Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009

Ivar Lyhne

PHD STUDY PLAN ON

STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN THE DANISH ENERGY SECTOR

1. PROJECT SUMMARY
The field of environmental assessment, including strategic environmental assessment (SEA), is
theoretically well developed and includes a rich base of experience. There are however, still
sectors with little experience on SEA and aspects that need to be further developed for SEA to
fulfil its objective on promoting sustainable development. One of these sectors is the Danish
energy sector and one of the aspects is how actors involved in SEA make sense of environmental
impacts as basis for their decisions.
The energy sector faces considerable challenges in the coming years and planning for extensive
changes and expansions to meet these challenges has started. SEA may be a relevant means to
ensure adequate considerations on environmental issues in this planning, but SEA is not yet fully
applied in the sector. The PhD project has point of departure in Energinet.dk which is a central
player in the Danish energy sector as developer of the major energy infrastructure. The EU
directive on SEA concerns plans and programmes which set a framework for future development
consents, and planning for infrastructure is therefore an area on which to apply SEA.
Energinet.dk has co-funded this PhD project with an aim of improving their decision-making.
A wide range of theory primarily from the social sciences is included in the project. Sense-
making theory is key to understand social processes in applying SEA to understand the relation
between the processes of creating meaning and making decision. Sense-making theory is
supplemented by decision theory that - combined with complexity theory - is used to understand
strategic actions and dynamics in the energy sector. Increased emphasis on meaning compared
to decision-making is expected to explain inefficiencies in the influence of SEA on decision-
making. Improved understanding of how people and organisations make sense of impacts and
activities is thus expected to give basis for suggestions on SEA methodology.
The project is partly based on interactive research in which the research is created in interaction
between involved actors. This approach is expected to ensure relevancy and applicability of the
outputs of the research. Participation in the strategic planning in Energinet.dk is the main
methodology and activity in the PhD project.

2. THE SCIENTIFIC CONTENT OF THE PHD PROJECT

Background
Faced with challenges and changes in the energy sector and faced with requirements on SEA in
the energy sector, Energinet.dk has shown initiative and responsibility by co-funding this project
with the aim of clarifying SEA responsibilities, developing appropriate methodology and
improving decision-making in the sector and in Energinet.dk especially.
Energinet.dk is an interesting organisation in terms of decision-making with inputs from
domestic and international actors, intimate interaction with national politics and a wide range of
internal interlinked strategic development projects. As an independent public undertaking,
Energinet.dk is by law given responsibility for among other things development of national
energy infrastructure. This responsibility gives Energinet.dk a prominent influence in choices in
the sector. These choices may be formal or informal, issues may be non-issues, and rationalities
are likely to be diverse. Although SEA widely has to adapt to these characteristics of the energy
sector, application of SEA may also point at inconveniencies in the existing decision-making
processes. Tools like socio-economic and technical analyses have a long history as decision-
support systems in the sector and SEA seem to be a relevant tool to equal these in providing a
basis for decision-making. SEA characteristics may, however, contradict and question the
existing routines and norms of decision-making. An example is the question of when public
hearing is relevant and legitimately required contra when public hearing reduces room for

1
 Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

manoeuvre in strategic actions in a competitive multi-actor setting. Furthermore, environmental

impacts may not easily be compared due to different nature and they may be difficult to weight
against economic and social consequences. Overcoming such challenges of integrating SEA in
decision-making processes is most likely challenging - and certainly interesting!
Despite promises and purpose of promotion of sustainable development, research on the effects
of environmental assessment reveal a modest or moderate effect on decision-making (Runhaar
and Driessen 2007). This project is based on the assumption that knowledge about sense-
making leading to such decisions may improve the understanding of how decisions are made and
how SEA influences the decision-making process. How people make sense of a situation with a
proposed activity, how they achieve an overview of the environmental impacts of the activity,
and how they identify impacts as relevant issues are determining the importance they assign the
impacts and therefore determining their choices. High complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity
related to the impacts are likely to result in high diversity of meaning actors create around
environmental impacts. Impacts of strategic decisions in the energy sector seem to fulfil these
characteristics and multiple meanings may thus be embedded in decision-making. Investigating
such meanings and sense-making processes is hoped to reveal clarity that may help SEA
practice to fulfil its purpose of promoting sustainable development.

