How to select instruments for the resolution of environmental conflicts?

Will the application of spatial multi criteria evaluation technique enhance the quality of decision-making to resolve boundary conflicts in the Philippines?

“…A good procedure generally consists of clear steps together with clear beginning and ending steps (Zakay, 1984). Each step in a good procedure clarifies the task (action) to be completed (Davis and Cosenza, 1993), the nature of the decision unit"s involvement (e.g., negotiation, facilitation, mediation, arbitration, litigation) 2 (Brown, 1995;Nagel and Mills, 1990), the potential training needs of the unit (Ganster et al, 1991;Hart, 1985), the venue for action to be taken, and the start time and end time of the steps in the overall process to avoid misunderstanding (Hart, 1985;Messner et al, 2006;Webler, 1995;Wittmer et al, 2006). A training step in the procedure avoids premature convergence and greatly increases the possibility of a win-win solution (Ganster et al, 1991).…”

“…Three conditions for finality are important: documentation of decisions (e.g., memorandum of agreement -MOA), easy access to these decision documents, and the implementation of the decision (Klercker and Klercker, 1998;Masalu, 2000;Zhang et al, 2005). Finally, Wittmer et al (2006) have highlighted the need for a legal backup to these steps to increase their acceptability and to reduce doubt among the members of a decision unit.…”

“…Only a formal method provides the explicit and unambiguous representation of a complex problem and offers a common language for communicating among the different parties involved. A number of authors have proposed various criteria to select a decision method depending on a variety of methodological and practical considerations (Graaff, 1996;Rinner, 2006;Sharifi, 2005;Timmermans and Vlek, 1996;Wittmer et al, 2006;Zakay, 1984). These criteria can be grouped as: a) technical considerations / decision analytic and processing capability / information management capability; b) organisational considerations / practical criteria / resource criteria; and c) the decision maker"s considerations / attitudinal criteria.…”

“…In contrast, Wittmer et al (2006) developed a framework with criteria (e.g., information management, legitimacy, social dynamics, and cost) to assess the appropriateness of the decision methods used to resolve conflict. However, no empirical studies were used to operationalise the framework.…”

“…Bouyssou et al (2000) have argued that a "best method" cannot exist that is empirically correct in all contexts; a decision aid must take into account the capabilities and needs of the people who will implement and use the aid (Brown, 2005). Therefore, an evaluation of the quality of a decision method should focus on determining whether the method fits the purpose in a specific decisionmaking context Wittmer et al, 2006). Based on the above discussion, the objective of this research is twofold: first, to develop a framework to evaluate the quality of decision-making processes in resolving environmental conflicts such that the strengths and weaknesses associated with the processes can systematically be identified; and second, to examine whether the introduction of a specific decision support tool known as the "spatial multi criteria evaluation (SMCE)" will enhance the quality of decision-making processes in resolving conflicts.…”