A Combined Value Focused Thinking-Soft Systems Methodology Approach to Structure Decision Support for Energy Performance Assessment of School Buildings

Bernardo, Hermano; Gaspar, Adélio Rodrigues; Antunes, Carlos Henggeler

doi:10.3390/su10072295

Cited by 19 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 31 publications

(42 reference statements)

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“…The primary goal is to analyze the problems arising from improper urban planning in risk-prone areas and suggest improvements in the disaster management cycle. Keeney (1992) indicates the Value-Focused Thinking (VFT) as a potential PSM, as can be demonstrated in the studies of Morais et al (2013), Keisler et al (2014), and Bernardo et al (2018). With a top-down and value-focused approach, VFT is a method that seeks to identify the values that a decision maker should use as a basis for decision-making.…”

Section: Problem Structuring Methods -Psmsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prioritization of strategic initiatives in the context of natural disaster prevention

Silva

Belderrain

2019

BJO&PM

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Goal: The purpose of this paper is to build the structure of a multicriteria decision model that supports definition and prioritization of strategic initiatives by an institution performing in the prevention of natural disasters. Design/Methodology/Approach: The Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) methodological process is adopted to build a multicriteria evaluation model. A two-phase process is followed, employing a top-down approach, based on Value-Focused Thinking (VFT), in combination with the Multi Attribute Value Theory (MAVT) method. The participants of the MCDA process were experts of the control room in the case study institution. Results: The proposed methodology not only helped decision makers to enumerate a number of strategic initiatives to accomplish the organizational objective, but also helped them to establish a structured procedure to prioritize these initiatives. Limitations: Absence of a criterion related to the organization budget in the model; limited scope of participation in the process; absence of quantitative criteria. Practical implications: The major practical contributions are as follows: an structured model that supports the strategic planning process; a better allocation of resources (human, financial, and materials) in projects that are truly aligned with the strategic objective of the organization; the organizational learning coming from the exercise of reflection on values, objectives and preferences; and the legitimacy of decisions as a result of the participative character of the construction process of the model. Originality/Value: In this study, a multicriteria evaluation model is structured and applied as support for strategic decision making in the context of a natural disaster early warning system. The model has a significant application potential, since it encourages the adoption of structured decision support methods rather than traditional empirical decision making. Thus, the value of the study lies in the contribution that the proposed model can offer to more effective disaster prevention.

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Section: Problem Structuring Methods -Psmsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prioritization of strategic initiatives in the context of natural disaster prevention

Silva

Belderrain

2019

BJO&PM

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“…Step 1: Determining the status of clinical care delivery According to Checkland [26], after successfully passing many tests, four methods of identifying problematic situations have turned into conventional components of SSM. In the SSM language, these methods include creating and drawing a rich picture, self-intervention analysis, social analysis and political analysis [18,30]. The complexity of human situations is always the result of multiple interactive relationships.…”

Section: Study Steps As a Purposeful Activity Model Related To The Cpgs Implementationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These pictures become richer as the research progresses, although they never reach their end of perfection. These pictures are very valuable for explaining vital relationships in the situation, especially for laying the groundwork for future discussions [26,30].…”

Section: Study Steps As a Purposeful Activity Model Related To The Cpgs Implementationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The norms are expected behaviors associated with the roles, and the values are standards or criteria that are based to judge the behaviors of the roles. These three elements should be perfectly elucidated and de ned by the researcher during the research process [26,30].…”

Section: Study Steps As a Purposeful Activity Model Related To The Cpgs Implementationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…From a general perspective, different hereditary traits individuals are born with and diverse experiences they gain in the world shape their different worldviews that are re ected in their different opinions. A group seeking to agree on a common decision in response to a problematic situation therefore requires an accommodation or a situation with which everyone gets along [26,30].…”

Section: Study Steps As a Purposeful Activity Model Related To The Cpgs Implementationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Soft systems methodology for implementing clinical practice guidelines in a general hospital: a study protocol

Soltani¹,

Heyrani²,

Fakhr‐Movahedi³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Background: Adhering to Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) serves as the driving force behind making decisions based on the best evidence and making efforts for improving the quality of patient care and outcomes. In 2010, promoting the quality of clinical care through implementing CPGs was turned into a priority health policy in Iran as in many other countries. Despite requiring Iranian hospitals to implement CPGs in January 2017, the concept and implementation method of CPGs remained to be clarified. This action research focuses on acquiring an in-depth understanding of how to define and implement CPGs in a selected general hospital in Iran.Methods: This study employs Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) as a commonly-used approach for tackling complex problems with social, political and human dimensions. Given the inherent roles of technical processes, organizational culture, and personnel’ perspectives in providing clinical care, implementing CPGs was considered a complex problem situation, and conceptualized by use of a purposeful activity model. We will conduct semi-structured in-depth interviews and hold group discussions with different stakeholders to enquire into the situation. Moreover, we will use SSM tools and techniques to identify the main areas of changes, and select necessary measures to facilitate the implementation of CPGs. Flexible qualitative methods of data collection and analysis are utilized throughout the study.Discussion: Applying SSM in implementing CPGs can generate knowledge by recognizing hyper-complexity in healthcare setting, adopting an attitude of inquiry, and fostering dynamic changes in diverse and numerous worldviews of professionals in the accommodation process. This knowledge can provide a model for the successful implementation of CPGs at a macro-system level and facilitate the persuasion process at the hospital mesosystem level. More importantly, adopting SSM can create iterative learning loops over time and thus help the actors of clinical microsystems face future healthcare complexities.

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Indoor Air Quality in Schools

Thoua¹,

Cooper²,

Stamp³

et al. 2022

Handbook of Indoor Air Quality

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A Combined Value Focused Thinking-Soft Systems Methodology Approach to Structure Decision Support for Energy Performance Assessment of School Buildings

Cited by 19 publications

References 31 publications

Prioritization of strategic initiatives in the context of natural disaster prevention

Prioritization of strategic initiatives in the context of natural disaster prevention

Soft systems methodology for implementing clinical practice guidelines in a general hospital: a study protocol

Indoor Air Quality in Schools

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