IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/osf/socarx/2shq9.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Chameleonic knowledge: a study of ex ante analysis in large infrastructure policy processes

Author

Listed:
  • Dorren, Lars
  • Van Dooren, Wouter

    (University of Antwerp)

Abstract

Using ex ante analysis to predict policy outcomes is common practice in the world of infra- structure planning. However, accounts of its uses and merits vary widely. Advisory agencies and government think tanks advocate this practice to prevent cost overruns, short-term decision-making and suboptimal choices. Academic studies on knowledge use, on the other hand, are critical of how knowledge can be used in decision making. Research has found that analyses often have no impact at all on decision outcomes or are mainly conducted to provide decision makers with the confidence to decide rather than with objective facts. In this paper, we use an ethnographic research design to understand how it is possible that the use of ex ante analysis can be depicted in such contradictory ways. We suggest that the substantive content of ex ante analysis plays a limited role in understanding its depictions and uses. Instead, it is the process of conducting an ex ante analysis itself that unfolds in such a manner that the analysis can be interpreted and used in many different and seemingly contradictory ways. In policy processes, ex ante analysis is like a chameleon, figuratively changing its appearance based on its environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Dorren, Lars & Van Dooren, Wouter, 2021. "Chameleonic knowledge: a study of ex ante analysis in large infrastructure policy processes," SocArXiv 2shq9, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:2shq9
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/2shq9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://osf.io/download/611669808e5921003c778fc1/
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.31219/osf.io/2shq9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hugo Priemus & Bent Flyvbjerg & Bert van Wee (ed.), 2008. "Decision-Making on Mega-Projects," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 4112.
    2. Christina Boswell, 2009. "Knowledge, Legitimation and the Politics of Risk: The Functions of Research in Public Debates on Migration," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 57(1), pages 165-186, March.
    3. Christina Boswell, 2009. "Knowledge, Legitimation and the Politics of Risk: The Functions of Research in Public Debates on Migration," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 57, pages 165-186, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bekius, Femke & de Kwaasteniet, Vincent & Teisman, Geert, 2024. "Durability of decisions explained by actor-strategies in games: A multiple case study analysis," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 222-236.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lars Dorren & Wouter Dooren, 2021. "Chameleonic knowledge: a study of ex ante analysis in large infrastructure policy processes," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 54(2), pages 289-312, June.
    2. Cynthia Couette, 2024. "Epistemic competition in global governance: The case of pharmaceutical patents," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 15(3), pages 516-527, June.
    3. H鲩court & Spielvogel, 2014. "Beliefs, media exposure and policy preferences on immigration: evidence from Europe," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(2), pages 225-239, January.
    4. Jean Philippe Décieux, 2021. "The Dialectic of Transnational Integration and National Disintegration as Challenge for Multilevel Governance," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-11, July.
    5. repec:sae:envval:v:25:y:2016:i:6:p:687-705 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Laura Wolton & Deserai A. Crow, 2022. "Politicking with evidence: examining evidence-based issues in electoral policy narratives," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 55(4), pages 661-691, December.
    7. repec:dau:papers:123456789/9773 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Sam Scott, 2017. "Venues and Filters in Managed Migration Policy: The Case of the United Kingdom," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 375-415, June.
    9. H鲩court & Spielvogel, 2014. "Beliefs, media exposure and policy preferences on immigration: evidence from Europe," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(2), pages 225-239, January.
    10. Cedric Dawkins & John Fraas, 2011. "Coming Clean: The Impact of Environmental Performance and Visibility on Corporate Climate Change Disclosure," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 100(2), pages 303-322, May.
    11. Román, Concepción & Martín, Juan Carlos, 2014. "Integration of HSR and air transport: Understanding passengers’ preferences," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 129-141.
    12. Hugo Priemus & Marian Bosch-Rekveldt & Mendel Giezen, 2013. "Dealing with the complexity, uncertainties and risk of megaprojects: redundancy, resilience and adaptivity," Chapters, in: Hugo Priemus & Bert van Wee (ed.), International Handbook on Mega-Projects, chapter 5, pages 83-110, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. Cathy Macharis & Peter Nijkamp, 2013. "Multi-actor and multi-criteria analysis in evaluating mega-projects," Chapters, in: Hugo Priemus & Bert van Wee (ed.), International Handbook on Mega-Projects, chapter 11, pages 242-266, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    14. Knut Samset, 2013. "Strategic and tactical performance of mega-projects – between successful failures and inefficient successes," Chapters, in: Hugo Priemus & Bert van Wee (ed.), International Handbook on Mega-Projects, chapter 2, pages 11-33, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    15. Yazan Issa Abu Aisheh, 2021. "Lessons Learned, Barriers, and Improvement Factors for Mega Building Construction Projects in Developing Countries: Review Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-17, September.
    16. Rothengatter, Werner, 2019. "Megaprojects in transportation networks," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 1-15.
    17. Martijn Leijten, 2013. "Real-world decision-making on mega-projects: politics, bias and strategic behaviour," Chapters, in: Hugo Priemus & Bert van Wee (ed.), International Handbook on Mega-Projects, chapter 4, pages 57-82, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    18. Bert van Wee & Piet Rietveld, 2013. "CBA: ex ante evaluation of mega-projects," Chapters, in: Hugo Priemus & Bert van Wee (ed.), International Handbook on Mega-Projects, chapter 12, pages 269-290, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    19. Bent Flyvbjerg, 2013. "Why Mass Media Matter to Planning Research: The Case of Megaprojects," Papers 1304.1665, arXiv.org.
    20. Thomopoulos, N. & Grant-Muller, S. & Tight, M.R., 2009. "Incorporating equity considerations in transport infrastructure evaluation: Current practice and a proposed methodology," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 351-359, November.
    21. Matthias Fleischer & Maximilian Fuhrmann & Christoph Haferburg & Fred Krüger, 2013. "“Festivalisation” of Urban Governance in South African Cities: Framing the Urban Social Sustainability of Mega-Event Driven Development from Below," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(12), pages 1-24, December.
    22. Carl Koopmans & Piet Rietveld, 2013. "Long-term impacts of mega-projects: the discount rate," Chapters, in: Hugo Priemus & Bert van Wee (ed.), International Handbook on Mega-Projects, chapter 14, pages 313-332, Edward Elgar Publishing.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:2shq9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: OSF (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://arabixiv.org .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.