Social impact assessment and ethical research principles: ethical professional practice in impact assessment Part II

This paper considers a range of ethical issues in social impact assessment (SIA) providing a commentary from a professional practice perspective. Drawing on its companion paper (Vanclay et al. 2013 Principles for ethical research involving humans: Ethical professional practice in impact assessment Part I. Impact Assess Proj Appraisal, 31(4):243–253), the 18 principles of ethical research are discussed as they pertain to SIA practice. While the ethical principles are highly relevant and align well with good practice SIA, there will be situations where the specific requirements suggested by the principles need to be carefully thought through by practitioners. Although making some general conclusions, the paper’s main purpose is to stimulate further debate about ethical issues within the impact assessment profession. Key recommendations that emerge for SIA practice include the need for SIA practitioners to use information sheets routinely, and to increase the use of signed consent forms. It is also recommended that the International Association for Impact Assessment provide a service to allow practitioners to gain ethical approval for their projects in non-routine cases.     

Social impact assessment in the Russian Federation: does it meet the key values of democracy and civil society?

Contemporary social impact assessment (SIA) is rooted in the concepts of civil society and democracy. We analyse whether SIA as practiced in the Russian Federation as part of environmental impact assessment (EIA) is consistent with the key values of civil society and democracy. We consider whether the Russian EIA requirements enable preparation of meaningful assessments that effectively contribute to the decision-making processes that affect people’s lives. We review the Rsussian EIA legislation and its requirements for SIA and social baseline, and consider the EIA/SIA practice undertaken in response to these requirements. We specifically analyse the Karmen coal mining project in South Yakutia. We compare the EIA documents completed according to national requirements against the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) documents prepared to be consistent with international standards, as defined by the International Finance Corporation Performance Standards. We conclude that the national requirements for SIA in Russia and the way they are implemented do not encourage the development of meaningful SIAs that comply with the key concepts and social values of SIA, civil society and democracy.     

Online retail of alcohol,some dilemmas for professional SIA practice

Online retail is burgeoning, challenging ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers and changing both purchase and retail distribution practices in many countries. At the same time, this growth is challenging some established social impact assessment (SIA) frames of reference, creating new dilemmas for professional SIA practice. This paper examines some of these dilemmas as they are revealed in decisions published by the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority in the calendar year 2017.     

Can social impact assessment contribute to social development outcomes in an emerging economy?

Social impact assessment (SIA) addresses the ‘people aspect’ of development-induced change by empowering communities with a voice in the environmental impact assessment process. Globally, poverty and inequality is growing. Countries with emerging economies are especially affected, and SIA conducted within this context necessitates mitigation of both the direct impacts of particular developments as well as the social legacies that entrench poverty and inequality. Social development is an approach that can be used to reduce poverty and inequality. This paper analyses the practice of SIA and its potential to contribute to social development outcomes in emerging economies. SIA, as practised in South Africa, was analysed from the theoretical framework of social development using an exploratory sequential mixed methods design. The findings indicate that weak implementation of mitigation, monitoring and management measures dilute the potential for SIA to achieve social development outcomes. Through minor evolution of SIA practice, the process can lay a firm foundation to facilitate social development outcomes, especially considering its potential contribution to poverty reduction through the social protection floor, skills development and job creation.     

Effectiveness in social impact assessment: Aboriginal peoples and resource development in Australia

Definitions of and judgments regarding effectiveness in social impact assessment (SIA) depend on how the purposes of SIA are understood. They are defined differently by various interests that participate in, or are affected by, impact assessment processes, and the concept of ‘effectiveness’ and the issue of what is required to achieve it are both contested and contextual. This article reviews a number of different approaches to SIA and outlines what effectiveness might mean for each. It then considers, at two levels, what ‘effective SIA’ involves in the context of large-scale resource development on Aboriginal land in Australia. The first level involves control of SIA. For indigenous peoples who have historically been excluded from and ignored by SIAs undertaken as part of government approval processes, Aboriginal control is an essential prerequisite for ‘effective SIA’. However, control only creates the potential for effectiveness. The second level of analysis involves the practical activities that must be undertaken, and issues that must be addressed, to realize this potential. The author develops a matrix designed to help identify and manage these activities and issues in a systematic way.     

