Entrenamiento para el desarrollo de competencias en evaluación de impacto social a gestores de proyectos

Introducción: El contexto tecnocientífico cubano actual promueve proyectos de ciencia, tecnología e innovación, que tributan al progreso del modelo de desarrollo económico social socialista que propone el país. Pero, en la práctica, estos proyectos evidencian poca sistematicidad en la evaluación de impacto social, lo que da al traste con la transformación social que se pretende. Debido a esto, se considera necesaria la superación de los profesionales que, desde las universidades cubanas, gestionan proyectos. Objetivo: Proponer un entrenamiento para el desarrollo de competencias en evaluación de impacto social para gestores de proyectos de las universidades cubanas. Materiales y métodos: El diagnóstico realizado con métodos científicos teóricos y con la aplicación de encuestas y entrevistas a gestores de proyectos, y el análisis documental a proyectos en ejecución y a sus resultados, así como a los documentos rectores del posgrado en Cuba, permitieron conformar la propuesta de entrenamiento que se presenta. Resultados: Se identificó un nivel bajo de conocimientos y habilidades en evaluación de impacto social de los proyectos, y una alta disposición hacia la superación profesional en el tema. Esto conduce a la propuesta de un entrenamiento que consta de acciones para el desarrollo de competencias en los gestores de proyecto. Conclusiones: El entrenamiento que se propone resulta una vía esencial para atender demandas y necesidades de superación profesional en torno a conocimientos, habilidades y valores, para la evaluación de impacto social por gestores de proyectos de las universidades cubanas.

Introduction: The current Cuban techno-scientific context promotes projects of science, technology and innovation, which contribute to the progress of the model of socialist social economic development the country proposes. But, in practice, these projects show little systematicity in the social impact assessment, which ruins the social transformation that is pretended. Due to this, it is considered necessary the upgrading of the professionals who manage projects of Cuban universities. Objective: To propose training for the development of skills in social impact assessment for project managers of Cuban universities. Materials and methods: The diagnosis, carried out with scientific-theoretical methods, and with the application of inquiries and interviews to project managers, and the documentary analysis of projects in execution and their results, as well as of leading documents of post-graduate studies in Cuba, allowed to elaborate the training proposal presented. Results: A low level of knowledge and skills in the social impact assessment of the projects and a high disposition towards professional upgrading on the topic were identified. This leads to the proposal of a training that consists on actions for the development of skills in project managers. Conclusions: The training proposed results an essential way to meet demands and needs of professional upgrading regarding knowledge, skills and values, for the assessment of the social impact by project managers of Cuban universities.

A sustainability review on the Indonesian job creation law.

The Job Creation Law (JCL) is an omnibus law promulgated by the Indonesian government to promote investment in the nation by simplifying business license issuance and providing an exemption on previously established procedures. Business license applicants are exempted from the obligation to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) so long as their projects are aligned with the land utilization policy and the zoning plan. This creates a threat to environmental sustainability as only 10% cities or regencies in Indonesia are equipped with detailed zoning plans. Furthermore, environmental considerations are rarely incorporated into spatial planning. This paper reviews changes in spatial and environmental planning practices based on a comparison among existing regulations, qualitative assessment of potential environmental impact based on lessons learned from various study cases, and critical evaluations on the aim to ease business establishment versus sustainability. The research method includes analysis of relevant document and descriptive quantitative analysis. We found that JCL puts sustainability aside and may lead to further environmental degradation.

Social impact assessment (SIA) of the Tamale viaduct project in Ghana: Stakeholders management practices, better or worse?

Studies have been done in many different fields on how to manage stakeholders, which shows how important it is to put the stakeholder at the center of any program or project. The study looks at the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) of the Tamale viaduct project. The sample size was established using the results of a census. Data was gathered using a key informant interview guide and structured questionnaires using a snowball sampling technique. Out of 128 affected respondents, 120 questionnaires responded to the tools, and three key informant interviews were conducted with significant stakeholders. The analyses show that many communication channels were employed to get in touch with the project's affected stakeholders. Although they were frequently involved, the stakeholders were not allowed to contribute to the decision-making process. The respondents viewed prioritizing the stakeholders, creating a plan for stakeholder involvement, and planning communication as the most effective stakeholder management techniques. Communication problems were cited as a major obstacle to interacting with the stakeholders.

