https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/114978 2026-04-11T22:01:22Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/131182 Trade-off Analysis (with a revised Rawlsian Decision-making Philosophy) as an Alternative to Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) in Socio-technical Decisions Hall, Ralph; Ashford, Nicholas A.; Söderbaum, Peter This paper discusses the concept of trade-off analysis as an alternative to cost-benefit analysis (CBA) in socio-technical decisions. The concept of trade-off analysis is not new, but increasing dissatisfaction with CBA as the centerpiece of decision analysis and concerns for Rawlsian equity warrant its reintroduction into decision-making. As a decision-support tool, trade-off analysis [1] allows decision-makers to avoid monetizing and aggregating non-monetary factors over time; [2] invites the involvement of stakeholders into policy debates since there is greater transparency as to who benefits and who is harmed by a particular policy; [3] enables analysts to undertake a comparative analysis of alternatives over time; and [4] takes into account the important role of technological change in shaping the state and performance of a system. In addition, a revised Rawlsian approach to incorporating equity and environmental considerations into decision-making is advocated as a way of promoting sustainable development. While the proposed framework has yet to be applied on a wide scale, the authors believe it approximates the way that decisions are actually made in the political system and holds the potential to assist with decision-making for sustainable development in a broad variety of contexts. 2008-02-20T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/130648 Alternatives to Cost-Benefit Analysis in Regulatory Decisions Ashford, Nicholas A. 1981-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/116848 Compliance Costs: The Neglected Issue of Technological Innovation Ashford, Nicholas A. 1999-01-01T00:00:00Z