Impact Assessment: assessing the social dimensions of fisheries research projects in the Asia-Pacific Region

Interest in understanding the social impact of publicly funded science research is growing globally. However, practical examples demonstrating how the social impacts of research for development are measured are negligible. This paper illustrates the utility of Impact Assessment (IA), Social Impact Assessment (SIA) in particular to measure and articulate the social dimensions of research for development. We employed substantive aspects of SIA to assess the social impacts of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) funded fisheries research projects across Southeast Asia and the Pacific Island Countries. Data were collected through a survey, in-depth interviews, and case studies. Results illustrate that SIA can offer a nuanced understanding of the contribution of research for development to changes in culture, community health and wellbeing, livelihood and economy, and governance and politics, among others. We suggest that researchers, policymakers and research for development organisations consider incorporating SIA in their projects not only as a tool to assess impact but also as a process to manage and understand the social dimensions of science research.     

Effect characterization in social impact assessment: a scan of current practice

Good-practice guidance for impact assessment (IA) consistently recommends that IA practitioners characterize impacts using parameters such as magnitude, likelihood and geographic extent. In practice, however, this guidance is not always followed. In order to identify the extent to which impacts are characterized for social topics, this paper reviewed of the social assessment sections of 57 environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports from 12 countries. The review found that 61% attempted to characterize impacts for social topics, while 39% did not. Of the 61% that characterized impacts, just over half (54%) provided transparent definitions for effect levels (e.g. low, medium and high). The research results shine a light on the lack of consistency in thoroughly, appropriately and transparently characterizing social effects. Advancing this discussion amongst SIA professionals is important, as it will benefit the quality of SIAs and mitigation approaches in the future. Finally, this paper puts forward a proposed model for social effect characterization parameters that can be used and adapted for future assessments.

Abbreviation: EIA: environmental impact assessment; IA: impact assessment; SIA: socio-economic impact assessment.     

Social Influence Analysis: Models,Methods, and Evaluation

Social influence analysis (SIA) is a vast research field that has attracted research interest in many areas. In this paper, we present a survey of representative and state-of-the-art work in models, methods, and evaluation aspects related to SIA. We divide SIA models into two types: microscopic and macroscopic models. Microscopic models consider human interactions and the structure of the influence process, whereas macroscopic models consider the same transmission probability and identical influential power for all users. We analyze social influence methods including influence maximization, influence minimization, flow of influence, and individual influence. In social influence evaluation, influence evaluation metrics are introduced and social influence evaluation models are then analyzed. The objectives of this paper are to provide a comprehensive analysis, aid in understanding social behaviors, provide a theoretical basis for influencing public opinion, and unveil future research directions and potential applications.     

A method for identifying customer orientations and requirements for product–service systems design

For manufacturers, developing product–service systems (PSSs) is getting more important because of the trends of servitisation and creating social value. A PSS is a social system where multiple actors mutually provide products and services. A PSS design, therefore, must take into account various actors as customers. However, existing methods provide an insufficient solution as to how various customers should be handled in an analysis to identify and accommodate various customer preferences and requirements. To tackle this issue, this article proposes a new method of identifying customers’ orientations and requirements for PSS design. The proposed method employs a combination of topic analysis, persona and scenario approaches. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated with its application to an urban development case. Through the demonstration, its practical benefits are concluded as follows: consistent and logical results of requirement analysis and insights into a new market for manufacturers.     

