Table 2. Actor analysis output that had implications for substantive problem analysis. Case Expand the scope of the initial problem formulation Adjust the importance of components in the initial problem formulation Describe parts of the problem related to actors National water resources plan, Egypt Need to specify costs and benefits of options Importance of ongoing institutional reform debate Policy options as viewed by actors; interdependence among actors Diffuse pollution, Netherlands Need to integrate diffuse pollution with point-source pollution in policy analysis Decision makers’ and experts’ priorities for pollution reduction differ Articulation of tacit knowledge of need for better communication; motivations and rationale of polluters River basin planning, Turkey Need to address water scarcity in addition to water quality Perceived importance of boron pollution; problems perceived at both institutional and operational levels Level of expertise and cooperation among local actors; opinions of actors regarding a new river basin authority Regional water management, Philippines Need to address equity issues and the use of economic mechanisms in water management Three main groups are important for water management, but one of these is currently excluded from the debate Actors’ perspectives on water management are grouped into three main categories; level of awareness of actors for water management issues