Co-valuation: Exploring methods for expert and stakeholder valuation

Many scholars describe a trend towards stakeholder involvement. Also in Dutch water management, this is expected to generate more support and better-informed information for decision-making. An approach or methodology for the combined involvement of stakeholder and expert inputs in decision-making, however, is lacking (Rinaudo and Garin, 2005; Petts and Brooks, 2006; Leach, 2006; Sabatier et al., 2005; Scholz and Stiftel, 2005). In this article we focus on methodological aspects of an integral stakeholder approach in relation to its expected contribution to decision-making. We describe and analyse an approach of co-valuation for spatial issues, including multiple actors involved. Experiences with this approach in a case study on Dutch spatial water management reconfirm that existing assessment methodology does not provide for the involvement of stakeholder inputs and focuses on expert-based information. An interactive approach of (existing) (e)valuation (methods) may involve these various knowledge bases in assessment.

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