Collaborative resource management and a Web-based decision support system: A case study of irrigation management in northwestern China

The complexity of resource management makes it difficult for individual organizations to deal effectively with decision making. There is a need to develop a collaborative approach that can facilitate strategic decision making and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of resource management. Initiating and maintaining such collaborative management usually involves information exchange and knowledge sharing. Much needed as well is integrating into this collaborative decision-making process a computer-based DSS to support information exchange and knowledge sharing among various organizations.; This thesis has addressed the following research issues: (1) a mechanism for a strategic collaborative decision-making process when different organizations need to exchange information and share knowledge in order to achieve effective decisions and to improve the efficiency of resource management, and (2) how to apply such strategic collaborative approach to designing and developing a web-based decision support system (WCDSS).; The objectives of this thesis include: (1) to develop a new conceptual framework for strategic collaborative decision making in resource management, (2) to identify key decision support requirements for this collaborative decision-making process when designing a web-based DSS, (3) to design an operational framework for a web-based collaborative decision support system using systems analysis, (4) to design and develop a prototype web-based decision support system for collaborative resource management, and (5) to apply the WCDSS to the irrigation water management in northwestern China.; Through addressing the above research objectives, this thesis has made a number of conceptual and methodological contributions. They include: (1) a new conceptual framework for collaborative resource management, with the emphasis on information exchange and knowledge sharing for strategic decision making, (2) the fulfillment of research gap between studies on collaborative resource management and the application of Internet technology, (3) the development of a web-based collaborative DSS through Soft System Methodology, and (4) the application of this WCDSS to the irrigation water management in northwestern China through a “big picture” approach. The “big picture” approach focuses on three key elements for collaborative irrigation water management: involvement of local organizations (“decentralization”), information exchange, and knowledge sharing between local and government organizations.; The complexity of interaction and conflicts among stakeholders, and uncertainties around resource management provide a need for further research effort to address the conceptual and methodological issues associated with collaborative resource management in a relatively broader context and a more comprehensive approach. The study of this thesis has made progressive steps in that direction, and thus has laid a foundation for future research to develop a more comprehensive collaborative mechanism in order to deal with increasingly complex resource management situations.