ABSTRACT
Advances in digital technology and Geographical Information System (GIS) have revolutionized the way in which geographic information is collected, stored, analyzed, and presented. Geospatial research has the ability to bring the best available knowledge to address some of the current and future society problems. As government and other funding institutions continue to receive requests for funding for Earth observation and other research, there is a need to assess the benefits of such studies that compete with other public service demands.
Understanding the value as well as the benefit of geospatial data are essential and the benefits can be better explained by assessing how it is used in the decision-making process. The value of information depends on whether the information is in a format that the decision-makers can use, is accurate, and has been validated to make decisions-makers indifferent toward other sources of information. Participatory approaches include communities, institutions, or individuals to actively participate in understanding a phenomenon or addressing a particular issue. Data that are collected using such nonscientific methods are subjective and participants decide what knowledge and/ or experiences they can share and what to withhold. Various participatory methods in qualitative research can be used to assess the societal benefits of geospatial information and the value of this information. These include focus group discussions, participant observation, and interviews. Advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed.
Qualitative considerations address validity, reliability, and ethical issues when conducting qualitative research. This chapter concludes with a discussion on new and emerging techniques in noneconomics social science-oriented methods.
