Stakeholder Preferences Research Articles

A novel requirement elicitation and evaluation framework for product-service systems based on contextual matching and hybrid decision-making

Most studies concerning requirement elicitation and evaluation for product-service systems (PSSs) disregard the importance of completeness and the preferences of different stakeholders. In order to address these issues, a novel requirement elicitation and evaluation framework for PSSs is proposed. First, a new requirement elicitation method based on contextual matching is introduced to capture the complete PSS requirements. Second, a hybrid decision-making method that considers the preferences of users and enterprise experts, as well as the uncertainty and stochasticity during the decision-making process, is proposed to determine the prioritization of PSS requirements. Finally, an illustrative case study of an automatic guided vehicle PSS (AGV-PSS) is demonstrated to examine and justify the proposed framework and methods.

Methodological Quality of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Treatment Evidence-Based Guidelines: A Systematic Review Using the AGREE II and AGREE REX Tools.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease with a poor prognosis, and its management should be grounded in well-developed clinical practice guidelines (CPG). Thus, we critically assess the methodological quality of the available CPG for pharmacological treatments for PAH. A systematic review (CRD42023387168) was performed in PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Tripdatabase (Jan-2023). Eligible records were appraised by four reviewers using the Appraisal of Guidelines, Research, and Evaluation Collaboration tool (AGREE II) and the complementary tool for assessing recommendations' quality and certainty, AGREE REX. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Overall, 31 guidelines, mainly authored by professional societies (90%), targeting only physicians as primary users (84%), were identified. Guidelines presented a moderate overall quality (scores of 63% and 51% in AGREE II and AGREE REX, respectively), with a few domains showing slight improvements over the years. AGREE II "Scope and Purpose" (94%) and "Presentation Clarity" (99%) domains obtained the highest scores. The items related to "Stakeholder involvement," "Editorial independence," and "Clinical applicability" (AGREE REX) were fairly reported. Conversely, CPG lacks rigor in development (32% score, AGREE II), scarcely discusses the role of stakeholders, and provides deficient data on the implementation of recommendations (scores of 35% and 46% in AGREE II and AGREE REX, respectively). No differences in the quality of guidelines published by different developers or countries were observed (p > 0.05). Methodological weaknesses are common among guidelines addressing PAH treatment, especially regarding scientific rigor, stakeholders' values and preferences, and facilitators and barriers to implementability. Particular attention should be given to developing future guidelines.

Stakeholder involvement and preferences in landscape protection decision-making: a systematic literature review

Stakeholder involvement and preferences are pivotal in the decision-making process for landscape protection within a specific context. However, many decisions regarding landscape protection options still rely on management choices with little or no consideration of all stakeholders. Previous scholars emphasized the importance of establishing an integrated framework to gain an adequate understanding of the process of stakeholders’ decision-making in landscape protection. Therefore, a systematic literature review was conducted on the topic of stakeholders’ involvement and preferences in landscape protection decision-making. This review included research articles published from 2013 to 2023 using two databases and registers, namely, Science Direct and Google Scholar. A total of 110 research articles were identified and qualified for review based on the screening requirements, with an additional 15 documents for theories and backgrounds to provide a better understanding and outcomes for the study. The results of this study were organized based on concepts from the resulting research articles and were integrated to propose a conceptual framework for Stakeholders’ involvement and preferences in landscape protection. Additionally, this study’s findings indicate the significance of incorporating diverse stakeholders and their preferences in landscape protection processes to ensure awareness of inclusivity in decision-making and secure long-term support.

Determinants of Digitalization in Unorganized Localized Neighborhood Retail Outlets in India

The increase in digital disruptions and changing preferences of different stakeholders has led to digital adoption in all hierarchies of business ecosystem. This study focused on the identification of the determinants of digitalization in unorganized small, localized retail outlets (Kirana stores) of an emerging economy. A theoretical model was constructed with certain modifications based on technology adoption models such as Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) to study the impact on business performance in general and as an effect of pandemic. A survey of 285 Unorganized Localized Retail Outlets Stores from different regions of India was used to validate this theoretical model, and structural equation modeling was then further employed. The findings underscore that cost, compatibility, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness significantly affect the intention to digitalize. By addressing the post-pandemic impact of digitalization within an unorganized sector in an emerging economy, this study adds to the scant literature that exists in this context.

