From Value Rhetoric to Valuation Using Ethnographic Methods to Design Value Functions Somik Raha Doctoral Candidate Stanford University Oct 14, 2008

From Value Rhetoric to Valuation

Using Ethnographic Methods to Design Value Functions

Somik RahaDoctoral CandidateStanford University

Oct 14, 2008

2

Agenda (and Research Process)

Observed Problem Develop

Intuition about Observed Problem

Generalized Solution

Solution to Observed Problem (Model/Process)

GeneralizedProblem

3

Research Process





GeneralizedProblem

4

Observed Problem Context

In existence since 1927, started with one patrolman

Anti-war protests on campus in the 70s

Led to deputization and creation of private professional police force

Core Values (inspired by Good to Great):We pledge to honor the spirit and letter of the laws we are charged to uphold. We will strive to maintain and improve our professional skills and knowledge. We will project a positive and courteous image towards our clients and fellow employees. We will dedicate our full attention to our duties to earn and maintain the public trust. The hallmarks of our service and conduct will be a dedication to the principles of honesty, integrity, fairness, courage and courtesy.

5

Observed Problem in SUDPS

Hard to answer the question: What activities should the SUDPS engage in?

Currently follow best practices derived from descriptive sources

Sample decision context: Police chief has been asked to improve bike safety. How should she approach this?

6

Research Process





GeneralizedProblem

7

Research Process





GeneralizedProblem

8

Generalized Problem

How can we help social ventures develop value functions?

Social Venture: A venture that satisfies the following criteria: Cares about social good along with financial sustainability

(both are direct values) -- [The Foundations of Decision Analysis Revisited, Ronald Howard, 2007]

Not sustained by the government

For public policy decision making, see [Social Decision Making, Ronald Howard, 1970]

9

Research Process





GeneralizedProblem

10

Develop Intuition Descriptive Question: How does the

SUDPS value its work? Approaches

Interviews Known Descriptive Frameworks Ethnographic Analysis/Fieldwork

11

Interviews

Directly ask the decision maker what they value Works well for businesses (usually only one direct

value) Social Ventures

More than one direct value Decision maker may be focused on small potatoes (e.g.

optimize coverage of university) May not be able to articulate what they really value

This may be naturally so Or may be deliberate

12

Known Descriptive Frameworks Jim Collins’ monograph, “Good to Great and the

Social Sectors: Why Business Thinking is not the Answer” Level 5 Leadership First Who, Then What The Hedgehog Concept

Anthropological Studies (ethnographies) “The Asshole” by John Van Maanen “The New Parapolice” by John Rigakos

13

Ethnographic Analysis/Fieldwork

Spend time doing fieldwork – participant observation, interviews

Perform ethnographic analysis on data Analysis focused on question: How does this

organization value its work? Check predictive power of intuition Can be more reliable than interviews

14

My Approach for Developing Intuition Ethnographic Analysis/Fieldwork

15

The Ethnographic Method

ANALYSISReading, rereading, memoing, coding, memoing, proposition making

COLLECT

DATA

READING

ORGANIZE DATA

ANSWER

FORMING

ANALYZE

ASKING

DESIGN

STUDY

16

ASKING

How do the police value their work? How do they see themselves?

17

READING

Criminology Sociology

Private Policing: Shearing and StenningEmergence of private policing due to shift in “mass property” from government to private owners.

History of Police: Okada

The Asshole: Van MaanenPolice define their existence based on the “asshole” on the street – people who intentionally break the law.

The New Parapolice: John RigakosFirst ethnographic study of private police in North America (Intelligarde, Canada)

18

Design Study

2006-07

4 ride-alongs, 2 in the day and 2 in the night (16 hours)

Planning and conduction of “Back from the Dead” Halloween Party (3000 attendees) (5 hours)

Two formal briefings (2 hours)

One informal briefing (1 hour)

2 Lieutenants, 1 Sergeant (5 hours)• Chief of Police (1 hour)• Retired Chief Marvin Herrington (2 hours), founder of the present police department• Larry Horton – Asst. Dean of Student Affairs in 1970• John Schwartz – advised President during “disruptions”

Interviews

Stanford Daily reports about police

Chief’s talk about history of police department

Stanford Daily archives of the police from the 40’s to the 70’s

Document Analysis

Field Observation

19

Ethnography Results

Acquired the role of “educator” by virtue of being in a university

Put a value on being able to educate the constituents they’re serving

Officers use the value rhetoric of education to explain their preferences

RhetoricRhetoric

The art or study of using language The art or study of using language effectively and persuasively; a effectively and persuasively; a type or mode of language or type or mode of language or

speech; also insincere speech; also insincere or grandiloquent languageor grandiloquent language

Value RhetoricValue Rhetoricthe language used to communicate the language used to communicate

or justify preferencesor justify preferences

e.g. “Yeah, we have community e.g. “Yeah, we have community outreach and then we do outreach and then we do

enforcement and education. We enforcement and education. We don’t necessarily stop and don’t necessarily stop and cite everyone. We talk to cite everyone. We talk to

people and educate them.”people and educate them.”