Using news coverage and community-based impact assessments to understand and track social effects using the perspectives of affected people and decisionmakers.

This paper applies an innovative approach to monitoring social effects occurring before and during construction of two hydroelectric dams in Canada. The two studied dams, Site C and Keeyask, are under construction in Canada and underwent community-based impact assessment (CBIA). News coverage and the CBIA documents were analyzed to understand and compare how those two groups perceive social effects induced by the two projects. CBIAs contain concerns expressed by affected people, whereas news coverage can include quotes from both affected people and decisionmakers involved in the assessment process. By contrasting these datasets, we found that the documents are complementary: while CBIAs are comprehensive in assessing community concerns, news outlets can reveal how those concerns evolved throughout different phases of the projects' implementation. This approach fills a gap in SIA around monitoring of key social effects around local conflicts and disputes, psychosocial effects, socioeconomic effects, and cumulative effects on a daily life. Furthermore, by contrasting the views identified within the impact assessments and the media, the study demonstrates how specific concerns diverged: affected people focus on local social effects while decisionmakers' interests lie in a broader political perspective grounded in local sacrifices 'for the good of the whole province'. Our analysis emphasizes the role of political power over decision making that can inhibit CBIA and social impact assessment practice from contributing to socially sustainable projects.

Valoración participativa de impactos socioambientales y sanitarios en minería de oro: Buriticá (Antioquia), Colombia / Participatory assessment of socio-environmental and health impacts in gold mining: Buriticá (Antioquia), Colombia / Avaliação participativa de impactos socioambientais e sanitários em mineração de ouro: Buriticá (Antioquia), Colômbia

Resumen Objetivo: Conocer la valoración que habitantes de Buriticá, Antioquia, hacen de los impactos socioambientales y sanitarios por la actividad minera aurífera en la región. Metodología: Estudio investigativo de método mixto, con enfoque cualitativo y cuantitativo, con participación de funcionarios de la Alcaldía, habitantes de zona rural y de la cabecera municipal, y personal administrativo y operarios de una asociación minera del municipio en proceso de legalización. Los actores identificaron, valoraron, priorizaron y categorizaron los impactos percibidos, para lo que se utilizaron los métodos Leopold (1971) y Empresas Públicas de Medellín-Arboleda (1985) modificados. Resultados: La migración de mineros a Buriticá generó explotación aurífera informal con: impactos críticos (76-100 puntos) de contaminación de aguas, choque cultural, pérdida de identidad, aumento de alcoholismo, drogadicción, prostitución y delincuencia; impactos severos (50-75 puntos) de colapso de servicios públicos, aparición de plagas, construcciones de alto riesgo, tala de árboles y migración de animales; impactos positivos, como aumento del sentido de pertenencia de las personas autóctonas, incremento del comercio y del empleo, y aprendizaje del hospital para superar condiciones de capacidad instalada frente a la atención de urgencias, traumas, accidentes e intoxicaciones. Conclusión: El auge de la minería causó impactos identificados por diferentes actores: estos visualizaron que el aumento de la población foránea no es solo uno de los impactos más significativos que se han dado a partir de la minería, sino que también es el causante de muchos otros que han surgido en los tres componentes evaluados (social, ambiental y sanitario).

Abstract Objective: To determine the assessment of Buriticá's (Antioquia) inhabitants on the socio-environmental and health impacts of gold mining activity in the region. Methodology: Mixed method research study with a qualitative and quantitative approach, with the participation of officials from the Mayor's Office, inhabitants of rural areas and the municipal area, and administrative personnel and operators of a mining association in the municipality in the process of legalization. The actors identified, assessed, prioritized and categorized the perceived impacts, for which the modified Leopold (1971) and Empresas Públicas de Medellín-Arboleda (1985) methods were used. Results: The migration of miners to Buriticá generated informal gold mining that in turn generated: critical impacts (76-100 points) in terms of water contamination, culture shock, loss of identity, increased alcoholism, drug addiction, prostitution and crime; severe impacts (50-75 points) in terms of the collapse of public services, appearance of pests, high-risk buildings, felling of trees and animal migration; positive impacts, such as an increase in the sense of belonging of indigenous people, an increase in commerce and employment, and hospital training to overcome conditions of installed capacity in the face of emergency care, trauma, accidents and poisoning. Conclusion: The mining boom caused impacts identified by different actors: these visualized that the increase in the foreign population is not only one of the most significant impacts that have occurred from mining, but is also the cause of many others that have emerged in the three components evaluated (social, environmental and health).

