Participatory Planning at the Grassroots: The Tennessee Valley Authority's Tributary Area Development Program

This research studied how, and the extent to which, participation was part of the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Tributary Area Development (TAD) program.

The methods of the research and collection of data and information for this thesis project was done through a couple of techniques. An extensive review of participatory planning, tributary area development, and Tennessee Valley Authority literature was conducted. This review included going through TVA and TAD files. An interview process involving past participants and liaisons of the TAD program was also conducted as part of the research and documentation process.

This study concluded the following as regards the TVA's TAD program: (1) the TAD program was compromised by the myopic view of its participants; (2) partners to the TAD process acted like competing interests groups who campaigned to define the optimum and express the need; (3) the TAD program was a political game that was full of strategic moves, defensive strategies, manipulative tactics, and belligerent attitudes; (4) owing to the above, among others, the TAD program, it can be said, failed as a participatory planning program.