International state-of-the-art in relation to the project

Strategic environmental assessment and the field of environmental assessment are well-
developed with a rich basis of empirical and theoretical investigations. Environmental
assessment concepts have been debated for nearly 40 years and assessments have been
conducted worldwide for decades. The international state-of-the-art on the concept of SEA was
initiated by "The Practice of Strategic Environmental Assessment" by Therivel and Partidário in
1996. Since then, two developments can be identified: The strategic and abstract SEA as
prescribed by Partidário (e.g. 2007) and the detailed and more technical SEA as prescribed by
Fisher (e.g. 2007).
Within SEA literature, a modest amount of investigations are about SEA in the energy sector.
SEA guidance is made for Natural Gas Grid Extensions in Sweden (Swedish Environmental
Protection Agency 2002) and for electricity transmission planning in Canada (Noble & Storey
2001). Finnveden et al. (2003) investigated methodologies to be used in SEA, Byron and Sheate
(1997) made a status on SEA in the electricity sector, and Sheate et al. (2004) showed sectoral
challenges and opportunities. Furthermore, case studies are made on SEA on transmission
planning in Scotland (Marshall and Fischer 2007), on the Structure Plan Electricity Supply in
Netherland (Sadler & Verheem 1996), and on oil and gas extraction (Glasson et al. 1999). On a
policy level Nilsson (2005) investigated SEA to the energy sector, and Jay and Marshall (2005)
discussed the role of SEA in the privatised electricity industry. In addition to the work on SEA, a
wide range of publications and experiments exists on EIA of energy infrastructure.
Decision theory has gained increased importance and attention within environmental assessment
literature; there is a general recognition that the primary purpose of SEA is to influence
decisions. March and Olsen (1979), Cohen et al. (1972), and March (1994) are key works in
explaining how decisions happen in different situations. Decision-making at a strategic level in
(business) organisations are excellently explained by Mintzberg (1994) and by Kingdon (1984)
regarding public policy making. Teisman (2000) among others has elaborated these theories into
models for research into decision-making, whereas other authors have related decision-making
to network theory (Nooteboom and Teisman 2003, Hajer and Wagenaar 2004). These works are
introduced to the field of SEA by Kørnøv and Thissen (2001) and Elling (2008) on rationality, by
Nitz and Brown (2001) and Sheate et al. (2003) on policy-making, and by Cherp et al. (2007) on
strategy formation. An example on the focus on decision-making within SEA is the multinational
ANSEA project specifically working on analysing decision-making as a means to improving SEA
(Caratti et al. 2004).
In SEA literature aspects of perception and creation of meaning are often seen as simple
constrains on decision-making or as unexplored influences described in categories like 'intuition':
"[D]ecision scientists argue that the real decision making processes, notably at the strategic
levels, are characterised by rationality limited by cognitive and resource limitations, a wide range
of behavioural constraints, as well as many elements that are more intuitive and political in
nature" (Nilsson and Dalkmann 2001). This project aims at opening this Pandora's Box of
cognitive 'constraints' and investigating these through a sense-making lens as a means to

2
 Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

strengthen SEA methodology. As a late development towards cognitive issues in SEA literature,
Runhaar (2008) focuses at frames and meaning as explanation of how SEA contributes to
decision-making, and this project is in line with Runhaar's investigation.
Weick's (e.g. 1995) theory on sense-making and organizing is considered a relevant supplement
to theory on environmental assessments. Sense-making is seen as "the primary site where
meanings materialize that inform and constrain identity and action” (Weick et al. 2005).
Whereas decision-making typically concerns values and uncertainties, sense-making is the
process leading to such 'fixed' entities in the making sense of the situation by bracketing and
filtering cues. The sense-making is thus determining the point of departure for the decision-
making. Contrasting Dervin (e.g. Dervin and Foreman-Wernet 2003) who has an individual
perspective on sense-making, Weick work with sense-making on a group level, which is regarded
more relevant in regards to SEA processes that are formed in social interaction. Sense-making
has been used in relation to strategic planning and management of public institutions and private
companies, especially in USA (e.g. (Weber and Manning 2001, Gioia and Thomas 1996). A
related way of conceptualising these processes of creating meaning is individuals' 'framing' of
issues as described by Kaplan (2008) and the concepts of 'sensegiving' described by Gioia and
Chittipeddi (1991) and 'sensegiving contests' by Maitlis and Lawrence (2007). It seems relevant
to combine these theories with Choo's (2006) comprehensive description of how organizations
use information to construct meaning, create knowledge, and make decisions. This set of
theories is used as an eye-opener on planning and environmental assessment processes.

