Nieuwe WerkwijzeOmgevingsmanagementDe gevolgen van de Elverding-adviezen vooromgevingsmanagement in de verkenningsfase

Introduction In 2008 the Elverding committee published a report on the structural improvement and acceleration of the process of realising infrastructure projects. In this report, the committee gave recommendations with respect to legislative, participative and administrative processes. One of the main recommendations is to start the planning process with a broad explorative study (brede verkenningsfase) and to finish this study with broad administrative commitment for one alternative. This requires a new and intensive way of involving stakeholders in the explorative phase. Nowadays, stakeholder management (omgevingsmanagement) draws a lot of attention. The Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) has been developing and implementing it for a while now. Yet, it is relatively new for explorative studies. The Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management aims at more uniform approach in stakeholder management. As a consequence, the organization aims at a guideline with existing practical knowledge. This has led to a Master’s Thesis project focussed on the consequences of the Elverding recommendations for stakeholder management. This project is restricted to the explorative phase, because the most comprehensive changes are expected in this phase. Research objective The objective of this research is to design a guideline for stakeholder management in explorative studies that takes into account the recommendations of the Elverding committee. Methodology To design the guideline thoroughly, the research is built-up by: 1) A literature study into decision-making and participation of stakeholders; 2) An analysis of the requirements and preconditions for stakeholder management and explorative studies; 3) An investigation of the stakeholder management key success factors of accomplished explorative studies by qualitative interviews and desk research; 4) Qualitative interviews to list the expected consequences of the committee’s recommendations for stakeholder management; 5) Design and evaluation of a guideline for stakeholder management in explorative studies. Results Stakeholder management in explorative studies consists of 1) requirements for explorative studies and of 2) responsibilities of a stakeholder manager. This stakeholder manager is responsible for setting up both a communication plan and a stakeholder analysis. During the explorative study the stakeholder manager is responsible for making an inventory of problems, requirements and design criteria. Furthermore, the manager is responsible for identifying and adjusting solutions, communicating impacts with the stakeholders and for the organization of administrative consultation and agreements. The definition of the scope has an important role during the whole explorative study. Management Summary 6 In practice the stakeholder management approach in explorative studies depends on the history of the project, the theoretical approach, the competences of the stakeholder manager and the division of tasks between the project manager and stakeholder manager. Future explorative studies ask for an integral and area-oriented approach with a prominent role for the governmental, or administrative, commitment. Therefore the importance of the organization of (public) participation rises. The explorative study demands an open process and elaborate communication with stakeholders. The result of this research is a guideline, the “New Approach for Stakeholder Management”. The main characteristics of this new approach are: 1) Explorative studies are part of a greater framework. They are the result of political consultation and will be continued in a plan phase; 2) A thorough preparation of stakeholder management is an essential factor for the rest of the exploratory process. Time spent preparing will be regained in the remaining part of the process; 3) During the whole explorative study communication should be transparent en frequent; 4) Participation should be part of every constituent process. There should be different rounds of decision-making; 5) A preferred alternative with public support is a crucial factor to reach the desired acceleration and improvement of the whole planning process. Conclusions & Recommendations The main conclusions that can be drawn from the results of this research are: • An explorative study needs a process approach; • The approach of stakeholder management widely differs. Every stakeholder manager organises it in his own way; • Stakeholder management’s key success factors of accomplished explorative studies are (political) urgency, an open process, a clear scope and personal relations with and between stakeholders; • In future explorative studies attention for stakeholder management is necessary, because of the area-oriented approach and the need for reaching commitment for an alternative during the explorative phase. This leads to a central role for stakeholder participation, thorough preparation and a change of attitude and behaviour of stakeholdermanagers; • An evaluation shows that the guideline is appropriate for all sorts of explorative studies and applicable in practice. Besides that, it guides the stakeholder manager and leaves room for creativity and spontaneity. The main recommendations are: • Preparation of the study is important for stakeholder managers; • Stakeholder managers and other team members are recommended to commit themselves to explorative studies for two years. This will lead to a more stable process; • Further development and application of the New Approach for Stakeholder management based on an evaluation of the approach in practice. Besides that, integration of the New Approach for Stakeholder Management into the “Handreiking Omgevingsmanagement” is recommended. • Further research into stakeholder management by other stakeholders and seen by other stakeholders.