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Working together for environmental management: the role of information sharing and collaborative learning

Will Allen () (2001)

A dissertation presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Massey University, New Zealand

[Reference as: Allen, W.J. (2001) Working together for environmental management: the role of information sharing and collaborative learning. PhD (Development Studies), Massey University.]

This thesis represents an inquiry into how an adaptive management ethic and practice that supports the concept of sustainable development can be initiated and implemented in complex, regional or large-scale contexts. An action research inquiry process is used to find improved ways of managing collaborative or multi-stakeholder approaches to environmental management, and to develop an integrated information framework to underpin subsequent decision making. The thesis itself reviews research undertaken between 1994 and 2000. First time readers should begin with the introduction to gain some idea of the research context, and to understand the thesis structure. The dissertation includes a number of previously published or submitted papers. Where these are available on-line they will open in a new browser window. (Note: Where previously submitted papers have been accepted, they are provided in their final published form).

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract
1. Introduction
2: The role of adaptive management within sustainable development
3. The role of action research in improving the realisation of adaptive and people-centred environmental management
4. Getting started: a case study in community-based adaptive management or 'learning by doing'

    Allen, W.J., Bosch, O.J.H., Gibson, R.G. & Jopp, A.J. (1995) Co-learning our way to sustainability: Integrating local and scientific knowledge through an evolutionary research approach to support land management decision-making. Paper presented at Malama Aina 95, 1st International Conference on Multiple Objective Decision Support Systems (MODSS) for Land, Water and Environmental Management, Honolulu, Hawaii, 23-27 July 1995.

5. Sharing experiences and developing useful knowledge
6. Evaluating multi-stakeholder research and development programmes
7. Addressing conflict in multi-stakeholder situations
8. Social and organizational issues with adaptive management for environmental management
9. Helping groups to learn enthusiastically -- roles for information, the Internet, and agency support
10. Developing an Internet presence and the value of networking

11. The need to link 'soft' and 'hard' research activities within multi-disciplinary science teams
12. Concluding reflections and planning the next research cycle

Postscript (September 2001): Some final reflections

References

Glossary

Acknowledgements

Appendix I
Appendix II


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