The Mare Research Program 1999-2006: Reflections On Program Management Essay Example

The MARE (Marine Activities, Resources, and Education) is a program whose primary aim of development is to use both formal and informal initiatives to increase literacy on ocean matters. The case of eutrophication in the Baltic Sea featured as a primary point of view necessitating the concept and development of the program. The MARE research program was developed to act as a solution to the conflict existing between the Science for Policy Makers and the Academic Traditional System. The rationale behind the development of the MARE program was the necessity to have a unique program with the ability to embrace all the scientific efforts and use them to develop a universal product – a decision support system. The MARE program’s structure was so extensive it incorporated the getting of various scientists from different disciplines and traditions. The main reason for the above was to have them work together for a common goal that can wholesomely apply in various fields for different functionally related areas .
The development of the MARE program was extensive as well. After the inception of the concept in the year 1999, the basic provisions and guidelines of the program came to life at a gradual rate. As soon as all material formed a clear framework of the program, major assessments for the feasibility of the program started. As early as 2002, a special team of scientists started the assessment phase evaluating the scientific quality possessed by the program. Later, the program’s potential utility towards the general society underwent evaluation as well. The above two constituted mainly to the first phase of evaluation, paving the way for analysis and summarization of all lesson learned in the preparation for the second phase that followed the same process.
The scientific assessment of the MARE program depended on the expertise of a panel composed of internationally renowned scientists. The report after the panel’s review was unsatisfactory. As a result, the program’s management handled a reinforced team the duty to further research on the social utility aspect of the program. The above resulted in the re-assessment after that additional phase of research. When the findings reached the review panel again, the team of scientists sitting on the board recommended for implementation of the MARE program. According to the summary, of the board’s recommendation report, the MARE program was exemplary in a number of ways. The program attempted to integrate various science disciplines into the establishment of a tool intended for helping decision makers to apply scientific knowledge as their foundation in designing different strategies.
Several years after the establishment of the MARE program, taking assessment measure relating to eutrophication in the Baltic Sea community is now easy using the Baltic NEST. The Baltic NEST is a system that utilizes the decision support analogy developed under the MARE program. The MARE program may have taken quite some time to be effective, but the results after that time are clear and tangible. From the above case of the MARE program, it is possible for other industrial and social sectors to learn that with the right amount of focus, all challenges are easy to solve. The success of the MARE program stands out as a reference point and an indication that every other sector facing cross-disciplinary decision-making problems have the ability to work them out. It is easy to apply the decision support system developed under the MARE program in other fields and get favorable results in other functional areas closely related to the eutrophication of the Baltic Sea Community. The application may be direct, or it may use a modified structure depending on the degree of relation.

Reference

Johansson, S., Wulff, F., & Bonsdorff, E. (2007). The MARE Research Program 1999-2006: Reflections on Program Management. Ambio, 119-122.