Modelling expertise: Experts and expertise in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in the Netherlands

The thesis deals with the use of computer software to inform policy planners in the context of debates about evidence based policy making and the role of experts and expertise in policy planning. Specifically it analyses the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the Netherlands and the development of a decision...

Hydrosystems as Multipractice Phenomena: A Normative Approach to Analysing Governance System Failures

Given the water governance regime, how potent is the normative practice idea in the case of hydrosystems management? How can the normative practice framework explain the failure of the water governance of the Zayandehrud, and how can this explanation improve water governance both in thsi case and more generally?<br/>Can the govervance of the...

Road pricing policy process: The interplay between policy actors, the media and public

Although road pricing policies are generally seen as an effective measure to deal with transport related problems (e.g. congestion), the number of implemented road pricing schemes is relatively limited. The thesis aims to gain insights into complex interplay between policy actors, media and public in road pricing policy processes to understand...

Online Model Learning Algorithms for Actor-Critic Control

Classical control theory requires a model to be derived for a system, before any control design can take place. This can be a hard, time-consuming process if the system is complex. Moreover, there is no way of escaping modelling errors. As an alternative approach, there is the possibility of having the system learn a controller by itself while...

The Princess in the Castle: Challenging Serious Game Play for Integrated Policy Analysis and Planning

What are the principles that make societal problems socio-technically complex? And, even more important, how can we support public policymaking in the wake of socio-technical complexity? In The Princess in the Castle, the author investigates if, why and how serious games and game-like simulations (SGs) can support integrated policy making and...

De systeembenadering van professionals als drager van de besluitvorming in het rivierbeheer

Besluitvorming in het rivierbeheer gaat snel en met draagvlak. Terwijl de onderliggende systeembenadering in een kleine kring van professionals wordt opgesteld. Dit proefschrift onderzoekt de werking van de systeembenadering in de besluitvorming over projecten in het rivierbeheer. Het kijkt naar de dijkteruglegging Lent, de hoogwatergeul Veessen...

Logistics Concept Development in Multi-Actor Environments

Logistics has become a field of growing interest for public policy making over recent decades. Logistics has a great impact on society. Due to these societal impacts there is a need for a more explicit intervention by governmental policies. This development demonstrates that the growing importance of transition and innovation in logistic...

Analyzing Transition Dynamics: The Actor-Option Framework for Modelling Socio-Technical Systems

Transition can be characterized as long-term structural changes in the societal systems, through which the way these systems function change significantly. Both the scope and extent of change, and the nature of the societal systems make transition processes a complex dynamic phenomena to understand. This study explores both methodological and...

Relating Actor Analysis Methods to Policy Problems

For a policy analyst the policy problem is the starting point for the policy analysis process. During this process the policy analyst structures the policy problem and makes a choice for an appropriate set of methods or techniques to analyze the problem (Goeller 1984). The methods of the policy analyst are often referred to as the toolbox or...

Improving international relations conferences through virtual interactions: Embodying a multi-agent Z specification framework

This study investigates virtual interactions in distributed collaboration, with the aim to improve international relations conferences through virtual interactions. This is done by addressing the problems and issues of operation, context and strategy that frequently affect international relations conferences, while preserving conference...

Exploratory modeling and analysis: A promising method to deal with deep uncertainty

Faced with policy problems with high stakes, decisionmakers have increasingly recognized the importance of appropriately handling uncertainties. The nature of policy problems, however, is changing. Of particular concern are policy problems involving deep uncertainty when analysts do not know or the parties to a decision cannot agree upon (1) the...

Large urban projects and social actors: Forces supporting and opposing the production

This research studies, by means of the analysis of a paradigmatic large urban project in Buenos Aires, the production process of a large urban project furthered by the State and directed to create a new centrality. The analysis is focused on the forces supporting and opposition the project that were expressed by various social actors involved ...

Actor analysis for water resources management: Putting the promise into practice

Water related problems such as floods, droughts, declining groundwater tables or polluted rivers have a major impact on numerous societies throughout the world. Despite these serious problems, policy makers seem to make scant use of the knowledge that is available with water experts. Conversely, water experts face the task of finding out how...

Purposive interaction in multi-actor decision making: Operationalizing Coleman's linear system of action for policy decision support

Purposive Interaction in Multi-Actor Decision Making; Operationalizing Coleman's Linear System of Action for Policy Decision Support, started out with a ball and a web, a policy domain moved by a network of actors. How can the ball maintain its pace? Who are the actors that make the difference? How can policy annalists support them in moving the...

Policy analysis in a multi-actor policy settings: Navigating between negotiated nonsense & superfluous knowledge