Resumo Objetivo: Conhecer a avaliação que os habitantes de Buriticá, Antioquia, fazem dos impactos socioambientais e sanitários devido à atividade de mineração aurífera na região. Metodologia: Foi usado o método misto em pesquisa, com abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa, com a participação de funcionários da prefeitura, habitantes da zona rural e do município, pessoal administrativo e trabalhadores de uma associação mineira do município em processo de legalização. Foram identificados, avaliados, priorizados e categorizados os impactos detectados, usando os métodos Leopold (1971) e Empresas Públicas de Medellín -Arboleda (1985) modificados. Resultados: A migração de mineiros à Buriticá gerou uma exploração aurífera informal com impactos críticos (76-100 pontos), contaminação de águas, choque cultural, perda da identidade, aumento de alcoolismo, dependência de drogas, prostituição e delinquência; impactos severos (50-75 pontos) de colapso de serviços públicos, surgimento de pragas, construções de alto risco, derrubada de árvores e migração de animais; impactos positivos como aumento do sentimento de pertencimento das pessoas autóctones, aumento do comércio e do emprego e a aprendizagem do hospital para superar condições de capacidade derivada da atenção de urgências, traumas, acidentes e intoxicações. Conclusão: O auge da mineração causou impactos identificados por diferentes fatores: é evidente que o aumento da população recém-chegada não é só um dos impactos mais significativos derivados da mineração, mas é também o causador de muitos outros que apareceram nos três componentes avaliados (social, ambiental e sanitário).

University social responsibility in the context of economic displacement from the proposed upgrading of a higher education institution: The case of the University of Groningen Yantai campus.

Around the world, especially in rapidly developing countries, many higher education institutions of various forms are being established. In China, many new universities have been created, including by upgrading existing tertiary education institutions. This process creates economic displacement, with livelihood consequences and social impacts on existing employees and local communities. Using the proposed (but now cancelled) University of Groningen campus in Yantai, China, as a case study, we consider the social impacts that were experienced, or were likely to be experienced, by the employees of the pre-existing institution. Existing employees experienced many negative impacts from economic displacement. They were not satisfied with the compensation offered, their views and interests were not adequately considered, and many were afraid to express their concerns. The institutions involved in the project failed to fulfil their corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) obligations to ensure no harm.

Centre for Youth Research and Practice: Social Impact Assessment Results.

Purpose: This article outlines the objective and structure of the Center for Youth Research and Practice (CYRP), its contributions toward youth research and practices, importance of the linkages that the CYRP has cultivated between research and practice, the facilitation of knowledge exchange with local and global institutions and professionals, and its role in future endeavors.Method: A social impact assessment has been implemented to address the intervention and the outcome based on the contributions of the CYRP to youth research and practices.Results: From this, the work of the CYRP on youth research and practices is concluded to have significant social impacts at the individual, social, organizational, and global levels. The work has found that the quality of life, self-esteem, involvement in society, empowerment through social capacity building, organizational development, and providing an international hub are crucial for youth development and wellbeing.Discussion: Hitherto, the CYRP has published over a hundred journal articles and held nearly 200 events including training courses, workshops, seminars and a conference. Over 6000 participants have taken part in these events and more than 60 institutions have collaborated with the CYRP to exchange knowledge on youth research and practices. The work of the CYRP as a whole has facilitated the participation of different individuals and organizations. In essence, the work of the CYRP has provided important grounds to initiate its role as an international hub as the CYRP is now considered as a center of significance in youth research and practices for Chinese societies in the East Asia region.

A life satisfaction approach to valuing the impact of health behaviours on subjective well-being.