完善法人单位基础信息数据库索引平台服务社会管理创新——组织机构代码工作的实践与思考

本文总结了全国组织机构代码中心继续承担法人基础信息库建设工程的优势,分析了社会管理创新对组织机构代码工作提出的要求,把现在以组织机构代码为主体标识的代码数据库定位于全国法人单位基础信息库的索引平台。提出了坚持"解放思想、改革创新、凝聚人心、科学发展"的工作方针,在全系统倡导大局、大气、大度之风;在服务社会管理创新中把握好代码工作的总布局;进一步完善信用法律法规体系;兼容并蓄主动改进代码工作;着力抓好法人单位基础数据库的建设;积极推进法人业务数据库的建设;促进法人单位信息资源库的推广应用等的7条建议。     

Urban regeneration and impact assessment for social sustainability

This paper provides a working definition of social sustainability and highlights the growing array of social sustainability assessment tools (e.g. SIA, HIA, equality impact assessment, SA). Within EIA the social dimension has been very much the ‘poor relation’. However, changes in the UK planning system, the drive for sustainable communities, and for greater public involvement in decision making are raising the profile of the social dimension. This is particularly relevant for urban regeneration projects, which are often mixed use (including housing), and with the potential for development to be shaped by community involvement. The paper includes a review of recent environmental statements (ESs) for regeneration projects in the UK, which provides findings on, for example, the inclusion of social factors in the process; scope of such factors; methodological approaches and impact assessment tools; and role of community involvement. The research raises questions about the extent to which social issues shape outcomes; it also highlights some important challenges, including the key issue of ‘integration versus disintegration’ in the scope and process of impact assessment.     

Emphasising enhancement in all forms of impact assessment: introduction to a special issue

In the context of impact assessment (IA), ‘enhancement’ refers to deliberate attempts taken in the design and subsequent phases of projects, programmes, plans and policies to ensure the success of a wider range of direct and indirect positive outcomes to communities and/or the biophysical environment. This can be in the form of opportunities for social and community development, improved health and wellbeing, improved biodiversity, restored ecosystems and landscape character, and protected and respected cultural heritage. This first ever special issue on enhancement advocates that all forms of IA should consider opportunities for enhancement. Specific reference is made to strategic environmental assessment (SEA), environmental impact assessment (EIA), social impact assessment (SIA) and health impact assessment (HIA). The paper presents views from IA practitioners regarding perceptions of the barriers to greater use of enhancement in IA and suggestions for possible solutions to those barriers. Investment in enhancement initiatives contributes to sustainable development and resilience, and is consistent with corporate social responsibility obligations of proponents.     

Bridging corporate social responsibility and social impact assessment

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and social impact assessment (SIA) share foundational values. Yet even where a single corporation espouses CSR and carries out SIA, the two often pass like ships in the night. Drawing upon recent literature and experiences from a decade of applied social research in CSR and SIA in the resources industry, this professional practice paper identifies three key bridging points through which CSR and SIA could be better linked and strengthened in future: policy–practice gaps, voluntary versus involuntary regulation and internal versus independent implementation.     

国际自动机工程师学会标准化治理模式研究及其对我国团体标准化工作的启示

培育发展团体标准是我国标准化工作改革的重要举措,在国家政策和市场创新需求的双重驱动下,近两年我国团体标准迎来高速发展,但由于起步较晚,我国社团组织在标准化治理方面仍存在不足。社团标准在美国发展成熟,国际自动机工程师学会经过100多年发展,在团体标准制度及机制建设、运营模式方面积累了丰富的经验,本文通过研究其标准化工作治理模式,旨在为我国社团组织开展团体标准化工作提供借鉴。     

城市导视系统多元化设计研究

目的探究城市导视系统的现状及未来的多元化设计思路与策略。方法结合"一带一路"倡议这一大背景对我国沿线城市的重大影响与深远意义,提出基础设施建设的重要性,并聚焦于城市导视系统,对城市公共空间及其识别特点、导视系统与城市公共空间的关系等方面展开探究,深入挖掘城市导视系统的现状,指出其中的不足之处,在此基础上提出规范城市导视系统设计的几项原则,最后以城市公园导视系统、旅游景区视觉导视系统等为例,探索其多元化设计策略,开启媒体化、时代化和特色化的长远发展之路。结论在当前这个时代背景下,采用多元化的设计手法,进一步完善城市空间导向系统,能够在很大程度上提升城市空间质量,提高城市空间使用效率,给人们的社会生活带来更大的便利。     