20

Consequences of Value Rhetoric Seek out opportunities to educate

Bike-stops are an opportunity for public education Safe drinking workshops, etc.

Soft Pinches Assess threat level, if low enough, scold and let go

Focus on prevention High-Visibility Patrolling

Branding Department of Public Safety, not Police Department

21

Research Process





GeneralizedProblem

22

Solution Approach Value Rhetoric informs Value Foundation

Value Rhetoric

Value Foundation(education, public safety, $)

Value Foundation

The attributes of value that are important to the decision maker.

23

Applying to Bike Safety Violations CFO of Stanford University calls Chief of

Police “Something needs to be done about bike

safety” Bicyclists breaking stop signs Bicycle accidents

24

Decision Hierarchy

Policy(take asgiven)

Strategy(focus on in this analysis)

Tactics(to be decided

later)

We will look for opportunities to educate

Some specific education activity

e.g. What bike safety work should we do? How much?

Operationalizing activitye.g. Which streets should we do this activity on?

Do you agree that this is a

decision that has already been taken?

I am interested in the framing of these decisions

Current Decisions

Future Decisions

Policy

25

Situation 1: Two Direct ValuesEducation

ActivityPublic Safety

Violations

$

Education Level

Cost

Violations

Value

CFO’s Decision Diagram

Violations at other Universities

Loss of Life, Extent of Injury

26

Establishing Value What are we concerned about?

Bikes running stop signs Bike Accidents

What has the trend been?

27

FY03-04 FY04-05 FY05-06 FY06-07 FY07-08Total Bike Stops 1185 323 246 512 450Admin 642 103 76 149 161Mechanical 748 248 90 278 158Moving 10 34 135 125 169Total Bike Violations 1400 385 301 552 488

Trends

Collision Injury FY03-04 FY04-05 FY05-06 FY06-07 FY07-08Bike vs Bike 5 6 6 5 5

Bike vs Fixed Object 28 22 17 17 23Bike vs Pedestrian 0 3 3 0 2

Bike vs Vehicle 18 12 18 12 15Total Injury Collisions 51 43 44 34 45

Assume only 10% of moving violations are cited, lets assume 1690 violations occur

Moving: Speeding, Failing to stop a stop sign

28

Establishing Value If we can bring down (violations,

accidents) from (1690, 45) to (1200, 30), what is it worth to you?

If CFO says $0, conversation ends here. Otherwise..

29

CFO’s Value Assessment

(1200, 30)

(1690, 45)

(900, 15)

(750, 5)

$200K

$400K

$500K

$550K

Value

Hypothetical

30

Situation 2: Four Direct ValuesEducation

ActivityPublic Safety

Violations

$

Education Level

Cost

Violations

Value

Good Citizens Police

PR

Violations at other Universities

Loss of Life, Extent of Injury

Police Chief’s Decision Diagram

31

Value of Ethnography

(1200, 30)

(1690, 45)

(900, 15)

(750, 5)

$200K

$400K

$500K

$550K

Value

Hypothetical

High ($300)

Base ($250)

Low ($200)

Education Level

32

Resulting Assessments

ValuationWhat are different levels of

{education, public safety} worth to us?

Education Level (PR + Good Citizens)Moving Violations Injury Collisions High Medium Low

1690 45 $300 $250 $2001200 30 $460 $430 $400900 15 $540 $520 $500750 5 $570 $560 $550

33

Solution Process

Value Rhetoric Value Foundation(e.g. education, public safety: define, measure)


{education, public safety} worth to us?

Realistic FrameReframe problem: How can we improve

education and/on public safety?

Assess InformationHow effective are we?

Ethnographic Analysis

34

Research Process





GeneralizedProblem

35


Value Rhetoric Value Foundation(e.g. X, Y, Z)


{X, Y, Z} worth to us?

Realistic FrameReframe problem: How can we improve

X, Y, Z?

Assess InformationHow effective are we?

Ethnographic Analysis

36

Next Steps Get data

Severity of injuries, lost time Reputation Cost Laptop theft: quantify research loss

Value assessments from CFO and Police Chief

Apply framework to other social ventures E.g. Kiva, Teach for America, etc.

37

Questions?

38

Appendix

HARVARD

41

Distinctions Robbery: Seizing property through violence

or intimidation (use of force) Burglary: breaking and entering Larceny: Trespassory taking and carrying

away Theft: Dishonestly appropriating property

belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it

42

Collision Injury FY03-04 FY04-05 FY05-06 FY06-07 FY07-08Bike vs Bike 5 6 6 5 5


Bike vs Vehicle 18 12 18 12 15Total Injury Collisions 51 43 44 34 45

Collision No-Injury FY03-04 FY04-05 FY05-06 FY06-07 FY07-08Bike vs Bike 0 1 0 0 0


Bike vs Vehicle 6 4 2 5 4Total No-Injury Collisions 7 6 2 6 4

Accident Data

Documents

From Value Rhetoric to Valuation Using Ethnographic Methods to Design Value Functions Somik Raha Doctoral Candidate Stanford University Oct 14, 2008