Problem Structuring Process Research Articles

Optimizing expected policy outcomes through creative problem structuring: Police human resource development policy in the southeast Sulawesi regional police, Indonesia

This study aims to investigate the problem structuring process using creative methods to create well-structured problems, and how it can optimize the expected policy outcomes of human resource development in regional police. This study uses a qualitative research method by integrating qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and administrative data. Five informants were purposively selected, four of whom were authorized officials in the field of human resource development at regional police institutions, and the other was a prominent civic organization activist. The interview data were analysed using qualitative interactive models, while directed content analysis was applied to administrative data. The results of the study show that the problem structuring process in human resource development policies for regional police is limited to identifying the main elements of problem definition through the partial use of brainstorming methods and classification analysis. Such a problem structuring process cannot create well-structured problems that optimize expected policy outcomes of human resource development. However, the use of creative problem-solving methods in a comprehensive manner can optimize the expected policy outcomes from the development of more critical and collaborative human resource development in the regional police force.

Resilience for Whom? The Problem Structuring Process of the Resilience Analysis

Resilience is a flexible concept open to many different interpretations. The openness of resilience implies that while talking about resilience, stakeholders risk talking past each other. The plurality of the interpretations has practical implications in the analysis and planning of resilience. This paper reflects on these implications that have so far not explicitly been addressed in the literature, by discussing the problem structuring process (PSP) of a modelling-based resilience analysis. The discussion is based on the analysis of food security resilience to climate change in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, jointly undertaken by the author, governmental authorities, small-scale farmers and academics of the national university. The aim of this discussion is to highlight the underestimated challenges and practical implications of the resilience concept ambiguity and potential avenues to address them. The contributions of the results presented in this paper are twofold. First, they show that, in practice, the resilience concept is constructed and subjective. Second, there remains a need for a participatory and contested framework for the PSP of resilience.

Modeling Correlated Discrete Uncertainties in Event Trees with Copulas.

Modeling the dependence between uncertainties in decision and risk analyses is an important part of the problem structuring process. We focus on situations where correlated uncertainties are discrete, and extend the concept of the copula-based approach for modeling correlated continuous uncertainties to the representation of correlated discrete uncertainties. This approach reduces the required number of probability assessments significantly compared to approaches requiring direct estimates of conditional probabilities. It also allows the use of multiple dependence measures, including product moment correlation, rank order correlation and tail dependence, and parametric families of copulas such as normal copulas, t-copulas, and Archimedean copulas. This approach can be extended to model the dependence between discrete and continuous uncertainties in the same event tree.

Understanding conflicting perspectives in event planning and management using Q method

There is a need to better understand the interests of actors in the planning and management of major events. The diversity of actor perspectives about an event creates a wicked problem set that event organisers and public officials find difficult to understand, let alone address. This paper focuses on problem identification as one stage in the event planning and management process. It explores how problem structuring can contribute to more effective planning and management of actors' interests. The value of Q methodology is explored through a case study of the Australian World Rally Championship. Four perspectives are identified in the problem structuring process: the Skeptics, the Materialists, the Middle-grounders and the Supporters. The findings demonstrate that Q methodology is effective in identifying the depth and breadth of different problem perspectives, providing insights into the importance of different perspectives, and can be used reflexively to anticipate and manage potential conflict.

Decision Support in Assessing the Sustainable Use of Forests and Other Natural Resources - A Comparative Review

