Assessing the Value of Cultural Heritage Resources: Limitations andImprovements of the Contingent Valuation Method
文化遗产资源的价值评价:CVM的局限性及几点改进

The contingent valuation method (CVM) is one of the most commonly used andeffective tools to value non-market resources. Reasonable application of CVM requires a shift fromqualitatively describing change processes for the valuation of heritage resources to quantify them.However, it appears that cases and studies regarding applications of CVM to the field of culturalheritage are far fewer than that to the environmental field. The authors discussed the particularity inthe use of the CVM to value cultural heritage especially in China based on a literature review andcase studies. First, limitations involved in the CVM, including its scope effect, hypothesis anduncertainties were investigated. It was suggested that all of such deficiencies could be improved orevaded through the development of CVM and well design of questionnaire. Second, regardingapplicable fields of CVM, it was found that it is necessary to broaden the applicable fields of CVM.Third, the strengths and limitations of critical techniques like willingness to pay (WTP) andwillingness to accept (WTA), and the guidance techniques (OE, PC and DC) of CVM werediscussed. At last, the particularity of cultural heritage resources, i.e., the richness and complex ofthe value of cultural heritage, the impacts of people's points of views about value on culturalheritage and the intangible assets of increasing welfare resulting from protection of culturalheritage were elaborated. On the basis of this, the authors put forward several suggestions in regardto improvements of the CVM. It was drawn that 1) selecting WTP for the index is more reasonable.On the one hand, WTP has more advantages than WTA. On the other hand, WTP can be understoodmore easily by Chinese people; 2) dichotomous choice (DC) can simulate market pricing tobehavior better. It is more convenient for the survey respondents to answer. Therefore, one wouldgain more reasonable results using DC when the target audiences are not familiar with the subjectlike cultural heritage; 3) the payment vehicle option should account for local people's habits andpreferences. As such, a variety of vehicles in the light of different objects and areas can beemployed; and 4) the target audience option should not only take into account the grade of culturalheritage resources, but also the ability to pay and education levels of selected groups. It is moreimportant to emphasize the latter for developing countries such as China. This paper can offer somemeaningful suggestions for improving the application of the CVM in the field of cultural heritage.