Research and development of methods and tools for achieving and maintaining consensus processes in the face of change within and among government oversight agencies: Volume 1

Technical Report · Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5062284· OSTI ID:5062284

This progress report summarizes our research activities under our consensus grant. In year four of the grant, we continued to capitalize on and benefit from historical events which drove our early emphasis on group process studies. Following our work on various procedures for bringing together groups such as the State and Tribal Government Working Group and the Stakeholders' Forum (both of which provide input to the Five-Year Waste Plan), we continue to observe these groups and collect data. We also began a configuration study involving the complex modeling of DOE's Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM). Related to group process studies is the issue of the information requirements for individuals making decisions in consensus groups. Our information studies examined the requirements for decision-related information, frameworks for such information, and the effectiveness of information portrayed for decision making. However, we were able not only to continue studying consensus groups in action and related information issues, but also to focus considerable attention on the fundamental side of our research. The fundamental or basic research conducted in year four included: (1) expanding our literature database; (2) beginning the writing of the literature review summary document and the consensus guide; (3) developing frameworks and models such as the Environmental Trilogy model and a structural equations model of the consensus process; and (4) conducting laboratory studies concerning the effects of the presence of an expert, met expectations, opportunity to express views, incentive structure and conflict type (competitive versus collaborative) on consensus outcomes.

• Research Organization: Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States). Management Systems Labs.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-88DP48058
• OSTI ID: 5062284
• Report Number(s): DOE/DP/48058-4-Vol.1; ON: DE92014179
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
DECISION MAKING
COOPERATION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
GRANTS
AMERICAN INDIANS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
IMPLEMENTATION
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE
PLANNING
PROGRESS REPORT
REGULATIONS
REMEDIAL ACTION
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
TRANSPORT
WASTE MANAGEMENT
DOCUMENT TYPES
HUMAN POPULATIONS
MANAGEMENT
MINORITY GROUPS
POPULATIONS
990100* - Management