Development of a Prioritization Framework to Aid Healthcare Funding Decision Making in Health Technology Assessment in Australia: Application of Multicriteria Decision Analysis

ObjectivesThis study develops a prioritization framework to aid healthcare funding decision making in health technology assessment (HTA) in Australia using a multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach. MethodsMCDA frameworks for HTAs were reviewed through literature survey to identify the initial criteria and levels within each criterion. Key stakeholders and experts were consulted to confirm these criteria and levels. A conjoint analysis using 1000Minds was undertaken with policy makers from the Department of Health to establish ranking criteria and weighting scores. Monte Carlo simulations were used to examine the sensitivity of findings to factors affecting the ranking and weighting scores. The MCDA was then applied to 6 examples of chronic care models or technologies projects to demonstrate the performance of this approach. ResultsFive criteria (clinical efficacy/effectiveness, safety and tolerability, severity of the condition, quality/uncertainty, and direct impact on healthcare costs) were consistently ranked highest by healthcare decision makers. Among the criteria, patient-level health outcomes were considered the most important, followed by social and ethical values. The analyses were robust to inform the uncertainty in the parameter. ConclusionsThis study has developed an MCDA tool that effectively integrates key priorities for HTA reviews, reflecting the values and preferences of healthcare stakeholders in Australia. Although this tool aims to align the assessment process more closely with health benefits, it also highlights the importance of considering other criteria.

Sustainability in the Public Healthcare Sector: Insights From an Analytical Hierarchy Process Analysis.

Background This study aimed to identify sustainability priorities within Oman's healthcare sector using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) methodology. Mainly, it focused on assessing the relative importance of economic, environmental, and social factors and their sub-elements in sustaining Oman's healthcare system. Methodology A semi-quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed to collect data from 23 Omani healthcare experts with at least 10 years of experience in five different public hospitals in Oman. The AHP methodology was used to analyze pairwise comparisons of sustainability factors and derive their priorities. The consistency ratio was calculated to ensure the reliability of the analysis, and the transitivity rule was applied to address inconsistencies in pairwise comparisons. Results The findings revealed a strong emphasis on environmental and social sustainability, with economic considerations ranking comparatively lower. Circular practices emerged as a key priority within the environmental domain, while patient satisfaction stood out within the social domain. The analysis showed the integration between healthcare, environmental health, and societal well-being, emphasizing the need for holistic approaches to sustainability. Conclusions This study contributes to the understanding of healthcare sustainability by providing empirical evidence of stakeholder preferences within Oman's healthcare system. By quantitatively assessing the relative importance of economic, environmental, and social factors, it informs decision-making and resource allocation toward sustainable healthcare development. The findings also support the argument for integrated approaches to healthcare sustainability that balance economic efficiency with environmental protection and social inclusion.

Under-representation of Diversity on American Urological Association and European Association of Urology Guideline Panels

ObjectiveTo assess the panel composition of the two most important guideline developers in urology as equity and acceptability, important domains in clinical guideline development, require broad stakeholder representation. MethodsFollowing a predefined protocol, we identified all current AUA and EAU guideline documents. Two authors independently abstracted data including guideline topic, number and roles of panel members, voting status, and academic rank. We determined panel member gender (woman, man, or nonbinary) and racialization (White or non-White) status based on name, internet picture, pronouns used, bios available, and gender listed on their profile. ResultsWe identified 31 AUA and 20 EAU guidelines for inclusion. Median panel size was 19 (interquartile range [IQR]: 17; 21) with 12 (IQR: 10; 14) voting members. The average composition of voting panels was predominantly male (81.8%) and White (86.8%). Eleven guideline panels (21.6%) did not include any women, and nine (17.6%) panels had no representation of individuals from non-White groups. While gender distribution was similar among guidelines of the two organizations, the AUA included more voting members from non-White groups (14.3% versus 8.0%; p=0.010). Analysis of the AUA panel composition over time revealed stable proportions of female and non-White individuals. ConclusionBoth AUA and EAU guidelines exhibit insufficient representation of females and non-White individuals, with no evident improvement observed over time. Implementing more transparent processes that advocate for diverse panel representation may enhance the incorporation of stakeholder values and preferences, thereby improving the dissemination and adoption of guidelines.