BACKGROUND: Increasingly, decision-makers are interested in understanding the returns on investments in programs and policies that promote health and prevent chronic diseases. While the costs of these programs are more easily quantified, many of the outcomes they aspire to achieve are intangible and lack obvious market values. The subjective well-being (SWB) method was developed to value a wide range of non-market goods, including health outcomes directly in monetary terms. This paper presents an application of the SWB approach to estimate the monetary value of health-promoting behaviours as the intermediate outcomes of health promotion and chronic disease prevention programs and policies. METHODS: Life satisfaction (LS) was used as a proxy of individuals' SWB. Based on the combined Canadian Community Health Survey 2009-10 data, we modeled LS as a function of income and healthy behaviours, controlling for the socio-demographic factors associated with LS at the individual level using ordinary least squares regression. Equivalent effects of income and healthy behaviours on LS derived from the models allowed us to estimate the trade-off between income and healthy behaviours. RESULTS: We found that income and healthy behaviours were positively associated with LS. The values of increased physical activity, an additional daily serving of fruits/vegetables, and not smoking are respectively $631, $115 and $563 per week. These represent the amounts of additional weekly income required to maintain an individual at their level of LS in the absence of each of these behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: The SWB method holds promise as a method to monetize the value of a range of non-market goods, including healthy behaviours for which market values do not exist. The SWB method can be applied efficiently and cost-effectively using readily available survey data.

Rational Social Impact Assessment of Alcohol Outlets: Slip Sliding Away.

In 2004 legislators in New South Wales relied on Australia's National Competition Policy to change the reason for determining alcohol outlet approvals from a "needs" to a "harm minimisation" basis. This was predicated on the application of a rational social impact assessment (SIA) process. Within a short time, however, the volume of liquor licence applications began to erode that intention and the delays that applicants encountered placed politicians under pressure to fast-track the process. Subsequent liquor legislation retained the statutory obligation on decision-makers to ensure no overall detrimental social impact associated with the approval of an alcohol outlet licence. However, legislative amendments to the approval process reduced the number and kinds of licences and authorisations to which the social impact test applied and encouraged other shortcuts which undermine the validity of these assessments. The resulting statutory approval system in practice relegates SIA to an exception rather than the rule and has revealed the relative weakness of SIA as a public health safeguard.

Chronic social disruption following a systemic fishery failure.

In the United States, the iconic groundfish fishery for Gulf of Maine cod has endured several dramatic reductions in annual catch limits and been federally declared an economic disaster. Using a repeated cross-sectional survey of fishing captains to assess potential social impacts of the fishery failure, we found that psychological distress and social disruption were pervasive throughout New England fishing communities. For instance, our results indicate that 62% of captains self-reported severe or moderate psychological distress 1 y after the crisis began, and these patterns have persisted for 5 y. Using classification tree analyses, we found that low levels of trust in fisheries management was the most powerful predictor of both initial and chronic psychological distress. Distress was most severe among individuals without income diversity and those with dependents in the household. Compared to other aspects of fisheries, measuring and managing for noneconomic social outcomes and human well-being has lagged behind, even though it is a necessary component of mitigating the adverse impacts of fisheries disruptions.

Using human epidemiological analyses to support the assessment of the impacts of coal mining on health.

The potential impacts of coal mining on health have been addressed by the application of impact assessment methodologies that use the results of qualitative and quantitative analyses to support their conclusions and recommendations. Although human epidemiological analyses can provide the most relevant measures of risk of health outcomes in populations exposed to coal mining by-products, this kind of studies are seldom implemented as part of the impact assessment methods. To review the use of human epidemiological analyses in the methods used to assess the impacts of coal mining, a systematic search in the peer review literature was implemented following the PRISMA protocol. A synthesis analysis identified the methods and the measures used in the selected publications to develop a thematic review and discussion. The major methodological approaches to assess the impacts of coal mining are environmental impact assessment (EIA), health impact assessment (HIA), social impact assessment (SIA) and environmental health impact assessment (EHIA). The measures used to assess the impacts of coal mining on health were classified as the estimates from non-human-based studies such as health risk assessment (HRA) and the measures of risk from human epidemiological analyses. The inclusion of human epidemiological estimates of the populations exposed, especially the general populations in the vicinity of the mining activities, is seldom found in impact assessment applications for coal mining. These methods rather incorporate HRA measures or other sources of evidence such as qualitative analyses and surveys. The implementation of impact assessment methods without estimates of the risk of health outcomes relevant to the potentially exposed populations affects their reliability to address the environmental and health impacts of coal mining. This is particularly important for EIA applications because these are incorporated in regulatory frameworks globally. The effective characterization of the impacts of coal mining on health requires quantitative estimates of the risk, including the risk measures from epidemiological analyses of relevant human health data.