Strategic action
Sense-making Decision-making

Bracketing Creating Assessing Choosing Rationalising

and filtering meaning impacts choice
cues

SEA literature

This project

Figure 1: Strategic action as comprising sense-making and decision-making and a broadening of

SEA literature to embracing sense-making.

Sense-making and Weick's writing is very seldom used in the field of environmental assessment:
A simple search in relevant journals on 'sense-making' or 'Weick' gives no hits in Impact
Assessment and Project Appraisal; two articles in Journal of Environmental Planning and
Management; one article in Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning. The three articles are
only briefly touching on sense-making. Furthermore, one article in Environmental Impact
Assessment Review use Weick, but not in terms of sense-making.

Objectives of the project, specific problem(s) and hypothesis

The overall purpose is to put light on sense-making processes and investigate how SEA literature
and methodology can learn from knowledge about sense-making processes, in this project by
the case of strategic actions in the Danish energy sector. Sense-making is thus hypothesized to
better explain strategic actions, and this hypothesis will itself be scrutinized. 'Strategic actions' is
conceptualised to include process of making sense and decide on actions based on an organizing
perspective.
Both pragmatic and theoretical aims promote the overall purpose. The pragmatic aim of this PhD
project is to provide assistance to the energy sector with process support, methodology
development, and mediation of experience on SEA. A main part of the assistance is to adapt SEA
methodology to the characteristics and challenges of national energy infrastructure development
providing 'the right information in the right way at the right time'. The pragmatic assistance is
based on critical thoughts on the functioning of the existing planning and strategy development
in the energy sector and critical thoughts on the relevance of the concept of SEA provided by the

3
 Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

Danish law. In the interaction and co-production of knowledge on SEA, this criticism may
however coincidentally be 'bended' in favour of the cooperation.
Complementing the pragmatic aim, the project includes aims on theoretical contributions with
sense-making at its focus. Sense-making theory is related to an organizing ontology in which
contemporary social systems are characterised by complexity and ambiguity, why humans
organize the reality in sense-making processes. This seems to be in contrast to much SEA
literature which deals with entities that are 'fixed' and predictable in nature. Therefore, sense-
making constitutes an ontological challenge for SEA literature in terms of how strategic actions
and decisions are understood and an epistemological challenge in terms of how people create
meaning of information. As part of the theoretical element, the project aim at conceptual
clarifications on how sense-making relates to related theories on human interaction, e.g.
discourse and power theory. Knowledge on sense-making is hypothesised to be beneficial for the
development of a SEA methodology for the energy sector and thus supporting the pragmatic
aim. Knowledge about how decision-makers make sense may be inspiration for how to
communicate the analyses that are basis for their decisions.
Sense-making is furthermore useful for personal reflections on the process of doing research,
including how we as researchers make sense of data and experiences. The project includes aims
of giving input to discussion on research in terms of the benefits and implications of interactive
research and modes of research.
Thus, sense-making is central in this PhD project with pragmatic, theoretical and research
elements, as illustrated in the figure below.

Translated into research questions,

Practice Theory the described elements are:
What role do sense-making processes
SEA
Organizing play in strategic actions and how can
assistance
SEA methodology integrate this
knowledge?
What are the implications and benefits
of sense-making for conceptualisation
Interactive
and investigation of SEA?
research
What are the benefits and implications
Contributions of interactive research in studying
within the frame sense-making processes?
of sense-making
Research

Figure 2: Elements of the PhD project

Although the elements are different in nature, they are interlinked and interdependent as they
support each other. The experiences in the pragmatic element of the project create an
understanding that fertilise the theoretical contributions and vice versa; reflections and choices
in the research process determine both pragmatic and theoretical contributions, and pragmatic
and theoretical input influences choices.
The contributions are primarily aimed at the energy sector and other the environmental
assessment and planning communities by providing insight and guidance. Some elements may
even be of interest to a wider range of communities, e.g. considerations on doing interactive
research.

