4. Social Multi-Criteria Evaluation

Giuseppe Munda has suggested an approach to multi-criteria evaluation that he calls social multi-criteria evaluation, where the MCA process is extended to include the participation of the main actors in a decision process. In this way they participate in the framing of the problem, identification of relevant alternatives and criteria and in the discussion of results.

Thus, besides an impact matrix, we also have a social impact matrix which summarizes the evaluation of the different alternatives for the different groups of actors.

G. Munda defines SMCE as a "tool to integrate different scientific languages in a public choice framework, when "civil society" and ethical concerns about future generations have to be considered, along with policy alternatives and market conditions." 

For the purpose of obtaining evaluation criteria, SMCE examines stakeholders‘ objectives and expectations, trying to avoid as much as possible a technocratic approach. As various dimensions are taken into account, the main goal is to find a balance between them, aiming at compromise solutions (Munda, 1995). Weights in SMCE are understood as importance coefficients and not as trade-offs. Aggregation conventions used are non-compensatory mathematical algorithms, meaning that criteria with smaller weights can be also influential, which excludes the complete compensability concept. Additional features are profound social actor analysis and conflict analysis (equity matrix for consensus seeking). 

Below is a summary of the SMCE approach, from an operational point of view:

The High Speed Transport Infrastructure (TAV) in Italy is an online example of a social choice problem, which is explored with various methods, including SMCE.