Integrated nonurban-urban flood management using multi-objective optimization of LIDs and detention dams based on game theory approach

Flood events in urban and non-urban areas have long-term devastating impacts on communities resulting in casualties and economic damages. Different interconnected concepts of flood management lead decision-makers to broaden their focus from traditional points of view to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of hydrological modeling. So, evaluating interconnected aspects of flood control requires configuring an Integrated Flood Management (IFM) system. In this research, a novel comprehensive framework is proposed to control floods in urban and non-urban areas using Low-Impact Development (LID) practices and detention dams, simultaneously. In the first step, urban and non-urban areas of the Darakeh catchment in Tehran, Iran, as the study area, are modeled using Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). Next, by coupling the SWMM with Pareto Envelope-based Selection Algorithm II (PESA-II), optimal management scenarios are generated considering four hydrological-economic objectives. Each management scenario specifies the optimal sites and dimensions of detention dams and the optimal location and area of LIDs in non-urban and urban areas, respectively. Indeed, the innovative IFM framework provides a multi-dimensional trade-off between upstream and downstream flood protection. Then, interactions among the main stakeholders with conflicting interests are incorporated into utility functions. Ultimately, using COmplex PRoportional ASsessment (COPRAS) and Nash bargaining methods the most capable management scenarios are selected based on stakeholders' preferences. Results showed that the IFM framework can be significantly effective in flood severity attenuation. Based on the findings, proposed method warrants peak flow reduction up to 60.04 and 53.50 percent at the inlet and outlet of the urban area. Besides, the Nash bargaining approach tends to select a scenario with a higher peak flow reduction compared to the COPRAS method. Also, results signify that each stakeholder's relative importance and preferences can remarkably impact the decision-making process. In addition to resolving conflicts arising from implementing flood control measures, this framework can incorporate divergent aspects of flood management into a reliable system.

Political Speech from Corporate America: Sparse, Mostly for Democrats, and Somewhat Representative

How do corporations engage in political speech in the age of social media? Evidence suggests that online corporate brands employ a variety of partisan signals which include not only ideological positions but also more subtle, implicit appeals to partisans. Identifying and scaling a broad range of these signals in ≈2 million Twitter and Insta- gram posts from the 1,000 most popular corporate brands in the United States, I find that most corporate brands’ speech mirrors the speech of Democrats, but this is concentrated in a handful of brands and occurs in uneven bursts across time. Moreover, this communication is not as dishonest as popular narratives suggest: the majority of brands’ partisan speech well represents the political preferences of key stakeholders (e.g. employees, voters, and consumers) and is at least somewhat informative about corporate governance priorities (e.g. political spending, DEI outcomes, and cli- mate policy). These results provide a measured counterbalance to popular narratives of ‘woke capitalism’, suggesting that political speech from corporate America is, at worst, sometimes inconsistent with stakeholders and firm agendas rather than outright hypocritical.

Examining tools for assessing the impact of chronic pain on emotional functioning in children and young people with cerebral palsy: stakeholder preference and recommendations for modification