Key methods - approach and evaluation

The key methods reflect the elements of the research project with observations and discussions
during participation in Energinet.dk and studies on theory. The aims and research questions in
this project necessitate insight and in-depth understanding of the characteristics and challenges
of decision-making in the energy sector. Therefore, the project is dependent on a participative or

4
 Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

interactive research approach. This approach is in accordance with the ontological and
epistemological basis of this project that in its final appearance is expected to reflect Weick's
thoughts on 'organizing' (Weick 1995, Olsen 2004) and the theory of complex responsive
processes (Shaw and Stacey 2006, Stacey 2007).
In the practice element, the investigation is thus widely based on observations in Energinet.dk
on the work on SEA over a longer period; interaction is taking place at the head office during the
first full year and when needed afterwards. Observations are supplemented and validated by
retrospective questions to the participants, e.g. on how they link experience to a specific case or
why they are convinced by others' experiences, and study of relevant documents.
The interactive research approach is drawing on the action research tradition (Nielsen and
Svensson 2006) and it emphasises joint learning. The choice of approach is partly given by the
setup of the PhD project: Energinet.dk has co-financed the PhD project to introduce a specific
tool in the energy sector and I applied for the project to learn about strategic decision-making
from the inside and the challenges of integrating environmental considerations in it. The
interactive research approach emphasises co-development of problems, targets, investigations,
results, etc, and the approach therefore reduces the researcher's control of the process
compared to other kinds of research. Furthermore, it includes ethical dilemmas, e.g. pragmatism
vs. rigor. These dilemmas are debated in the mode I, II and III debate on research, which is
discussed in the project.
For the theoretical element a main methodology is literature study that is strengthened with
reviews in conference papers and journal articles. Understanding and opinions on theory are
strengthened by discussion with other researchers.
Like the content of the project, the evaluation is partly pragmatic: If the co-generated
methodology and advice on SEA is accepted and beneficial, then the input is (partly) adequate in
terms of the needs and contextual premises.
The methods are described in detail in the section 'Content of the thesis' below.

Results of the first year

The first year of the PhD project has been a year of interacting with Energinet.dk, gaining
insight, and collecting data in the interaction. I have participated in internal meetings in a variety
of forums, working groups, excursions, etc. The experiences are related to a variety of theories
through PhD courses and conferences, see chapter four. In the remaining two years, the project
will be of another character with more specified investigations, more writing, and more work for
the university.
Important experiences are insights in the processes, priorities and institutional settings of the
energy sector. This includes among other things insight in the contextual dynamics and decision-
making windows that are crucial for the application of SEA. The experiences are partly
documented in course papers that are developed into working papers and partly documented in
conference papers. The practice element of introducing SEA in Energinet.dk has been more
complicated than expected and a full SEA application is thus still to come.
Communication has mainly been interaction in Energinet.dk and presentations and discussions at
courses and conferences. Working papers and conferences papers have been produced as a
basis for coming articles and the thesis. Conference participation has been prioritized for the
process of realising what this project can contribute with.

Expected outcome of the project

The expected outcome of the entire PhD project reflects figure 2 with contributions to practice,
theory and research. Summing up on the described content and aims above, the potential
significance of the expected outcome is:
• Research: The project is expected to show the usefulness and complications of
interactive research in investigations on social processes within and around SEA.
• Practice: Introducing SEA in the Danish energy sector with assistance on guidance
• Theory: Pioneering sense-making theory into the field of EA. Mediation of experiences on
SEA in the energy sector.

5
 Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

Time schedule

Period Place Primary activities Papers/articles Milestones

2008, Energinet.dk Get to know Energinet.dk and Working paper Preliminary PhD
second the energy sector (Organisational plan finished
half perspectives)
Interaction on SEA in 14 ECTS (courses)
Energinet.dk
PhD courses

2009, first Energinet.dk Interaction on SEA in Conference papers First successful

half Energinet.dk (IAIA, AESOP) lecturing
PhD courses and lecturing at Working papers (How Paper in
AAU to do a PhD, Doing conference
governance research) proceeding
Conference participation

2009, AAU Writing, lecturing, supervision, Strategic actions in First successful

second courses the Danish energy lecturing
half sector and the role of
Interaction on SEA in the SEA Updated Study
energy sector Plan
30 ECTS (courses)

2010, first AAU Writing, lecturing, supervision, Sense-making in SEA First and second
half courses practices article sent to
journal
Interaction on SEA in the
energy sector

2010, AAU Finalising data collection Incorporating sense- Third article sent to
second making in SEA journal
half (Visits abroad) Writing/Communication method
Successful visits
Possibly visits abroad (Thesis) abroad
(lecturing, supervision)

2011, first AAU Finalising thesis Thesis Results and thesis

half communicated
Communication
(lecturing, supervision)

6
 Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

The content of the thesis - major investigations

Major investigations in the project are sketched in the following table. The investigations are
ordered within the elements, but not between the elements; theoretical investigations are for
instance expected to precede the last investigation in practice.

