The Analysis of the Research Project ‘Reduction in Production in the Dutch Dairy Sector’

Abstract

In Chapter VI a procedure for information-gathering was presented in which the logical relations were established between Defining the socioenvironmental system (SEnS; Chapter III), Selecting the valued system characteristics (Chapter IV), Measuring the resource state (Chapter V), and Exploring the development opportunities (Chapter V) . The analysis in Chapter VII made it clear that the selection of valuable characteristics and goal variables must coincide with the listing of the relevant resource system characteristics, since they are the basic element for measuring the resource state and for exploring development opportunities. It has been shown that a description of the SEnS and the selection of valued system characteristics does not guarantee an adequate exploration of the development opportunities. The quality of the exploration, depends on the quality of the intermediate steps taken. Chapter VII also states that a clear description of the research aim formulated in the start-up is important, because of its far-reaching consequences for the actual exploration in the subsequent phases. However, accurate guidelines for the way each phase must be carried out cannot ensure consistency between the desired results and the actually attained results. Ultimately, this consistency will depend on the quality of the decisions made at the end of each phase, where the proposal is approved and the guidelines are formulated for the execution of the next phase.