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Book part
Publication date: 17 November 2023

Simon Ofori Ametepey, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa and Wellington Didibhuku Thwala

Public involvement, climate change reactions, stakeholder management, and stakeholder management have all been identified as weaknesses in sustainable road infrastructure…

Abstract

Public involvement, climate change reactions, stakeholder management, and stakeholder management have all been identified as weaknesses in sustainable road infrastructure development (SRID) inquiry. Most scholarly studies on sustainable infrastructure development (SID) are undertaken in advanced countries, while limited academic studies on the SID in third-world countries cite challenges impeding utilization. This chapter examines the conceptual holes in the SID model and aims to solve three identified gaps: public participation, climate change response, and stakeholder management. The inclusion of highlighted challenges is based on the belief that successful SRIP implementation would be impossible without public participation and climate change adaptation. Public participation is essential for the efficient implementation of SID. It allows stakeholders and everyone affected by infrastructure projects to participate in discussions, recognizing possible problems and creating solutions. International organizations, such as the World Bank, have embraced the concept of public participation as a need for effective project implementation. In underdeveloped countries, most infrastructure projects exclude the general populace, so public participation should be seen as a vital variable in the effective implementation of SRIP in poor countries. Arnstein (1969) proposed an eight-stage stepping ladder for citizen involvement from exploitation through consultation to citizens in control. Information is the cornerstone of all types of engagement, and the mildest kind of real involvement is a meeting when project participants voice their concerns and opinions. Co-creation and co-choice are rare in industrialized countries, and the issue of involvement has become a concern. Notification and attendance are prerequisites for meaningful participation, which can begin when the public is given the opportunity to express their opinions. Players are seen as social establishments or gatherings having the power to influence the fate of the organization, and an evaluation of the players is needed to determine whom to include. Participation in projects boosts decision-making efficacy and sufficiency by widening the information base, encouraging innovation, and fostering public acceptance of methodologies. Stakeholder engagement can increase the speed and quality of strategic decision-making. The key takeaways of the chapter are that public participation in road infrastructure projects should have a say in decisions concerning activities that affect their lives or occupations, should take into account the people’s history, cultural, natural, political, and sociological foundations and should be involved in the following ways: initiated early in the life cycle, organized and well-arranged, phased and improved, non-partisan professionals, learning about members’ traits and interests, and focussing on contentious subjects. Public engagement in SRIP implementation must be efficient and well-managed to be successful. Public participation is essential for SRID.

Details

Sustainable Road Infrastructure Project Implementation in Developing Countries: An Integrated Model
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83753-811-9

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2019

Mingliang Feng

To improve the quality of life, human-oriented smart city planning and management based on time-space behavior was studied. First, the basic theory of time-space behavior and…

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Abstract

To improve the quality of life, human-oriented smart city planning and management based on time-space behavior was studied. First, the basic theory of time-space behavior and smart city was introduced. The relationship between public participation and smart city construction planning was analyzed, and the positive and negative significance of public participation in smart city construction planning was expounded. Then, the mechanism for public participation in smart city construction planning was proposed. Finally, public participation in smart city construction planning was analyzed from the perspectives of power balance, interest coordination and safeguard measures. The results showed that public participation in smart city construction planning was an important manifestation of the realization of public democratic rights. The scientific nature and feasibility of smart city construction planning was enhanced. The smooth implementation of smart city construction planning was an important foundation for promoting smart city construction. Therefore, public participation is an important way to safeguard social public interests and build a harmonious society.

Details

Open House International, vol. 44 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0168-2601

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 29 March 2022

Nakul Nitin Gote and Wolfgang Wende

Chaotic growth and climate change have led to increased uncertainty in social-ecological systems, like urban areas, and have lowered their thresholds to withstand shocks, thus…

Abstract

Chaotic growth and climate change have led to increased uncertainty in social-ecological systems, like urban areas, and have lowered their thresholds to withstand shocks, thus increasing their vulnerability. To reduce this effect, the concept of resilience is increasingly being applied in urban governance and planning. Public participation is seen as an attribute, which potentially increases the resilience of social-ecological systems.

What kind of public participation leads to resilience, and how, are questions which this chapter addresses. To answer these questions, this study focused on relevant literature regarding resilience and governance, and investigated the events related to the flooding of the Ramnadi river corridor in Pune, India. The governance structure within the Ramnadi river corridor was then analyzed using a causal loop diagram. By studying its nodes, linkages, and feedbacks, this chapter explores how public participation affects the resilience of the social-ecological system of the Ramnadi river corridor.

Public memory, a minimum sustained level of perpetual participation, and the presence of proactive institutions which can effectuate various levels and types of participation, have emerged as the qualities of public participation which increase the resilience of social-ecological systems. Based on the presence or absence of these qualities, a new typology of public participation is proposed here, namely the binary of continuous public participation versus event-based public participation. This distinction proves to be an effective indicator of whether an instantiation of public participation can lead to resilience. The applicability of this classification for designing interventions for placemaking has also been discussed.