Investigation Main content Methods Data

Practice element

1) Mapping when and how Participation and Official documents.

decisions are made (or not) at discussions in
Strategic actions different levels and among Energinet.dk (national Participation and
different actors level), literature observations a full year
studies, interview with in Energinet.dk
central actors

2) Investigating how specific Participation and talks, Preparation of the

environmental impacts ends up ethnographic Natural Gas Security of
Sense-making in being 'significant' as a process observations, Supply Plan 2009
SEA practices of creating collective meaning interviews (autumn 2009)
around the impacts

3) Testing of a SEA methodology Real time and full scale Upcoming SEA process
that incorporates elements of test in SEA processes in in Energinet.dk
Incorporating sense-making theory and Energinet.dk
sense-making in experiences Methodological
SEA method guidelines on SEA and
other IA tools

Theoretical element

A) Conceptualisation of SEA Study of sense-making/ SEA literature

through a sense-making and organizing theory
Conceptualisation organizing perspective. Sense-making/
Review of how cognitive organizing theory
(Ontology and epistemology) aspects of perception
and creation of
meaning are treated in
SEA literature.

B) Clarification of relation between Review of sense- Key theories on the

sense-making and related making literature on subjects
Positioning sense- theories like discourse, learning the subject. Study of
making and power theory? the mentioned theories.

C) What implications does a sense- Literature study of Sense-making and SEA

making perspective on SEA research designs in literature
Implications for have for investigations of SEA sense-making and SEA
investigation processes? literature

Research element

I) Use of sense-making theory in Review of sense- Sensemaking literature

reflection on choices in the making methodology,
Sense-making in research process workshop with
reflections researchers (PhDs)

II) Relevance and implications of Review of PhD projects, PhD projects

interactive research. Discussion discussion with other
Interactive of modes of research including researchers
research/'research research entrepreneur
entrepreneur'

7
 Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

Structure of the thesis

The thesis is expected to take form of a collection of papers that are made during the years of
study, cf. the time schedule. The papers are expected to reflect the three elements of the PhD
project. The outline of the thesis with articles as central elements is shown in the figure below.
References to major investigations described above are given in brackets.

Introduction Introduction - knowledge question + research question

and frame

Philosophy: Ontology, epistemology in organizing (A)

Key theories - sense-making, planning, and decision-making theory (B)

Methodology - research approach (I, C)

Main Intro (relation and role in thesis)

findings Article: Strategic actions in the Danish energy sector and SEA (1)
and Outro (broader discussion and transition to next article)
discussion
Intro
Article: Sense-making in SEA practices (2)
Outro

Intro
Article: Incorporating sense-making in SEA method (3)
Outro

Reflection Perspectives on the research

and Article: Research Entrepreneur in the field of SEA
conclusion

Concluding comments

As seen in the figure, the aim is to include the articles as part of the main text by supplementing
them with an intro and outro. The intro will explain the role of the article in the thesis, relating
the article to the introduction and frame, whereas the outro will discuss significance of the
findings, and learning and development after finishing it. The articles are seen as a 'natural'
progressing of the research, which makes it possible to make reasonable transitions. If it is not
suitable, they will be appendixes and extracts of the articles will be discussed in the 'main
findings' section.

8
 Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

Publication strategy
In overall, the publication strategy reflects the expected chronology of the PhD thesis with point
of departure in the context, covering practical experience, and ending in development of
theories. The papers are written in English and the tentative titles and concepts are:

Working Title Co- Outlet type, journal Tentative time

authors of submission

Strategic actions in the Danish energy sector ? Article for journal Journal 2009/10
and the role of SEA

Mapping of strategic actions in the Danish energy sector (1) with focus on dynamics of the context.
Discussion of implications of SEA in terms of room for manoeuvre and multiple actors in transboundary
settings. Discussion of SEA as a tool for the intersection between spatial planning and energy planning.
Based on paper for IAIA09: "SEA and Transboundary Energy Infrastructure" and paper for AESOP09
"Interaction between Energy Planning and Spatial Planning: Environmental Assessment as a Medium"

Sense-making in SEA practices ? Journal 2010

Investigating sense-making processes in SEA practices, e.g. how specific environmental impacts ends up
being 'significant' as a process of creating collective meaning around the impacts. Empirical basis in SEA
processes in Energinet.dk.

