Step 3 Goal Setting

After problem has been defined, we move to the next step which is goal setting. Goal is a vision that we want to achieve in the future. Goal setting is important as it is the foundation of our pathway in IEM framework. What we are going to do along the pathway should be focus on goal to keep it in track. Likewise problem definition, goal setting needs inclusive views that is why it needs stakeholder involvement and public participation as well (Margerum & Stephen, 1995). It ensures that stakeholders will have shared vision which will support coordination to each other. It may reduce conflict which can hamper the integration process.    

Goal should be set in a way that it can be achieved or implemented. Goal setting should be involved strategic reduction because we cannot do all the things at the same time. Limited time and less budgeted usually are the barriers to reach the goals. In addition, most goals have been hard to reach may be because they are too broad so it is impossible to be implemented. It has been identified as higher level goal that difficult to achieve. We aim to implement something so we should come into lower level goal which is feasible enough to be done. Goal setting may be done by setting priority as a step to approach the problem.

In the case of palm oil, I will try to set the goal from the problem we had from problem definition. We depart from the lack of clear problem definition on palm oil case. Moreover, it seems to me that there is no effort to define the problem of palm oil even it has been a controversy. From now on, we can start to set the goal from the initial problem that we’ve been defining before. As goal provides opportunities to get something in the future, we may see problem definition as a source of opportunities which can be said as the points where goals depart from (Lecture’s note ERTS 633, 2013). Diagram 1 describes how the problems are seen as opportunities to goal setting.

Figure 1. Problem analysis and opportunities

This problem analysis and opportunities will give input to goal setting. Figure 2 shows the process of how from the identified problems come into goals. 

Figure 2. Problems and goal setting

The diagram describes how higher level goal may address the problem, but not feasible enough to be implemented due to obstacle from the problems. Moreover, higher level goals need longer time to be implemented and cannot immediately solve the problems. Thus, we need to do strategic reduction in order to find the appropriate solution to the problems or to reach short-term goal. From the problems we move into lower level goals that address the problems which are more applicable than higher level goal.    

References

Margerum, R., & Stephen, M. (1995). Integrated Environmental Management: Moving from Theory to Practice. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Vol. 38 , 371-390.