-developing organization (SDO) decision-making is able to bridge historical representation gaps and deficiencies. A nuanced pattern is emerging with increasing inclusion of a wider number of actors within SDO fora. The first part of the chapter returns to the Multiple Streams (MS) framework applied to the case studies on a comparative basis. It identifies key processes under which SDO rules of interaction are established at the international level and explains which interests have come to the fore within decision-making highlighting the occurrence of policy entrepreneurship, forum shopping, and coupling. The final part explores additional frameworks for SDO regulation where spaces for public interest consideration might occur in the future. These are opportunities for inserting public interest considerations into international and national Acts, certification programmes, and the move towards open source solutions for Internet management. The book concludes that, although the literature is expansive on the interaction of corporate sector actors within SDOs, the study of other actors, such as digital rights groups, civil society, academics, policy entrepreneurs and the technical community as a whole, has been underdressed in the literature on international self-regulatory fora to date. In this respect, the book raises important questions of representation of the public interest at the international level by having addressed the actions of actors within SDO fora who promote public interest goals.

‘Stepping on the heads of our Gods'

International Journal of Social Ecology and Sustainable Development ◽

10.4018/ijsesd.2015040103 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 40-56

Author(s):

Yangji Doma Sherpa ◽

A. John Sinclair ◽

Thomas Henley

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Rapid Development ◽

High Mountain ◽

Court Cases ◽

The Public ◽

Mountain Environments ◽

Hydroelectric Dam ◽

The Himalayan region of India is experiencing rapid development in tourism, agriculture, highway construction and hydroelectric dam construction. This research considered the role of the public both within and outside of development decision-making processes in these high mountain environments using the proposed Himalayan Ski Village (HSV) in Manali as a case study. The qualitative data revealed that there has been an extensive array of public participation activity related to the HSV project over approximately 10 years. Very little of this activity has evolved, however, through the formal decision-making process. Rather, most participation activities, such as general house meetings, objection letters, public rallies, court cases against the proposed project, and a religious congregation were instigated by the public to protest the proposed development. The findings also show that involvement in the participatory activities undertaken by the public and project proponent fostered instrumental and communicative learning outcomes.

How Judges Use Weapons of Influence: The Social Psychology of Courts

Israel Law Review ◽

10.1017/s0021223712000271 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 7-24

Author(s):

Guy Davidov ◽

Maayan Davidov

Keyword(s):

Social Psychology ◽

Decision Making ◽

Case Law ◽

Judicial Decision ◽

Judicial Decision Making ◽

The Public ◽

The Social ◽

The Face ◽

The Government

Research on compliance has shown that people can be induced to comply with various requests by using techniques that capitalise on the human tendencies to act consistently and to reciprocate. Thus far this line of research has been applied to interactions between individuals, not to relations between institutions. We argue, however, that similar techniques are applied by courts vis-à-vis the government, the legislature and the public at large, when courts try to secure legitimacy and acceptance of their decisions. We discuss a number of known influence techniques – including ‘foot in the door’, ‘low-balling’, ‘giving a reputation to uphold’ and ‘door in the face’ – and provide examples from Israeli case law of the use of such techniques by courts. This analysis offers new insights that can further the understanding of judicial decision-making processes.