When You Need Community Support:
Making Informed Decisions Using Low-Cost Research

Building community support, especially around solid waste management and recycling issues, is often tough. One of the best ways to prevent or manage opposition is for public officials to first listen to the community and stakeholders. In these days of tight budgets, the more expensive quantitative research tools may be out of reach for many government managers. Fortunately, there are a number of lower-cost, effective research methods that public sector managers can use to help make informed decisions and build community support.

Online Surveys
Online survey research enables decision makers to collect a large amount of data in a relatively short time. The survey software performs analysis and displays results in real time. In addition, online surveys are flexible, allowing randomization of question order, complicated skip patterns and easy modification during the design phase. Also, people are more likely to respond, since the questionnaires are easy to complete and can be finished when respondents have time.

The key disadvantage is that results will not necessarily reflect a representative sample of the target population. Internet users tend to be younger and more highly educated than the general U.S. population, and some ethnic groups may be poorly represented. Further, those who respond are often a self-selecting group that has a special interest in the issue or project. Online surveys can also be subject to fraud or skewing by respondents who complete the questionnaire several times; however, there are mechanisms to minimize such occurrences.

Despite these disadvantages, the ease, low cost and flexibility of online surveys make them a valuable tool for solid waste managers.

In-Depth Interviews
In-depth interviewing is a research technique that involves conducting intensive, individual interviews with a select number of respondents. This methodology enables the researcher to explore perspectives, behaviors, attitudes, and situations in greater depth than through a questionnaire. When the interviews are conducted in a relaxed atmosphere, respondents may feel more comfortable sharing information than in a survey.

This tool can be used to gauge the opinions of key stakeholders about an issue or proposal. The primary disadvantage is that the results can reflect bias on the part of the respondent or the interviewer – or both. In addition, because the sample of respondents is small, the results cannot be generalized to the entire population.

Focus Groups
Focus groups bring together seven to 10 people who are representative of the target audience for a moderated discussion designed to elicit their opinions. Focus groups help answer "why" questions about a particular topic. When moderated well, participants interact with one another in a non-threatening environment, enhancing the quality of the discussion, and promoting the emergence of rich new insights. Like in-depth interviews, the results of focus groups cannot be generalized to the entire population. However, their chief value is in providing a window into the attitudes, behaviors and feelings of participants with the benefit of group dynamics.

An important element is the composition of the group, which should be as homogeneous as possible so group participants will approach the discussion topic with shared experiences. Also, it is essential to prepare a discussion guide in advance listing the research topics to be covered, the questions that will be asked, and the time allocation for each segment of the discussion. Finally, the most effective groups are conducted by an objective, trained facilitator, preferably someone who is not part of the sponsoring organization.

Taking the pulse of the community during early stages of planning for change is a smart move for solid waste decision makers. Online surveys, stakeholder interviews and focus groups together provide rich, nuanced sources of information about community attitudes and opinions. They let the community know that its officials are listening, and they help these leaders be responsive to community concerns when difficult, sensitive issues are on the table. These research tools belong in the toolbox of every solid waste decision maker who strives to be effective, persuasive, responsive, and successful.

Download a PDF of a presentation, made on this topic at the Virginia Recycling Association Conference by Mary-Jane Atwater, GBB Principal Associate and market research expert.

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Updates from the Guam Receiver

In a Court Order dated March 17, 2008, U.S. District Court Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood appointed GBB to be Receiver with full responsibility for bringing the Guam Solid Waste Management Division into compliance with the 2004 Consent Decree for violation of the Clean Water Act. The latest information about the receivership is available at: www.GuamSolidWasteReceiver.org

GBB Commended for Work in Guam
In this excerpt from a November 14, 2010, Pacific Daily News editorial, GBB is commended for the work done as Receiver:

"But the real reason for the recent boom in recycling has been the court-appointed federal receiver, Gershman, Brickner & Bratton Inc., which took over solid waste operations in March 2008. It's done more for recycling than all local elected officials in the past few decades. [...] We commend the receiver for doing what's right, pressing forward with recycling, when our own elected officials lacked the political will to do so. And we strongly encourage residents -- whether they're included in the pilot project or not -- to do what they can to recycle more."

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

(Click image to enlarge)

Jack Tucker (3rd row, second from left), GBB Receiver Senior Project Manager, joined the Santa Rita Braves of the Guam Masters Baseball League as a relief pitcher!

Quarterly Report
On August 11, 2010, the Receiver submitted its ninth Quarterly Report to the U.S. District Court of Guam. News coverage:

New Trash Cart Program
During the second quarter of 2010, the Solid Waste Management Division (SWMD) fully implemented the registration process and delivery of trash carts for weekly curbside trash collection as well as the new customer billing system. As of July 30, 2010, the SWMD had 19,416 customers, a 60 percent increase over the 12,080 registered customers the SWMD had when the Receiver was appointed.

"The new cart-based trash collection system is an important step towards keeping Guam clean and green," said Receiver Representative David L. Manning. "Residents quickly got on board, and the initial supply of 7,000 carts was exhausted before a second shipment arrived. Demand for the new cart was so strong that a third shipment was required in order to complete the delivery of carts to new customers."

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