Various decision support methods are used to support the sustainable use of natural resources, but there is little evidence about these methods' actual performances. In this study, 35 carefully selected papers assessing the sustainable use of natural resources were evaluated. The evaluated papers utilized one of the following methods: optimization, cost- benefit analysis (CBA) and monetary valuation methods, multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) or hybrid approaches. Each method supported sustainability in a different manner. Optimization and CBA case studies rarely involved stakeholders and social sustainability was less processed. Monetary valuation case studies showed a regular participation of the general public, but in a passive role. Experts and stakeholders with an active role were typical participants in MCDA and hybrid case studies. Internationally and nationally defined indicators of sustainability were scarcely used because indicators were frequently defined by stakeholders or the authors of the studied papers. It was presumed that international and national indicators were unsuitable for local use. Sustainability indicators typically took both the quantitative and qualitative form, including gaps and uncertainties. MCDA could be a suitable method for assessing sustainability because it has no strict requirements on the form of the data, and the participation of stakeholders is comprehensive. For the problem structuring phase, however, MCDA might not provide efficient tools. The ideal method for assessing the sustainable use of natural resources could be a hybrid of two methods with different approaches: qualitative methods could be used in the problem structuring process, whereas quantitative methods could be used when priorities and thresholds are assessed.

A Cognitive Mapping Approach to Organizing the Participation of Multiple Actors in a Problem Structuring Process

Problem structuring methods lead to a better understanding of problems by proposing that individuals engage in a structured process of investigation of such elements as causal relationships, connected problems, and possible solutions. This paper first examines possible ways of organizing the participation of multiple decision-makers in the varying contexts of the problem structuring process. The paper presents an original methodology based on investigating the participants’ contributions with respect to the problem explored. This methodology uses cognitive mapping techniques and offers two kinds of support, the first justifying a specific division of the participant set into thematic subgroups and the second providing a basis for further exploration using different problem structuring methods.

The impact of soft OR-methods on problem structuring

In this article the impact of a soft OR-method on problem structuring is investigated. A game/simulation was used to test the impact of the method in a quasi-experimental setting. The game was run several times with representatives from different municipalities. In three municipalities the method was applied (experimental group) and in the other three municipalities the game/simulation was run without the intervention (control group). On the basis of different types of measurements hardly any positive effects of the problem-structuring method were found. A secondary analysis on available data was conducted to explain the little impact of the method. It shows that the impact of the method is related to the type of problem-structuring process. The soft OR-method had little impact when conflicts about tasks or interests were dominating, but it had more impact when the problem-structuring process focused on information exchange between participants.

Assessing State Efforts to Meet Baby Boomers' Long-Term Care Needs

Summary The role of the state government and the character of federal-state relations in social policy have evolved considerably. Frank Thompson uses the phrase compensatory federalism to describe increased activity by state governments to make up for a diminished federal role. For compensatory federalism to work, it is essential for states to take leadership roles in key policy areas. Few studies examine whether states have risen to the challenge of compensatory federalism in social policy. This paper examines an emerging issue of great significance in social policy-challenges involved in meeting future long-term care needs for the baby boomer generation. The paper provides an in-depth case study of attempts by Maryland to meet the challenges of financing long-term care needs for the baby boomer generation. The detailed description of the agenda-setting and problem-structuring process in Maryland is followed by an analysis that uses three different frameworks to assess the policy development processes. These models are rooted in a bureaucratic politics perspective, an agenda-setting perspective and an interest group politics perspective. The paper concludes with a discussion of the limitations and possibilities of state leadership in the social policy sphere.

Insights from Attempts to Validate a Multi‐Attribute Model of Problem Definition Quality

ABSTRACTProblem definitions are often used as part of the problem structuring process in decision sciences. We report an attempt to validate a multi‐attribute model of problem definition quality in the context of an experiment based upon the definition of the ‘alcohol problem’ on a campus. Three independent raters assessed values for the attributes of the model for 57 written problem definitions, and their rating was compared to three subjective ‘expert’ ratings made by individuals with some responsibility for alcohol policy. Our study shows that the experts exhibited considerable stakeholder bias in their assessments of the definitions, suggesting that a definition that is evaluated as good may not be subjectively acceptable to others. We present some evidence that the best definitions are those that provide direction with regard to solution, neither suggesting firm solutions to the problem nor being too open‐ended. It is shown that the multi‐attribute model is a reasonable tool for eliminating poorer definitions. Further, we relate our work to recent conceptual developments in understanding problem definition.