Analysis of the role of information in planning: The case of town and country planning

The role of information in planning is analyzed, taking a phenomenological view: people act on the basis of the meanings they attach to reality. The analysis framework is borrowed from the knowledge systems approach and domain theory. Within the knowledge system a distinction is made between two domains: the formal domain and the field domain. The central view in this article is that the interpretation frameworks of the actors in both domains are different, hampering effective communication between the two domains. The functioning of the knowledge system during the planning process can be improved by dealing explicitly with differences between interpretation fameworks. Dr. Mathieu C.H. Wagemans is employed by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and fisheries. In 1988 and 1989 he served as a consultant in an FAO-project in China, aimed at strengthening regional agricultural extension centers. He is primarily interested in the application of planning models in public bureaucracies.