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Developing a strategy to reduce the use of motor vehicles

 

The Dutch Ministry of Transport asked the SWOV and the Leyden Institute for Law & Public Policy to conduct a study under the project name: 'Innovative Strategies to Influence the Mobility of Motorists'.The objective of the project (R-95-22) was to describe an innovative strategy on the basis of which a policy can be developed, to reduce the use of motor vehicles, with emphasis on the perception of the citizen.

This assignment was based on the observation that those measures which the government deems necessary to reduce the mobility of motorists do not correspond, or correspond insufficiently, with the needs of the individual citizen. The problems associated with motor vehicle use should concur with the personal experience and perception of the motorist. That is why the researchers have been guided in this exploration by the notion that the new approach to this policy subject should be based - more than is the case at present - on communication and exchange between government and citizen. More specifically, the processes of exchange and negotiation between government and citizen has been emphasized , in order to realise the envisaged policy objectives.

 

Negotiated government

SWOV assumes that, given the nature of the policy subject, an abstract dialogue between government and the individual citizen at micro-level will have little effect. Therefore, there was explicitly chosen for policy making at meso level, where diverse government organisations negotiate and exchange with various 'organised citizens' and other social organisations. Only at such a meso level a worthwhile exchange agreement can be established between citizen and government. In this sense, a recent scientific debate is joined, entitled 'negotiated government', which refers to new, horizontal forms of government administration.

In view of the characteristics of this specific policy issue, the insights and study results derived from public administration science, organisational sociology, psychology and social marketing are used in this research. Using public administration and organisational sociology insights, the question is answered how exchange and structures of negotiation could work or could be developed within the given policy context. Using principles of psychology, it was investigated what relevant behavioural determinants are important, given an hypothesized exchange and negotiation situation. Various insights from social marketing were used to indicate how, within the context of negotiated government, different individual needs and preferences can be met.

 

Platform

The approach led to a plan that describes step by step how to organize a platform in which negotiated government can be formed. A further explanation of the method as described in the stepwise plan is offered, based on the application of this plan to an actual case, namely the region of Rijnmond, that contains the large mainport of Rotterdam.

SWOV Research Activities 5 - March 1996

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