PurposeTo firstly identify tools for assessing the impact of chronic pain on emotional functioning in children and young people with cerebral palsy (CP), and secondly identify suggestions to improve their relevance, comprehensiveness, comprehensibility and feasibility for the CP population. Improving assessment of the impact of pain on emotional functioning can enhance quality of life by improving access to interventions for pain-related physical disability, anxiety and depression.MethodsEthics approval was granted through the Women’s and Children’s Health Network Human Research Ethics Committee (2022/HRE00154). A mixed methods study with people with lived experience and clinicians, and guided by the Consensus-based Standards for Measurement Instruments (COSMIN), was undertaken. An online survey identified the highest rated tools for validation and/or modification for young people with CP and chronic pain. Focus groups and interviews investigated content validity and feasibility of the tools identified as highest rated.ResultsThe Fear of Pain Questionnaire for Children-SF (FOPQ-C-SF) and Modified Brief Pain Inventory (mBPI) were the highest rated for pain coping and multidimensional assessment (respectively) from the online survey (n = 61) of eight tools presented. Focus group and interview data (n = 30), including 58 unique modification suggestions, were coded to six categories: accessibility, comprehensibility, feasibility, relevance, presentation and comprehensiveness.ConclusionPotential modifications have been identified to improve the appropriateness and feasibility of the FOPQ-C-SF and mBPI for children and young people with CP. Future research should implement and test these modifications, prioritising the involvement of people with lived experience to ensure their needs are met alongside clinicians.

The exposure of nonhuman living organisms to mobile communication emissions: A survey to establish European stakeholders' policy option preferences.

There is an unprecedented exposure of living organisms to mobile communications radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) emissions. Guidelines on exposure thresholds to limit thermal effects from these emissions are restricted to humans. However, tissue heating can occur in all living organisms that are exposed. In addition, exposure at millimetric frequencies used by 5G may impact surface tissues and organs of plants and small-size species. It is also expected that the addition of 5G to existing networks will intensify radiofrequency absorption by living organisms. A European Parliament report proposed policy options on the effects of RF-EMF exposure of plants, animals, and other living organisms in the context of 5G: funding more research, implementing monitoring networks, accessing more information from operators on antennas and EMF emissions, and developing compliance studies when antennas are installed. However, there is no evidence on the preferences of relevant stakeholders regarding these policy options. This paper reports the findings of a survey of key European stakeholders' policy option preferences based on the European Parliament's report. It reveals a broad consensus on funding more research on the effects of exposure of plants, animals, and other living organisms to EMFs. It also highlights the need for deliberation concerning the other policy options that could provide solutions for regulatory authorities, central administrations, the private sector, nongovernmental associations and advocates, and academics. Such deliberation would pave the way for effective solutions, focusing on long-term output from funding research, and enabling short-term socially and economically acceptable actions for all parties concerned.

Evolutionary sensemaking: a managerial metacognitive dynamic capability to reduce information asymmetry

PurposeHow can managers reduce information asymmetry in dyadic manager-external stakeholder relationships in a complex and evolving environment? Addressing this question has significant implications for firm survival, growth, and competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approachWe have adopted a multiparadigm approach to theory building, known as metatriangulation. We integrate the dynamic capabilities, sensemaking, and evolutionary theory literatures to theorize how managers can relate to stakeholders in a complex and evolving environment.FindingsWe propose, via a conceptual framework and three propositions, “evolutionary sensemaking” as the managerial metacognitive dynamic capability that helps managers hone their understanding based on the evolutionary changes in the stakeholder’s interpretations of information quality preferences. The framework unfolds across three evolutionary stages: sensing preferences' variation of the stakeholder, seizing preferences, and transforming for complexity alignment and retention. The propositions focus on managing complexity in stakeholder information quality preference, employing cognitive capabilities to simplify, interpret, and align interpretations for effective information asymmetry reduction.Practical implicationsTo develop the metacognitive dynamic capability of evolutionary sensemaking, managers need to train for and foster the underlying complex cognitive capabilities by enhancing their (1) perception and attention skills, (2) problem-solving and reasoning skills, and (3) language, communication, and social cognition skills, focusing specifically on reducing the complexity embedded in stakeholder cognition and diverse stakeholder preferences for information quality. Contrary to the current advice to “keep things simple” and provide “more” information to the stakeholders for opportunism reduction, trust-building, and superior governance, our framework suggests that managers hone their cognitive capabilities by learning to deal with the underlying complexity.Originality/valueThe proposed framework and propositions address research gaps in reducing information asymmetry. It enriches the dynamic capabilities literature by recognizing complexity (as opposed to opportunism) as an alternative source of information asymmetry, which needs to be addressed in this stream of research. It extends the sensemaking literature by identifying the complexity sources – i.e. stakeholder preferences for diverse information quality attributes and the associated cognitive preference interpretation processes. The article enhances evolutionary theory by delving into microprocesses related to information asymmetry reduction, which the existing literature does not thoroughly investigate.

