TheoryMay17
E-consultation theory discussion, 17 May 2005
A number of researchers were visiting Belfast on this week, so we took the opportunity to get them to discuss further the issues we brainstormed in December.
At the bottom you will find the names of those who took part. They don't necessarily agree with this summary of points from the discussion. But as this is a wikiwiki page, they (and others) can register on this site and edit the page.
- Consultation != decision making.
- It is not the whole political process
4 stages:
- gathering
- representing
- incorporating into goals (of consultation)
- feedback to participants
- 3 and 4 have impacts on the actors (e.g. consultors and consultees), which in turn affect their ongoing relationships (e.g. trust).
- active learning occurs (or should do) throughout (and especially in 2)
Expectations of a good consultation:
- meaningful engagement of citizens in process
- legitimate process
- perceived satisfaction with process (i.e. meaninful engagement), irrespective of the outcome
What is a legitimate consultation (or where does it end):
- thin consultations, collecting evidence, opinions?
- or strong consultations, deliberative, exploring problems, identifying solutions?
- It depends on nature of problem.
It might be possible to list the desired goals or characterists of consultations, from the perspectives of consultor and consultee. Here are a few:
| consultor | connecting | consultee |
| collect info. | problem solving | voice |
| transparent | opportunity | |
| legitimacy | equality | trust |
| engagement | participating | exit |
We did not have much time to discuss how technology and process changes might affect these desired outcomes that would satisfy different participants. That was the topic of Aldo de Moor's talk in the afternoon.
Participants
Virginia Commonwealth University: Allen Lee Rutgers University: Frank Fischer and Mel Dubnick Trinity College Dublin: Dan Remenyi Free University of Brussels, Starlab: Aldo de Moor QUB School of Law: John Morison and Philip Leith QUB Inst. of Governance: Bronagh Hinds and Mel Dubnick QUB School of Management: David Newman, Michele Smyth, Ashish Italiya and Yan Chen