Incorporating sense-making in SEA method ? Journal 2011

Methodological discussion of how SEA method may be improved by incorporating sense-making

methodology. Testing in practice of a SEA methodology that incorporates elements of sense-making
theory. Discussion of experiences

Besides the articles on the content of the research, an article on the research approach is
prepared:
Being Research Entrepreneur in the field of SV. Larsen, AM. Journal 2010
SEA Hansen,
L. Kørnøv

Content: Methodological paper. Discussion of experiences on doing research in a postmodern society.

Modes of research including the 'Research Entrepreneur' concept are discussed.

3. COLLABORATION AGREEMENTS BETWEEN SUPERVISOR AND STUDENT

The collaboration will be widely informal characterised by flexibility and trust. A detailed work
plan is not beneficial in this kind of interactive research, however, the overall targets and
descriptions in the study plan will be a main guidance for the work. The study plan will be
regularly discussed and adjusted.
Supervisor interventions are mainly sought by the PhD student where relevant and the extent of
supervision is therefore expected to vary. Feedback is mainly on concepts and methodology, in
which posing a challenge on ideas and convictions are central.

9
 Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

4. PLAN FOR PHD COURSES

It is required to attain courses equal to 30 ECTS, divided equally between joint courses and
project-related courses.

Courses Organised by ECTS Time of participation

() = planned

Study related courses (general courses and programme specific courses)

(Courses of a general nature in relation to the PhD project)

Basic Course in Pedagogy for University Teachers AAU 1 October 2008

Planning Theory and impact assessment AAU 3 December 2008

The research process and how to get a PhD out of it RUC/FIOL 5 January 2009

Doing Governance Research AAU 5 June 2009

Writing and reviewing scientific papers AAU (3,75) (Autumn 2009)

PhD Entrepreneur AAU (3) (Spring 2010)

Total 14
(20,75)

Project related courses (directly related to the research project)

(Courses specific to the subject matter of the PhD project)

Perspectives in Organizational Analysis CBS 5 October 2008

Bridging environmental and economic assessments ENVECO/AAU 5 October 2008

for decision support (II)

Conference: Beyond Kyoto AU 1 March 2009

Conference: Miljøvurderingsdag [Environmental AAU 1 April 2009

Assessment Day]

Conference: IAIA annual assembly including IAIA 4 May 2009

course: Planning for Effective Public Participation

Conference: Researching work and learning RUC 2 June 2009

Learning in practice AAU (5) (Autumn 2009)

Total 16
(21)

ECTS for conferences are accepted by supervisor following template for "Paradigm for outcome
of conference participation".
Other activities:
• Conference: AESOP: Why can't the future be more like the past, 4 days with paper, July
2009
• Two ½-day seminars with Silvia Gherardi on practice-based studies, DPU
• Trafikdage, conference at AAU, August 2009
• Fund-raising seminar, PAU, May 2009
• HDO-lecture by on organisation theory, Institute 4, AAU
• Participation in Action Research network at AAU
• Lifelong learning, participation and presentation ("Climate, planning and environmental
assessment")

10
 Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

5. PLAN FOR FULFILLMENT OF KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION

In an interactive research approach, knowledge dissemination is an inherent part of the project
with everyday exchange of knowledge with the energy sector. Some formal presentations on
SEA are part of the project, for example already conducted presentations to the Research and
Environment section at Energinet.dk and the Permission working group in Nordel.
A broader dissemination of knowledge to the energy sector is planned through newspaper
articles, e.g. on the overview on SEA obligations in the sector.
Besides the dissemination in the energy sector, knowledge gained through the project will be
disseminated at conferences by papers and presentations at relevant conferences, e.g. IAIA and
AESOP. By integration of input from the conferences, papers are expected to become journal
articles and thereby reach a broader range of theorists and practitioners.
Knowledge is furthermore disseminated through teaching at the university and project
supervision. Project supervision is hoped to be a win-win situation for the sector and the group
of students in cooperation on specific subjects.
As more popular presentations, knowledge gained through the project is disseminated to the
broader public through the programmes 'Order a scientist' and 'Inspiration Nord'.

