From stakeholders' competition to the balance of interests: system dynamics model of participatory policy

Abstract

Introduction of a participatory element into an existing policy-making scheme challenges the whole policy-making practice, since unmanageable stakes tend to mask proper distribution of interests and hide wider needs of the society. The objective of this research is to describe participatory modelling procedures and, by means of system dynamics, to construct a participatory model that allows an input of policy stakeholders into policy-making and policy administration streams via a rational balance of interest expression. The primary intention is to use these modelling techniques for the description of participatory procedures and apply them to the governance of wider public policy issues. The model is primarily targeted at the introduction of such mechanisms into the policy-making process that enable control of completeness of stake representation and at the balance of stake representation. Equally the model has to preclude policy makers from narrow interest advocacy against the public interest.