WFD implementation in Sweden:
information in support of action
Introduction
Water
Framework
Directive
What are the requirements
concerning collection and
dissemination of information?
Relevant research
concerning information:
•
•
Information ‘systems’
approach
‘soft’ organisational
theory and ‘soft’ systems
Relevant questions
•
•
•
How has Sweden met these requirements?
How successful are they?
What needs to be strengthened?
Case study of the North Baltic Sea RBD
Organisational theory
‘hard’ vs ‘soft’ thinking
‘Hard’ (various literature)
‘Soft’ (e.g. Checkland, Sir Vickers)
Consensus
Accommodations
Take decisions (rational decision-making)
Manage relationships
Pursue goals
Seek desired relationships
Elude undesired relationships
Unthinking reification
Conscious reification
Philosophically positivistic, sociologically
functionalist
Philosophically phenomenological,
sociologically interpretive
Advantages of ‘soft’ thinking:
• ‘Realistic’ (e.g. accommodations vs consensus)
• Members of organisation can disagree or be in conflict with organisational
accounts and goals.
• Emphasis on relationships
Soft Systems Methodology (SSM)
• Brief history:
– Systems engineering applied to problematical
situations
– Lancaster University research programme: 1960’s –
present day
• “Tried and tested”:
– ‘Messy’, ‘complex’ and ‘problematical’ situations.
– Hundreds of studies, e.g. Shell, National Health
Service (UK), Department of Trade and Industry (UK)…
– Environmental and resource management
“Information systems and systems
thinking: time to unite?” (Checkland 1988)
• Introducing IS to institutions implies social
change
• So what is an Information System?
– A system for supporting another…
change
Organisational
system
perceive
supports
Information
system
Environmental
system
Environmental
system
Organisational
system
Information
system
Checkland &
Holwell,
1998
Checkland &
Holwell,
1998
WFD, information and Sweden
Water
Framework
Directive
What are the requirements
concerning collection and
dissemination of information?
Relevant research
concerning information:
•
•
Information ‘systems’
approach
‘soft’ organisational
theory and ‘soft’ systems
Relevant questions
•
•
•
How has Sweden met these requirements?
How successful are they?
What needs to be strengthened?
Case study of the North Baltic Sea RBD
Checkland &
Holwell,
1998
Information ‘system’ issues –
• Data gaps:
• coastal catchments (Destouni)
• groundwater monitoring
• agricultural and forestry effects
• Incompatible datasets
Checkland &
Holwell,
1998
Information ‘system’ issues
• Lack of metadata in VISS
concerning expert
assessments/modelling
• Decision: good status to all unassessed/unmonitored water
bodies
Checkland &
Holwell,
1998
Information ‘system’ issues
• Primarily passive information supply
• Information availability
• VISS – difficult for the ‘average’ person
Information ‘system’ issues
• Consultation after documents prepared
• Documents suitable for EU reporting, less suitable for
public participation
Checkland &
Holwell,
1998
Information ‘system’ issues
?
?
Checkland &
Holwell,
1998
Conclusions (1/2)
• Gaps need to be filled in the Information
‘System’.
• Opportunities for modelling?
– Fill in monitoring gaps
– Support actor’s development of information and
knowledge
– Reveal consequences of
accommodations/intentions
– Evaluate ongoing activities
Conclusions (2/2)
• “The Science of Why We Don't Believe
Science” (Mooney, 2011, pop. media)
– “…lead with the values—so as to give the facts a
fighting chance.”
– What are the values?
• Meet with local actors from all sectors and
model!
• Be clear about model limitations (obviously!)