Adaptive social impact management for conservation and environmental management.

Concerns about the social consequences of conservation have spurred increased attention the monitoring and evaluation of the social impacts of conservation projects. This has resulted in a growing body of research that demonstrates how conservation can produce both positive and negative social, economic, cultural, health, and governance consequences for local communities. Yet, the results of social monitoring efforts are seldom applied to adaptively manage conservation projects. Greater attention is needed to incorporating the results of social impact assessments in long-term conservation management to minimize negative social consequences and maximize social benefits. We bring together insights from social impact assessment, adaptive management, social learning, knowledge coproduction, cross-scale governance, and environmental planning to propose a definition and framework for adaptive social impact management (ASIM). We define ASIM as the cyclical process of monitoring and adaptively managing social impacts over the life-span of an initiative through the 4 stages of profiling, learning, planning, and implementing. We outline 14 steps associated with the 4 stages of the ASIM cycle and provide guidance and potential methods for social-indicator development, predictive assessments of social impacts, monitoring and evaluation, communication of results, and identification and prioritization of management responses. Successful ASIM will be aided by engaging with best practices - including local engagement and collaboration in the process, transparent communication of results to stakeholders, collective deliberation on and choice of interventions, documentation of shared learning at the site level, and the scaling up of insights to inform higher-level conservation policies-to increase accountability, trust, and perceived legitimacy among stakeholders. The ASIM process is broadly applicable to conservation, environmental management, and development initiatives at various scales and in different contexts.

Social impacts evaluation and insider-outsider paradigm: Floodwater spreading project on the Gareh-Bygone plain as an illustrative case.

Selection of the appropriate social impact evaluation approach has become an important issue in agricultural and rural development projects in developing countries. The aim of this research was to use the lens of insider-outsider or mutual social impact assessment approach to assess the social impacts of floodwater spreading project (FWSP) on the Gareh-Bygone plain, Iran. A survey methodology with systematic sampling techniques was used to select 138 households as insider group in four villages' of the Gareh-Bygone plain which is covered by FWSP. Furthermore, key person interview was used to assess the viewpoints of experts (outsider group) who had close, ongoing involvement with the project. Result indicated that the experts' viewpoints were more positive towards social impacts of the project. Whereas, the project had some negative and positive social impacts from the local people point of view.

Advances and challenges of incorporating ecosystem services into impact assessment.

An ecosystem services approach (ESA) to assess the environmental and social impacts of projects is a conceptual innovation that contributes to overcome two widely acknowledged deficiencies of impact assessment (IA): integration of knowledge areas and participation of affected communities. This potential was demonstrated through a practical application to a large mining project, showing evidence of advances in relation to current practice and identifying challenges. Data was obtained from the environmental impact study of the reviewed project and its supplements; additional data to fulfill the needs of the ESA were collected using rapid appraisal techniques. Results show that the ESA provides: (i) a more effective scoping; (ii) a contribution to delimitate the study area; (iii) a more detailed identification of impacts; (iv) a determination of significance inclusive of the perspective of affected communities; (v) a design of mitigation focused on human well-being. The challenges of using the ESA fall into two groups: the limitations inherent to the concept and those that can be overcome by furthering research and advancing practical applications. This research added evidence to previous studies showing that incorporating ecosystem services into IA can improve practice.

Evaluación auténtica del impacto social de procesos, proyectos y productos de investigación universitaria: un acercamiento desde los grupos de investigación