Exploring equality and sustainability trade-offs of energy transition outcomes in the United States in 2050

With increasing focus on equitable and just energy transition, it is critical to understand the trade-offs of different decarbonization outcomes across economic, environmental, and social sustainability criteria. In this analysis, we use a multi-criteria decision analysis to quantify sustainability outcomes across 32 decarbonization outcomes in 2050 in the U.S. The economic sustainability criteria we use are system cost, national average retail rate, and electricity system employment. The environmental sustainability criteria we use are life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, life cycle water depletion, life cycle land transformation, and air pollution fatalities. The social sustainability (distributional impacts) criteria we use are retail rate equality across states, electricity employment equality across low-income households, and air pollution disparities across census tracts. We evaluate performance across these criteria under eleven different stakeholder preference scenarios. We find that decarbonization policies with indefinitely extended tax credits have the highest sustainability score under equal criteria weighting, with greater investments in renewable energy technologies, and result in better environmental, system cost, job, and air pollution disparities compared to mid-case scenarios, that only include current policies and CO2 reduction targets. We also see that our multi-criteria decision analysis identifies decarbonization outcomes that would not have been identified as optimal under a single objective, which highlights the importance of trade-off analyses to understand decarbonization outcomes more holistically.

Improving foot self-care in people with diabetes in Ghana: A development and feasibility randomised trial of a context appropriate, family-orientated diabetic footcare intervention.

Africa presents a higher diabetic foot ulcer prevalence estimate of 7.2% against global figures of 6.3%. Engaging family members in self-care education interventions has been shown to be effective at preventing diabetes-related foot ulcers. This study culturally adapted and tested the feasibility and acceptability of an evidence-based footcare family intervention in Ghana. The initial phase of the study involved stakeholder engagement, comprising Patient Public Involvement activities and interviews with key informant nurses and people with diabetes (N = 15). In the second phase, adults at risk of diabetes-related foot ulcers and nominated caregivers (N = 50 dyads) participated in an individually randomised feasibility trial of the adapted intervention (N = 25) compared to usual care (N = 25). The study aimed to assess feasibility outcomes and to identify efficacy signals on clinical outcomes at 12 weeks post randomisation. Patient reported outcomes were foot care behaviour, foot self-care efficacy, diabetes knowledge and caregiver diabetes distress. Adjustments were made to the evidence-based intervention to reflect the literacy, information needs and preferences of stakeholders and to develop a context appropriate diabetic foot self-care intervention. A feasibility trial was then conducted which met all recruitment, retention, data quality and randomisation progression criteria. At 12 weeks post randomisation, efficacy signals favoured the intervention group on improved footcare behaviour, foot self-care efficacy, diabetes knowledge and reduced diabetes distress. Future implementation issues to consider include the staff resources needed to deliver the intervention, family members availability to attend in-person sessions and consideration of remote intervention delivery. A contextual family-oriented foot self-care education intervention is feasible, acceptable, and may improve knowledge and self-care with the potential to decrease diabetes-related complications. The education intervention is a strategic approach to improving diabetes care and prevention of foot disease, especially in settings with limited diabetes care resources. Future research will investigate the possibility of remote delivery to better meet patient and staff needs. Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR) - PACTR202201708421484: https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=19363 or pactr.samrc.ac.za/Search.aspx.

How to manage the ecosystem services effectively and fairly?