Article
Publication date: 19 June 2020

Antoine Clarinval, Anthony Simonofski, Benoît Vanderose and Bruno Dumas

The purpose of this research is to study how current research reports reflect on using public displays in the smart city. In particular, it looks at the state-of-the-art of this…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to study how current research reports reflect on using public displays in the smart city. In particular, it looks at the state-of-the-art of this domain from two angles. On the one hand, it investigates the participation of citizens in the development of public displays. On the other hand, it aims at understanding how public displays may foster citizen participation in addressing urban issues. Its goal is to provide a literature review of this field, and a research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted following a thoroughly detailed protocol. It surveys 34 recent papers through multiple aspects, including interaction modality, level of participation, socio-demographics of participating citizens, topic of participation, evaluation of the display and participation of end-users in the early development stages of the display. Then, a research agenda informed by the results of the SLR is discussed in light of related literature.

Findings

The SLR showed that further research is needed to improve the involvement of citizens in the early stages of the development of public displays, broaden the spectrum of citizen participation achieved through public displays, integrate public displays with other means of participation and handle the changing urban context to improve the participation experience.

Originality/value

Previous literature reviews have been conducted in the field of public displays, including one specifically related to citizen participation. However, they have emphasized the technological aspects of public displays and omitted other essential aspects. This article aims at addressing this gap by conducting a literature review, including also non-technological perspectives such as socio-demographics and participation in development, complementing other works.

Details

Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6166

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 November 2021

Han Xiao and Shengyue Hao

In the past few decades, traditional project management theories mainly focused on quality, cost and schedule. However, with larger scale and wider influence of infrastructure…

Abstract

Purpose

In the past few decades, traditional project management theories mainly focused on quality, cost and schedule. However, with larger scale and wider influence of infrastructure projects, especially in megaprojects, social problems have gradually become pressing issues in the field of project governance. As the public is the main body of society, public participation has attracted the attention from both the academic field and industry field. Despite people are gradually realizing the significance of public participation, a deeper and more systematic understanding is still needed to be developed in this field. Therefore, this paper aims to conduct a systematic literature review on public participation in infrastructure projects. Based on existing literatures, this paper draws a knowledge map and develops a research framework in this field. Also, this paper tries to provide some theoretical and practical directions for the future.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 142 papers from Web of Science Core collection were selected to be used in this systematic review. Quantitative analysis of this paper is concentrated on the knowledge map with bibliometric tools. Qualitative analysis is concentrated on identifying the research framework.

Findings

This paper reviewed existing literatures and the results are as below. Firstly, the results show a knowledge map containing knowledge domains, knowledge frontiers and knowledge evolution of research fields in public participation. Secondly, the results indicate a research framework in this field, including situational dimension, implementation dimension, individual dimension and influence dimension. Moreover, each dimension has several research topics, respectively. Finally, according to the results, the paper proposes practical suggestions for stakeholders and research directions for further study.

Originality/value

It is the first paper to draw a holistic knowledge map and build up a multilevel framework for public participation in the field of infrastructure projects. This paper bridges the gap in both quantitative and qualitative identification of existing literatures in this field. Besides, this paper proposes some practical suggestions and research directions for further study and development of public participation.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 30 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2006

Robert Mark Silverman

This article aims to examine the mechanisms used by municipalities to stimulate public participation and, in part, to argue that contrasts between the socio‐economic make‐up of…

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to examine the mechanisms used by municipalities to stimulate public participation and, in part, to argue that contrasts between the socio‐economic make‐up of central cities in the USA and Canada explain these divergent techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

The article is based on a survey of planning departments measuring the types of public participation strategies used by local governments.

Findings

The article's findings indicate that Canadian municipalities adopt a broader range of public participation techniques related to: voluntarism and public engagement, neighborhood and strategic planning, and e‐government. In contrast, the article's findings indicate that US municipalities are more likely to promote public participation through mechanisms such as annual community meetings and referendums on public issues.

Research limitations/implications

The conclusion of the article offers recommendations for expanding the scope of public participation and developing strategies that maximize citizen input in community development activities in both countries.

Practical implications

The survey was conducted to identify the scope of public participation techniques used by local governments in the Niagara region. One limitation of this methodology is that it does not gauge the effectiveness of the participation techniques used by local governments or the intensity of public engagement. However, the results from this study provide future researchers with a mechanism for focusing future analysis.

Originality/value

The findings can assist in identifying new directions for enhancing public participation in the USA and Canada.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 26 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 August 2016

David James Hunter, Katharina Kieslich, Peter Littlejohns, Sophie Staniszewska, Emma Tumilty, Albert Weale and Iestyn Williams

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the findings of this special issue and discusses the future challenges for policy, research and society. The findings suggest that…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the findings of this special issue and discusses the future challenges for policy, research and society. The findings suggest that challenges emerge as a result of legitimacy deficits of both consensus and contestatory modes of public involvement in health priority setting.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on the discussions and findings presented in this special issue. It seeks to bring the country experiences and case studies together to draw conclusions for policy, research and society.

