A contribution to the conceptualisation of quality in impact assessment

Quality is much sought after in, and a basic foundation for, good impact assessment (IA). However, the term is rarely defined, has an uncertain relationship with IA effectiveness, and it means different things to different stakeholders, which can lead to debates over the legitimacy associated with an IA process. Thus, IA quality needs conceptualising to position research and practice within broader understandings. This paper contributes to this conceptualisation by identifying nine dimensions of quality through a process of literature review drawing on three fields of study in which quality and quality management have already been debated and conceptualised: education; health care; and business. This approach sidesteps the plural views on quality existing within the field of IA itself which might otherwise bias the identification of quality dimensions. We therefore propose that the dimensions of IA quality are: Efficiency; Optimacy; Conformance; Legitimacy; Equity; Capacity Maintenance; Transformative Capacity; and Quality Management. A literature review of IA research and practice confirms the relevance of the identified quality dimensions to IA. We identify, to an extent, the relationship between quality and effectiveness. Quality aligns with procedural and transactive effectiveness, partly aligns with normative effectiveness and is distinct from, but helps to deliver, substantive effectiveness

Participatory processes in forest management: the Italian experience in defining and implementing forest certification schemes

none2In member states of the European Union, and in accordance with directives issued by the EU, participatory approaches are increasingly being implemented in activities related to urban planning and environmental resources management, including those in the forestry sector. Here, the adoption of participatory approaches is often related to forest certification. This is also the case in Italy, where the most advanced and structured experiences of public participation are strictly linked to the development and implementation of forest certification schemes, even if this is limited to the aspect of stakeholder consultation. With an empirical analysis of some case studies the paper identifies possible links between forest certification processes and different levels of public participation and is divided into four main parts. The first presents the theoretical background, the most relevant issues and the methodologies. The second and third parts describe the driving forces of and the main connections between participation and forest certification, respectively. The fourth part presents some final comments and conclusions that aim at enhancing public participation in forest certification processes.noneSECCO L.; D. PETTENELLASecco, Laura; Pettenella, DAVIDE MATTE