6. AGREEMENTS ON IMMATERIAL RIGHTS TO PATENTS

(None)

7. EXTERNAL COLLABORATION
External collaboration is primarily collaboration with Energinet.dk including staying at their head
office in Erritsø the full first year and in short periods thereafter. The collaboration is planned to
expand to other actors in the energy sector. The full year stay at Energinet.dk is concluded
(summer 2009) and it has included activities such as meetings on SEA, input to decision-making
processes on considerations on the environment, and participation in meetings and excursions to
gain knowledge on the energy sector and its development. The interaction with Energinet.dk will
continue and meetings will be arranged when needed, expected to be at least every second
week.
The Doctoral school at AAU has accepted the stay at Energinet.dk as fulfilling the formal
requirement 8.4 of the Ministerial Order on the PhD Course of Study and on the PhD Degree on
"Participation in research activities, including stays at other, mainly foreign, research
institutions, or in similar ways".
Short stays at research environments abroad are considered for 2010. The concept of these
short stays is 14 days in continuation of a PhD course and probably in Sweden, Germany and/or
Netherland. Active engagement in research environments at these institutions with discussions
and co-authoring of papers are hoped to be outputs of these visits. Realisation depends on
expected benefits, time, foreign interest, and funds, which will be continuously reconsidered.

8. FINANCIAL BUDGET FOR THE PHD PROJECT

The PhD stipend is co-financed PhD with 2/3 of the funds from Aalborg University and 1/3 from
Energinet.dk.

11
 Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bina, O. 2007, A critical review of the dominant lines of argumentation on the need for strategic
environmental assessment, in Environmental Impact Assessment Review, vol. 27, pp. 585–606
Byron, H. and Sheate, W. 1997, Strategic environmental assessment: current status in the water
and electricity sectors in England and Wales, in Environmental Policy and Practice, vol. 6, no. 4,
pp. 155–165
Caratti, P., Dalkmann, H. and Jiliberto, R. (eds.) 2004, Analysing Strategic Environmental
Assessment: Towards Better Decision-Making, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, ISBN 1-84376-
448-2
Cherp, A., Watt, A. and Vinichenko, V. 2007, SEA and strategy formation theories: From three Ps
to five Ps, in Environmental Impact Assessment Review vol. 27, pp. 624–644
Choo, C.W. 2006, The Knowing Organization: How Organizations Use Information to Construct
Meaning, Create Knowledge, and Make Decisions 2nd edition, Oxford University Press.
Cohen, M.D., March, J.G., and Olsen, J.P. 1972, A Garbage can model of organizational choice,
Administrative Science Quarterly 17, 1, 1-25
Dervin, B. and Foreman-Wernet, L. (with E. Lauterbach) (Eds.) 2003, Sense-Making
Methodology reader: Selected writings of Brenda Dervin, Hampton Press.
Elling, B. 2008, Rationality and the Environment, Earthscan
Finnveden, G., Nilsson, M., Johansson, J., Persson, Å., Moberg, Å. And Carlson, T. 2003,
Strategic environmental assessment methodologies—applications within the energy sector,
Environmental Impact Assessment Review No. 23 (2003) 91–123
Fischer, T.B. 2003, Strategic environmental assessment in post-modern times, Environmental
Impact Assessment Review No. 23 (2003) 155–170
Fisher, T.B. 2007, Theory & Practice of Strategic Environmental Assessment. Towards a more
systematic approach, Eartscan.
Gioia, D.A, and Thomas, JB, 1996, Identity, Image, and Issue Interpretation: Sensemaking
during Strategic Change in Academia, in Administrative Science Quarterly, 41 (1996): 370-403
Glasson, J., Therivel, R. and Chadwick, A. (1999) Introduction to Environmental Impact
Assessment: Principles and Procedures, Process, Practice and Prospects, 2nd edn. London Press.
Olsen, P.B. 2004, Organisering [Organizing], in Fuglsang, L. and Olsen, P.B. (eds) 2004,
“Videnskabsteori i samfundsvidenskaberne”, Roskilde Universitetsforlag, second edition
Gioia D.A. and Chittipeddi, K. 1991, Sense-making and Sensegiving in Strategic Change
Initiation, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 12, No. 6 (Sep., 1991), pp. 433-448
Hajer, M. and Wagenaar, H. (ed.) 2004, Deliberative Policy Analysis. Understanding Governance
in the Network Society. Cambridge University Press
Jay, SA. and Marshall, R. 2005, The place of strategic environmental assessment in the
privatised electricity industry, in Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, vol. 23, no. 4, pp.
315-324
Kaplan, S. 2008, Framing Contests: Strategy Making under Uncertainty, Organization Science,
Vol. 19 Issue 5, p729-752
Kingdon, J.W. 1984, Agendas, alternatives, and public policies. Little, Brown and Company
Kørnøv, L. and Thissen, W.A.H. 2000, Rationality in decision- and policy-making: implications for
strategic environmental assessment, in Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, vol. 18, no. 3,
pp. 191–200
Maitlis, S. and Lawrence, T.B. 2007, Triggers and Enablers of Sensegiving in Organizations.
Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 57–84.
March, J.G. 1994, A Primer on Decision Making: How Decisions happen. Free Press
March, J.G., and Olsen, J.P. 1979, Ambiguity and choice in organizations, 2d edition,
Universitetsforlaget.