Findings

At least two recurring themes emerge. An underlying theme is the importance, but also the challenge, of establishing legitimacy in health priority setting. The country experiences suggest that we understand very little about the conditions under which representative, or authentic, participation generates legitimacy and under which it will be regarded as insufficient. A second observation is that public participation takes a variety of forms that depend on the opportunity structures in a given national context. Given this variety the conceptualization of public participation needs to be expanded to account for the many forms of public participation.

Originality/value

The paper concludes that the challenges of public involvement are closely linked to the question of how legitimate processes and decisions can be generated in priority setting. This suggests that future research must focus more narrowly on conditions under which legitimacy are generated in order to expand the understanding of public involvement in health prioritization.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 30 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 August 2016

Jean Slutsky, Emma Tumilty, Catherine Max, Lanting Lu, Sripen Tantivess, Renata Curi Hauegen, Jennifer A Whitty, Albert Weale, Steven D Pearson, Aviva Tugendhaft, Hufeng Wang, Sophie Staniszewska, Krisantha Weerasuriya, Jeonghoon Ahn and Leonardo Cubillos

The paper summarizes data from 12 countries, chosen to exhibit wide variation, on the role and place of public participation in the setting of priorities. The purpose of this…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper summarizes data from 12 countries, chosen to exhibit wide variation, on the role and place of public participation in the setting of priorities. The purpose of this paper is to exhibit cross-national patterns in respect of public participation, linking those differences to institutional features of the countries concerned.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is an example of case-orientated qualitative assessment of participation practices. It derives its data from the presentation of country case studies by experts on each system. The country cases are located within the historical development of democracy in each country.

Findings

Patterns of participation are widely variable. Participation that is effective through routinized institutional processes appears to be inversely related to contestatory participation that uses political mobilization to challenge the legitimacy of the priority setting process. No system has resolved the conceptual ambiguities that are implicit in the idea of public participation.

Originality/value

The paper draws on a unique collection of country case studies in participatory practice in prioritization, supplementing existing published sources. In showing that contestatory participation plays an important role in a sub-set of these countries it makes an important contribution to the field because it broadens the debate about public participation in priority setting beyond the use of minipublics and the observation of public representatives on decision-making bodies.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 30 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 August 2018

Flavio Saab, Paulo Henrique de Souza Bermejo, Gustavo Cunha Garcia, Jonathan Soares Pereira and Suylan de Almeida Midlej e Silva

Social participation or public participation is a mechanism that aims to enable decision makers to understand the real needs of society and to promote more appropriate and…

Abstract

Purpose

Social participation or public participation is a mechanism that aims to enable decision makers to understand the real needs of society and to promote more appropriate and acceptable public policies. The purpose of this paper is to analyze, through Douglasian Cultural Theory, the public-consultation mechanism, and to what extent it encourages the participation of people with different points of view in the formulation of public policies.

Design/methodology/approach

This research paper uses theoretical propositions from Douglasian Cultural Theory to investigate the process of public consultation adopted by the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) in the formulation of public policies for Brazil’s health sector.

Findings

The results contribute to the findings of previous studies, i.e., that social participation is unequal, and that some points of view are dominant in policy formulation. This indicates that public managers should seek mechanisms of participation that promote more inclusive and pluralistic public participation.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitations of this study are the subjectivity inherent in the classification of “voices” in Douglasian Cultural Theory, the small number of contributions analyzed and the absence of some unpublished data.

Originality/value

The analysis contributes to the literature by supporting some and rejecting other propositions of Douglasian Cultural Theory, as well as indicating possible potential from this theory through public administration in the evaluation of mechanisms of social participation.

Details

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, vol. 31 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0398

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 March 2014

Lin-lin Xie, Yu Yang, Yi Hu and Albert P.C. Chan

Public participation has been implemented with growing frequency as an instrument for dealing with the increased socio-economic and environmental disputes in public infrastructure…

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Abstract

Purpose

Public participation has been implemented with growing frequency as an instrument for dealing with the increased socio-economic and environmental disputes in public infrastructure and construction (PIC) projects in China. The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions of major stakeholders on the major aspects related to public participation practices in China's PIC projects and intends to convey what is presently happening in this segment of the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Specific topics of the social effects, benefits, forms, and barriers were addressed through a recent survey of the major stakeholders involved in PIC projects. The survey results were used to perform a strength-weakness-opportunity-threat analysis for evaluating the status quo of public participation in PIC projects.

Findings

The survey results indicate that the development of public participation practices in China remains relatively slow despite the urgent need to promote this mechanism for solving socio-economic and environmental disputes in PIC projects. Thus, a four-step strategic plan is suggested to be established to overcome main barriers for the implementation of public participation and promote its development in China.

Originality/value

This study aims to evaluate the status quo of the public participation practices in China by conducting a national survey, which has never been conducted before. The findings of this paper provide a holistic view of the status quo of public participation in China's PIC projects and promote a better application of this mechanism in the construction industry.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 21 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 94000