Actors in the Societal Problem Situation

Abstract

This chapter addresses the following block of research questions: “What groups of actors are involved in the societal problem situation and which ones are particularly relevant? Further, how should the behavioral characteristics of the most important actors be represented for System Dynamics modeling” In order to answer these research questions, the renovation process of a typical building is described. As a second step, a list of actors that potentially influence the diffusion of energy-efficient renovations on the macro level is compiled. In order to identify the actors with the highest impact on the diffusion process, each actor is evaluated as to how strong his interest in energy-efficient renovations is. Further, all actors are assessed whether they have the power to significantly affect the diffusion process. The actors which will be modeled explicitly in the simulation model are then selected from that list and described in greater detail. For each important actor, sub-types with different behavioral traits are identified. This approach allows to represent the diversity among actors. Finally, the effects the different actors have on the diffusion process are analyzed. This chapter draws on the literature as well as on expert interviews with actors in the construction sector.