Introducción. Al lograr que docentes y estudiantes universitarios apoyen sus prácticas de investigación en clave de una evaluación del impacto social de los procesos, proyectos y productos de investigación, se avanza en el ideal de la formación integral de profesionales, ciudadanos de Colombia y del mundo. Tales profesionales requieren alcanzar altos niveles de transformación en las diversas dimensiones del ser para promover procesos de mantenimiento y mejora integral en su proyecto de vida y en su ejercicio profesional. Objetivo. Describir elementos centrales para la generación de una metodología para la evaluación del impacto social de los proyectos y productos de investigación científica y tecnológica de la instituciones de Educación Superior. Materiales y métodos. El abordaje metodológico se basó en la aplicación de enfoques cualitativo-cuantitativos. Las técnicas utilizadas fueron revisión documental, entrevista a través de grupos focales, diseño de indicadores para capital humano, estructural y relacional, escala de cotejo a directivos, matriz DOFA, entre otros. Resultados. La Universidad actual tiene el reto de cumplir con el encargo ético inherente a su creación. Es evaluar el impacto social de procesos, productos y proyectos de investigación cuando se asume el compromiso y la responsabilidad consigo mismo, el otro y lo otro. Conclusión. El reto es, ahora, la formación de investigadores que no se alejen de la responsabilidad histórica de la universidad y que logren altos niveles de cualificación y dominio de estrategias, técnicas e instrumentos de evaluación de impacto social, que orienten la toma de decisiones institucionales y que contribuyan a construir un nuevo orden social donde la equidad y la justicia sean realidad. Se logra avanzar hacia una evaluación auténtica del impacto social de los procesos, proyectos y productos, más allá de la simple medición cienciométrica y transitar por senderos de responsabilidad y compromiso social de quienes lideran la investigación universitaria en Colombia.

Introduction. By achieving the goal of having professors and students support their research practices according to an assessment of the social impacts of their research processes, projects and products, there is an advance towards an integral formation of the professionals as Colombian and worldwide citizens. Such professionals are required to reach high transformation levels in the diverse dimensions, in order to promote processes for maintaining and improving their life projects and professional practices. Objective. To describe crucial elements for the generation of a methodology for assessing the social impact of the scientific and technological research projects and products developed in higher education institutions. Materials and methods. The methodological approach was based on the application of quantitative and qualitative focuses. The techniques used were documental revision, interviews to focus groups, design of human, structural and relational capital indicators, a comparison scale for directors and SWOT, among others. Results. Nowadays, universities have the challenge of fulfilling the ethical commitment that is the base of their creation. They must assess the social impact of their research processes, projects and products when that commitment is assumed towards themselves and to other social actors. Conclusion. The challenge now is to form researchers who do not move away from the university´s historical responsibility and achieve high qualification levels and a high mastery of strategic, technical and assessing instruments for measuring social impacts, thus orienting institutional choice making and contributing to a new social order in which equity and justice can be real. An advance towards an authentic assessment of the social impact of the processes, projects and products is achieved, as those who lead university research in Colombia can go beyond the simple scientometric measuring and take responsibility and social commitment paths.

Introdução. Ao conseguir que docentes e estudantes universitários apoiem suas práticas de investigação em chave de uma avaliação do impacto social dos processos, projetos e produtos de investigação, se avança no ideal da formação integral de profissionais, cidadãos da Colômbia e do mundo. Tais profissionais requerem alcançar altos níveis de transformação nas diversas dimensões do ser para promover processos de manutenção e melhoria integral no seu projeto de vida e em seu exercício profissional. Objetivo. Descrever elementos centrais para a geração de uma metodologia para a avaliação do impacto social dos projetos e produtos de investigação científica e tecnológica da instituições de Educação Superior. Materiais e métodos. A abordagem metodológica se baseou na aplicação de enfoques qualitativo-quantitativos. As técnicas utilizadas foram revisão documental, entrevista através de grupos focais, desenho de indicadores para capital humano, estrutural e relacional, escala de cotejo a diretivos, matriz DOFA, entre outros. Resultados. A Universidade atual tem o desafio de cumprir com o encargo ético inerente a sua criação. É avaliar o impacto social de processos, produtos e projetos de investigação quando se assume o compromisso e a responsabilidade consigo mesmo, o outro e o outro. Conclusão. O desafio é, agora, a formação de investigadores que não se distanciem da responsabilidade histórica da universidade e que consigam altos níveis de qualificação e domínio de estratégias, técnicas e instrumentos de avaliação de impacto social, que orientem a toma de decisões institucionais e que contribuam a construir uma nova ordem social onde a equidade e a justiça sejam realidade. Se consegue avançar para uma avaliação autêntica do impacto social dos processos, projetos e produtos, além da simples medição cienciométrica e transitar por sendeiros de responsabilidade e compromisso social de quem lideram a investigação universitária na Colômbia.