1. Towards a Value-Based Theory Of Sustainability Problem Framing
T.Loskutova
WBS
Prepared for AIB Conference, 2015, Johannesburg

2. Research Problem What to sustain? Where? For how long? (for whom?)
Sustainability is a desirable end-state (value?)
Value-change causes resistance to change.
How to gain social support when the definitions are unclear, gains are questionable and immediate loss is almost sure
In today's world “sustainability” and related concepts are in every day’s dictionary of business-owners, politicians, scientists, professionals. It is hard to believe that in the same time there's no precise widely accepted definition for it. In this regard sustainability is similar to truth, freedom, justice, and equality (Bell&Morse) – everybody knows what it is, and yet, debates over varying definitions can cause as much as an international armed conflict. One thing that is common between varying definitions is that sustainability is a desirable end-state. As such it fits the commonly accepted definition of value.
As a value, sustainability is a subject of wide critique, ignorance and general attitude can be characterised as “it does not apply to me”.
However, scientific evidence shows undeniable proof of climate change. Is that a problem? Again, according to scientific evidence – it is.
But whose problem is it? Can we say “it does not apply to me”? Essentially, sustainability is the problem of our human society. Though we are talking about the preservation of the environment, entvironment will still exist, the problem is that it may become unsutable for us to live in.It is not even a personal problem, as an average person can hardly reasonably protect himself from the effects of climate change and other environmental damage caused by our civilization. It is a societal problem, it appeals to societal values of survival, wellbeing and development of human civilization.

3. Research Purpose
So what can we do about sustainability if we cannot universally and objectively define it? How can we expect people to support sustainability if the definitions are so unclear and gains are even more questionable and immediate losses are almost sure?. What can we do if the current global value system does not value sustainability enough and the change in values is slow but the problems are imminent and actions are required today.
One possible answer that is available to us lies in context specific definitions that are relevant to the current worldviews of the related population. These definitions are problem framing of sustainability. Problem-framing is a way to reduce a complex real world problem to simpler and comprehensive view. Framing is also a sense-making (Kaplan, 2008). Tversky and Kahneman (1986) suggest that problem-framing is dependent on the expectations and values of a decision maker. To make problems appeal to society, problem framing should be relevant to the value system of the society, or to rephrase it - it should be based on a value-frame.
The purpose of this research is to investigate sustainability problem value-framing, its congruence with societal values and the impact of this congruence on the project outcomes. These constructs and relations between them will form the basis of a new theory of value-based sustainability problem-framing.

4. Research Questions How sustainability problems are value-framed?
What is the relation between value-framing of sustainability projects and values of the affected community?
How this relation may affect the outcome of such projects?

5. Values values are concepts or beliefs Values are desirable end states
values define desired events and behaviour
values are used to evaluate events and make decisions about events of behaviour
values are long-term characteristics
values are aligned by their priority

6. Sustainability, Value-Framing
New worldview, new paradigm, new social system
It's not the quantity of information, but how it is presented
Value-frame - criterion composed of values and used to evaluate events, people, issues
Value-frames for public engagement with sustainability
In sustainability issues, science has collected a large amount of information. However this information is difficult to consume especially for the general public, Jasperson et al. (1998) argue that it is not the quantity, but the presentation of the information that matters, i.e. how the problem is framed for public presentation. This framing defines the range of prescribed meanings through drawing attention to particular aspects of the problem.
As human choices are influenced by their values it seems possible to infer that problem-framing, which appeals to the values of stakeholders (i.e. society), may influence the choice towards sustainability action.
Value-framing is a criterion composed of values and used to evaluate events, people, issues
Corner et al. (2014) provide a discussion about how different value-frames of sustainability in environmental campaigns are used to appeal to different values in society. On the highest level, values in their relation to the environment can be divided based on self-enhancement and self-transcendent value groupings suggested by Schwartz (1992b, 1994). Self-transcendent values are usually associated with environmental concern and environmentally protective actions (Corner et al., 2014). However, framing sustainability initiatives can be done in such a way that environmental action appeals to people with predominant self-enhancement values (Corner et al., 2014). By putting a monetary value on the sustainability action, a project appeals to self-enhancing values; by emphasising the intrinsic value of natural resources the project appeals to self-transcendent values group.
Corner et al. (2014) identify two currently used value-framing strategies:
Existing values are identified and the campaign is targeting these values.
A campaign appeals to increase self-transcendent values.

7. Methodology Case study for emergent theory building
Phenomenon under study: sustainability value-framing. Viewed within context
Case study does not prescribe methods of analysing the data and often depends on some combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis

8. Population and Sample
Urban sustainability projects: time scope, space scope, community engagement, social movement
Case study requires theoretical sampling
Pilot case study: LA renewable energy initiative
Data sources: archives, discussion document, media, social media, WVS, EVS, ESS

9. LA Solar Incentive and Net Metering
Extensive media coverage
Public involvement
Multiple conflicts allow to view the project from different perspectives and value frames
Continuous monitoring and change

10. Theory Building
An emerging theory of sustainability value-framing (extending and refining the framing theory (Snow et al.)
Within-case and cross case analysis (patterns of relationships among constructs)
Enfold literature, adding cases and further analysis
Saturation: no increase in quality

11. Questions?