115 research outputs found
Impact evaluation with process tracing: explaining causal processes in an EU-INTERREG sustainable tourism intervention
No full textDrawing from the field of complex evaluations we discuss a novel application of process tracing for the evaluation of complex tourism interventions. We argue that to better evidence impact of tourism interventions and facilitate policy transfer we ought to adopt approaches to evaluation that allow us to deepen our understanding of causal mechanisms at play in an intervention. We adopt process tracing as a qualitative, theory-based evaluation method to make within-case causal inferences about impact. To showcase the method, we apply it to evaluate the outcomes of a real-world EU-Interreg sustainable tourism intervention called “EXPERIENCE,” implemented across six pilot regions across France and England. We argue that deepening our understanding of how interventions work in a local context is necessary for the design and transferability of future interventions across similar contexts
Harnessing the power of stories: Evaluating complex tourism interventions through a ‘most significant change’ approach
No full textThis study explores the power of the story-based ‘Most Significant Change’ evaluation method to evidence the impacts of a complex sustainable tourism intervention implemented through the cross-border EU-INTERREG ‘EXPERIENCE’ project across six regions on the French-English Channel. The method provides a participatory evaluation framework to capture contextual changes by collecting and analysing personal stories of change considered significant by those directly affected. As intervention-driven changes are often unpredictable and non-linear, the method supports researchers in exploring and learning about unexpected or complex outcomes emerging from the stories. Findings highlight the effectiveness of this narrative approach in capturing complex, unforeseen changes that may not be quantifiable through pre-defined performance indicators. The study contributes to evaluating EU-funded regional development programmes in tourism
Co-learning through participatory evaluation: an example using Theory of Change in a large-scale EU-funded tourism intervention
No full textTourism interventions, as tools for social change and preservation of natural and cultural assets are inherently complex. This study presents an improved method for the evaluation of complex tourism interventions. We argue that participatory methods can promote a culture of evaluation that supports partners throughout evidencing project impacts, eliminating negative attitudes to evaluation resulting from fear of being judged on performance. We demonstrate that Theory of Change (ToC) is an effective tool that allows organisations to actively co-create and own an evaluation strategy to ensure the delivery of project outcomes. We show how ToC can be applied as a useful process and impact evaluation tool. This paper represents a novel methodological application of ToC based on participatory approaches to evaluation to disseminate knowledge and to improve decision-making in the field of tourism interventions and tourism policy making
Agent Decision-Making Heterogeneity—Agent (Meta)Frameworks for Agent-Based Modelling
No full textAgent-based models have continuously increased regarding the implementation of the complexity of agent decision making. This poses questions for the ontological foundation of ABM as well as having implications for research design and data collections. This paper situates the meta-modelling framework CAFCA within other contextual and multidimensional agent-architectures, in particular focusing on its contributions to ontology and research design. We also present the challenges for data collection as a consequence of this increased representational complexity
It Takes Two to Tango: We-Intentionality and the Dynamics of Social Norms
No full textMargaret Thatcher’s “There is no such thing as society” is one of the defining statements of her premiership, describing a world in which only individuals exist and each and everyone needs to take responsibility for their own actions. The spirit of individualism also pervades the social sciences, starting with microeconomic theory but further invading other social sciences in the form of rational choice, exchange or game theory. It is futile to ask which came first, the individualisation of society or the victory of individualism in the social sciences. They feed back into each other like most social phenomena
Advances in Social Simulation: Proceedings of the 18th Social Simulation Conference, Glasgow, UK, 4–8 September 2023
No full textThis book contains the proceedings of the 18th Social Simulation Conference (SSC) and covers the state of the art of social simulation modeling. The SSC is the annual conference of the European Social Simulation Association (ESSA) and the major global conference devoted to this topic. It is aimed at promoting social simulation and computational social science. The book is the biggest collection of agent-based modeling research. It covers all aspects of modeling, from theory and philosophy of modeling to question of model design, purpose, and structure, using data, visualization, model interrelation, and open modeling
Modeling Realistic Human Behavior in Disasters. A Rapid Literature Review of Agent-Based Models reviews
No full textAgent-based models of human behaviors in emergencies are extremely important in prevention, preparedness, response, and mitigation of crises. However, there is huge variation in the modeling of human cognitions and actions, with varying degrees of realism and even more diverse definitions of how realism should be implemented in the models. The aim of this Rapid Literature Review is to identify existing patterns in modelling realistic behaviours in simulation models of disasters and crises, but also to identify gaps in the literature on the basis of a qualitative assessment of review papers on the topic. We analyze eight papers (identified through a search of 68 papers in the Scopus database) that review ABM models designed either to investigate general behaviors in emergencies (i.e., evacuations), or reactions to specific crises (i.e., COVID-19). Our analysis shows that while all the papers agree in advocating for more realism in modeling human behavior, very little has been done in terms of designing agents, interactions and environments that can be considered realistic
The Addio Pizzo movement: exploring social change using agent-based modelling
No full textAbstract Extortion racketeering is a crime that blights the lives of everyone in societies where it takes hold. Whilst most European countries have some form of extortion racketeering, in most countries it is isolated to some ethnic communities. In Southern Italy and Sicily, extortion racketeering is still a feature of overall society. This paper attempts to look at the phenomenon from the angle of collectives, of resistance building through civic organisations such as Addiopizzo. For this investigation a computational model is presented to analyse the effect of team-reasoning on levels of resistance in systemic extortion rackets. An agent-based model is presented that implements the interaction of different kinds of decision-making of extortion victims with law enforcement deterrence. The results show that established extortion rackets are hard to undermine unless bottom-up civic engagement and law enforcement go hand in hand
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