ABSTRACT
The value of geospatial information, traditionally the domain of governments, has tended to be expressed in monetary terms as an indicator of the public value being created. Nowadays, the production of geospatial information has become more heterogeneous, and consequently, its use and application more diverse. There is now a need for practitioners and users of geospatial information to assess and understand the multiple ways that geospatial information creates, or can potentially create, value. This chapter outlines some of the key philosophies and associated methods from the social sciences that can help producers of spatial data construct a richer understanding and description of the value, benefits, and impacts of geospatial data.