12
Updated PhD Study Plan, September 2009
Ivar Lyhne

Marshall, R. and Fischer, TB. 2007, Regional electricity transmission planning and SEA: The case
of the electricity company ScottishPower, in Journal of Environmental Planning and Management,
vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 279 - 299
Mintzberg, H. 1994, The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, Prentice Hall
Nielsen, K.A., and Svensson, L. 2006, Action research and interactive research: beyond practice
and theory
Nilsson, M. 2005, Connecting Reason to Power, Assessments, Learning, and Environmental Policy
Integration in Swedish Energy Policy, PhD Thesis, Delft Technical University.
Nitz, T. and Brown A.L. 2001, SEA must learn how Policy Making Works, Journal of
Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, Vol. 3, No. 3 (September 2001) pp. 329–
342
Noble, B. F. & Storey, K. (2001) Towards a structures approach to Strategic Environmental
Assessment, Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy & Management, 3(4), pp. 483 – 508.
Nooteboom, S., and Teisman, G. 2003, Sustainable Development: Impact Assessment in the Age
of Networking, in Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 5:3, pp. 285 - 308
Partidário, M.R. 2007, Strategic Environmental Assessment Good Practices Guide -
methodological guidance, Portuguese Environment Agency
Runhaar, H., and Drissen, P.P.J. 2007, What makes strategic environmental assessment
successful environmental assessment? The role of context in the contribution of SEA to decision-
making, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, Vol. 25, No 1, pp. 2–14
Runhaar, K. 2008, Putting SEA in context: A discourse perspective on how SEA contributes to
decision-making, in Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Vol. 29 (2009), pp. 200–209
Sadler, B. & Verheem, R. (1996) Strategic Environmental Assessment—Status, Challenges and
Future, Report 53, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment, The Hague.
Shaw, P. and Stacey, R., 2006, Experiencing Risk, Spontaneity and Improvisation in
Organizational Change. Working Live. Routledge, pp. 124-141.
Sheate, W.R., Dagg, S., Richardson, J., Aschemann, R., Palerm, J., and Steen, U. 2003,
Integrating the Environment into Strategic Decision-making: Conceptualizing Policy SEA,
European Environment 13, 1-18.
Sheate, W. R., Byron, H. J. & Smith, S. P. (2004) Implementing the SEA Directive: Sectoral
challenges and opportunities for the UK and EU, European Environment Journal, 14(2), pp. 73 –
93.
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, 2002, Strategic Environmental Assessment of Natural
Gas Grid Extensions. ISBN 91-620-5240-3.pdf
Stacey, R.D. 2007, Strategic management and organisational dynamics: The challenge of
complexity, Financial Times/ Prentice Hall; 5th edition.
Teisman, G. 2000, Models for research into decision-making processes: On phases, streams, and
decision-making rounds, Public Administration, Vol. 78, No 4, (937-956)
Thérivel, R. and Partidário, M.R. 1996, The Practice of Strategic Environmental Assessment,
Earthscan.
Weber, PS and Manning, MR, 2001, Cause Maps, Sensemaking, and Planned Organizational
Change in Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 2001; 37; 227
Weick, K.E. 1995, Sense-making in organizations, Sage Publications.
Weick, K.E., Sutcliffe, KM, and Obstfeld, D. 2005, Organizing and the Process of Sense-making,
Organizational Science, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 409–421

13