Ecosystem services (ES) are the bridge between social system and ecosystem, and effective management of ecosystem services is the basis of sustainable development. According to the objectives of ecosystem service management, this study constructed an ecosystem service management framework based on trade-off theory, and proposed the “Driving force regulation” toolkit and “Compensation scheme construction” toolkit to try to improve the efficiency and fairness of ecosystem service management. And take Zhejiang Huzhou Mulberry-dyke & Fish-pond System (MDFP) as the practical object of the framework. The results showed that: (1) When the thickness of the pond sludge is 10 cm, increasing the frequency of covering pond sludge to mulberry-dyke (CSMD) can effectively improve the supply of soil nutrient retention services in MDFP, but it will reduce the provision services. (2) When the pond sludge thickness is 10 cm, the frequency of CSMD is the driving force of the supply-supply trade-offs between soil nutrient retention services and provision services. Increasing the frequency of CSMD to once a year can effectively manage trade-offs between ES supplies and thereby improve stakeholders’ group benefits. (3) The benefits obtained by various stakeholders from the management of ES supply-supply trade-offs are uneven. Entrepreneurs, environmentalists and tourists need to pay compensation in the ratio of 6:6:1, while farmers and government agencies receive compensation in the ratio of 3:2. This research shows that the ecosystem service management framework based on trade-off theory optimizes ES supply according to the ES preferences of stakeholders, and determines the proportion of compensation paid (received) by private winners (private losers) based on differences in changes of individual benefits, thereby effectively improving the “efficiency” and “fairness” of ES management.

How to Use Discrete Choice Experiments to Capture Stakeholder Preferences in Social Work Research

How to Use Discrete Choice Experiments to Capture Stakeholder Preferences in Social Work Research

‘Counselling is not just providing information’: perceptions of caregivers and stakeholders on the design of nutrition and health counselling interventions for families with young children in rural Kenya

BackgroundGlobally, a fifth of the children continue to face chronic undernutrition with a majority of them situated in the Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC). The rising numbers are attributed to aggravating factors like limited nutrition knowledge, poor feeding practices, seasonal food insecurity, and diseases. Interventions targeting behaviour change may reduce the devastating nutrition situation of children in the LMICs.ObjectiveFor the co-design of a Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) intervention for young children in rural Kenya, we aimed to identify the experiences, barriers, facilitators, and preferences of caregivers and stakeholders regarding nutrition and health counselling.DesignWe employed a qualitative study design and used a semi-structured interview guide. The in-depth interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using content analysis, facilitated by the software NVivo.SettingHealth and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) area in Siaya County, rural Kenya.ParticipantsWe interviewed 30 caregivers of children between 6 and 23 months of age and 29 local stakeholders with experience in implementing nutrition projects in Kenya.ResultsNutrition and health counselling (NHC) was usually conducted in hospital settings with groups of mothers. Barriers to counselling were long queues and delays, long distances and high travel costs, the inapplicability of the counselling content, lack of spousal support, and a high domestic workload. Facilitators included the trust of caregivers in Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) and counselling services offered free of charge. Preferences comprised (1) delivering of counselling by CHVs, (2) offering individual and group counselling, (3) targeting male and female caregivers.ConclusionThere is a disconnect between the caregivers’ preferences and the services currently offered. Among these families, a successful BCC strategy that employs nutrition and health counselling should apply a community-based communication channel through trusted CHVs, addressing male and female caregivers, and comprising group and individual sessions.

Validation, adaptation and application of a multi‐criteria decision analysis‐based framework for chemotherapeutic agents in Egypt

AbstractHealth technology assessment is a systematic, transparent, robust, and unbiased assessment of healthcare technology that links evidence and decisions. Healthcare decisions usually require trading‐off, and using a structured approach, such as multi‐criteria decision analysis (MCDA), could improve decision quality. This study aimed to adapt an MCDA‐based framework for oncological drug evaluation in an Egyptian clinical setting to explore the perspectives of different stakeholders. The 10th edition of the Evidence and Value: Impact on decision making framework was translated, validated, adapted, and applied to explore key differences between the priorities of different stakeholders for coverage decisions in the oncology field in Egypt. A direct rating scale or hierarchical point allocation was used to elicit criteria weights. Normalized weights were calculated and compared using the preset cut‐off value of 0.008. Understandability, willingness to use the adopted weighting techniques, and cognitive burden were assessed and compared. Ninety participants completed the criteria‐weighting interview for the adapted tool. The elicited criteria weights differed between the two adopted weighting techniques when comparing stakeholders' priorities using the preset cut‐off (0.008). However, there was no significant difference in the weighting technique understandability, future use willingness, and cognitive burden parameters on categorization by either the weighting technique or stakeholder group. This study provides a specially tailored, straightforward procedure for Egyptian stakeholders to evaluate oncologic drugs in a standardized manner by combining various inputs. It also highlights the main variations across Egyptian stakeholder preferences.

