UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Reaves, Elizabeth K.
Dept./Program:
Community Development and Applied Economics
Year:
2010
Degree:
MS
Abstract:
This thesis reviews the literature on community indicator use and the different types of approaches used to develop indicators. First, the literature exams different theories of community participation and relates them to the use ofahybrid approach to indicator development. It includes an overview of planning and smart growth literature focusing on selection of appropriate indicators for measuring downtown vitality. An indicator project has been developed to measure the health and vitality of four towns in a rural New England State. The project involved a steering committee consisting of state level policy makers and non-profit organizations involved in efforts to support downtown revitalization. The project engaged stakeholder groups from local chapters of a state administered Designated Downtown Program, charged with protecting the economic and social health of the downtown.
The research approach focuses on qualitative data collected from interviews, focus group notes, and participant observation of the groups engaged in the hybrid process. An adaptation of a hybrid process for developing indicators is employed in four test communities, measuring the health of Vermont's downtowns in the following ways: 1) capturing and measuring what is both locally important and what is important to the experts; 2) building social capacity for understanding and addressing current and future problems; 3) educating stakeholders and the community and building commitment towards use and successful outcomes of indicators; and 4) yielding meaningful action by communities.
Conclusions and recommendations are presented to improve the effectiveness of the hybrid approach of meeting purported (desired?) outcomes. These outcomes are participatory processes to generate stakeholder 'buy-in' and the most desirable set of indicators as decided by community participants. It was found that greatest improvements resulted from the creation of bridging capacity in the community and the establishment of baseline data that engaged participants in such a way as to set precedent for future indicator collection. Finally, limitations of existing research on adaptation of the hybrid approach to indicator collection are identified and discussed.
The research approach focuses on qualitative data collected from interviews, focus group notes, and participant observation of the groups engaged in the hybrid process. An adaptation of a hybrid process for developing indicators is employed in four test communities, measuring the health of Vermont's downtowns in the following ways: 1) capturing and measuring what is both locally important and what is important to the experts; 2) building social capacity for understanding and addressing current and future problems; 3) educating stakeholders and the community and building commitment towards use and successful outcomes of indicators; and 4) yielding meaningful action by communities.
Conclusions and recommendations are presented to improve the effectiveness of the hybrid approach of meeting purported (desired?) outcomes. These outcomes are participatory processes to generate stakeholder 'buy-in' and the most desirable set of indicators as decided by community participants. It was found that greatest improvements resulted from the creation of bridging capacity in the community and the establishment of baseline data that engaged participants in such a way as to set precedent for future indicator collection. Finally, limitations of existing research on adaptation of the hybrid approach to indicator collection are identified and discussed.