The practice of social impact assessment background

The goal of social impact assessment is to help individuals and communities, as well as government and private-sector organizations, understand and better anticipate the possible social consequences for human populations and communities of planned and unplanned social change resulting from proposed policies, plans, programmes and projects. Like all assessments, the SIA model is comparative. We look to similar settings for direction as to what will happen in the future. Based on decades of research, we have organized SIA indicators under the general headings of population characteristics, community and institutional structures, political and social resources, individual and family changes, and community resources. The SIA process identifies alternatives to a proposed action as well as guidelines for enhancement and mitigation.     

宜昌市法人单位基础信息库建设的探讨

国务院《关于我国电子政务建设指导意见》中明确指出,"建设以机构代码为唯一标识的全国法人单位基础信息库和查询服务系统,向社会提供服务"。其目的是:以信息标准化为基础,以机构代码标识为手段,建立一个跨地区、跨行业、跨部门,面向全社会的政府公共基础数据库系统,作为基础信息保障和信息资源共享的"钥匙",为政府实现电子政务打基础。本文作者基于工作实践,以湖北省宜昌市建设法人单位基础信息库为案例,针对地市一级对法人单位基础信息库的需求、信息库建设的关键点、总体框架、数据交换进行了探讨。     

Developing and evaluating environmental impact assessment systems for small developing countries

This paper describes experience of a strategic-level social impact assessment (SIA) carried out in New Zealand to assist policy decision makers in a regional government environmental agency. The phased, iterative approach to the SIA is discussed, as well as the significance of effective scoping early in the SIA process. The SIA linked air pollution, cold homes and poor health problems as inseparable components of a single public policy issue, and thereby helped lay the foundations for political consensus, more cooperative implementation and greater public acceptance. Details of a proactive approach to mitigation are also provided.     

Evaluating the use of social impact assessment in Northeast US federal fisheries management

This analysis of Northeast US federal fisheries management focused on how social data have been collected and incorporated. Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with 45 primary informants was augmented with secondary data. Results showed that the social factors of Northeast US federal fisheries are considered important, and that participation in and processes involved with collecting and incorporating social data have improved over time. Nonetheless, progress is still necessary to ensure that managers have the information necessary to understand how fishermen and fishing communities might be impacted by decisions. Managers tend rely on perception and public comment, rather than social impact assessment (SIA) documents. A number of steps are being taken to improve data collection, analysis, and use. Similar challenges exist nation-wide, but dialogue among providers of SIAs is elevating the quality and consistency of products. Where social scientists are engaged early and consistently, fostering the consideration of human dimensions in the design of measures in a participatory and iterative manner, both the SIA process and product are most valuable.     

Quality Function Deployment Implementation in Construction: A Systematic Literature Review

The construction of new buildings represents a significant investment. The goal of new building construction is to maximize value and minimize cost while staying on time and within budget. Translating customer requirements into engineering terms for new construction design is vital for a construction project to be successful. Quality function deployment has been successfully used in product development to capture the voice of the customer and translate it into engineering characteristics. Quality function deployment then carries these parameters into production and service to ensure the voice of the customer is being met with the final product. The house of quality, a tool within quality function deployment, can provide a means for comparison of owner’s project requirements and the proposed design, along with identifying how the design decisions impact meeting customer requirements and green building requirements. Quality function deployment can effectively link the project phases through design and construction and into operations and maintenance to ensure the owner’s project requirements are met with the final building. This research identifies and categorizes studies of quality function deployment applications in construction. The research method used is a systematic literature review from databases related to quality function deployment in the construction industry published in the periodicals through 2016. The principal findings of implementations, practices, and integrated approaches are then summarized. This article intends to propel further research of quality function deployment in the construction sector.