Evaluating Partners for Renewable Energy Trading: A Multidimensional Framework and Tool

The worsening climate crisis has increased the urgency of transitioning energy systems from fossil fuels to renewable sources. However, many industrialized countries are struggling to meet their growing demand for renewable energy (RE) through domestic production alone and, therefore, seek to import additional RE using carriers such as hydrogen, ammonia, or metals. The pressing question for RE importers is therefore how to select trading partners, i.e., RE exporting countries. Recent research has identified a plethora of different selection criteria, reflecting the complexity of energy systems and international cooperation. However, there is little guidance on how to reduce this complexity to more manageable levels as well as a lack of tools for effective partner evaluation. This article aims to fill these gaps. It proposes a new multidimensional framework for evaluating and comparing potential RE trading partners based on four dimensions: economy and technology, environment and development, regulation and governance, and innovation and cooperation. Focusing on Germany as an RE importer, an exploratory factor analysis is used to identify a consolidated set of composite selection criteria across these dimensions. The results suggest that Germany’s neighboring developed countries and current net energy exporters, such as Canada and Australia, are among the most attractive RE trading partners for Germany. A dashboard tool has been developed to provide the framework and composite criteria, including adjustable weights to reflect the varying preferences of decision-makers and stakeholders. The framework and the dashboard can provide helpful guidance and transparency for partner selection processes, facilitating the creation of RE trade networks that are essential for a successful energy transition.

Ex-ante priority setting in crop breeding: Towards inclusive innovation for impact

CONTEXTCrop breeding teams should ideally work a-priori to rank research priorities and varietal product concepts to make decisions considering social, environmental, production and market conditions that an improved crop variety will be entering upon release. Frequently, this research prioritization is guided by a cost-benefit optimization framing, which leaves the potential derived by alternative approaches, such as inclusive innovation, unexplored. OBJECTIVEIn this study, we apply PEEP (Participatory Ex-ante framework for Plant breeding), a new methodological framework for ex-ante participatory priority setting for plant breeding programs. This framework explores how, given a set of hypothetical crop varieties (varietal product concepts) it is possible to assess which will have the highest potential to deliver research impacts. PEEP is designed to support crop breeders to understand the impact potential of a new varietal product concept, and strategically make decisions based on this. METHODSPEEP ranks varietal product concepts across five impact domains: breeding, processing, marketing, climate, and cross-cutting themes. This paper reports on how an interdisciplinary breeding team from the Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA) in Burkina Faso working on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp) applied PEEP and discusses the results from this application. We chose cowpea as a crop focus, based on prior research that showed that gender and social differences shape roles, responsibilities, and benefits from its cultivation in Burkina Faso. We engaged 650 stakeholders using tools and methods (choice experiment, surveys and focus group discussions) tailored to collect information according to their spheres of knowledge. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSWe present a reflection on the application process, results, and feedback from the INERA cowpea breeding team on these. We show that breeders and farmers ranked the potential impact of the varietal product concepts differently. We also show that differences in evaluation of impact from varietal product concepts vary based on market orientation, agroecological zones, farming systems and gender. SIGNIFICANCEWe demonstrate that PEEP contributes to inclusive agricultural innovation as a feasible method to consider the knowledge and preferences of diverse stakeholders. We show that it is informative to include diverse groups when conceptualizing new varieties before investing in varietal development. Making such research prioritization decisions early on enables breeding programs to avoid “missing the mark” on assumed impacts on smallholder women and men farmers and increases their visibility and voice in these upstream decisions.