For more than two decades, scholars have been escalating asymmetric information issues in megaproject management linking them to enhanced public debt concerns. Most megaprojects turn out to be a burden on economy when constructions are completed. Authorities, meanwhile, continue to promote the advancement of megaprojects with overly optimistic public messages on expected socio-economic benefits. A combination of expertise in the topic, in-depth literature analysis, independent cost-benefit reassessment, and empirical survey of related documentation of three EU transport megaprojects shows political implications to be the essential causes of information asymmetries in megaproject management. Socio-economic over-estimations imply to be useful for obtaining and securing funding commitments at the political level, but then the real project value is often omitted from the assessment. This work takes a wider, strategic approach beyond the usual socio-economic reasoning. The article argues that socio-economic assessment practice is too narrow to grasp the full potential impact of a megaproject. Therefore, a strategic assessment should be performed by public authorities along with an appropriate funding mechanism. This work contributes to science by suggesting a direction to more constructive discussions between scholars and politicians that could lead to more effective future decisions on the overall sustainability of economies.

中文翻译：

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超越交通大型项目的社会经济影响

二十多年来，学者们一直在升级大型项目管理中的信息不对称问题，将它们与加剧的公共债务问题联系起来。大多数大型项目在建设完成后都会成为经济负担。与此同时，当局继续以对预期社会经济效益的过于乐观的公众信息来推动大型项目的推进。该主题的专业知识、深入的文献分析、独立的成本效益重新评估以及对三个欧盟运输大型项目的相关文件的实证调查的结合表明，政治影响是大型项目管理中信息不对称的根本原因。社会经济高估意味着有助于获得和确保政治层面的资金承诺，但实际的项目价值往往从评估中被忽略。这项工作采用了超越通常的社会经济推理的更广泛的战略方法。文章认为，社会经济评估实践过于狭隘，无法掌握大型项目的全部潜在影响。因此，公共当局应进行战略评估以及适当的资助机制。这项工作通过为学者和政治家之间更具建设性的讨论指明方向，从而为未来对经济的整体可持续性做出更有效的决策，从而为科学做出贡献。文章认为，社会经济评估实践过于狭隘，无法掌握大型项目的全部潜在影响。因此，公共当局应进行战略评估以及适当的资助机制。这项工作通过为学者和政治家之间更具建设性的讨论指明方向，从而为未来对经济的整体可持续性做出更有效的决策，从而为科学做出贡献。文章认为，社会经济评估实践过于狭隘，无法掌握大型项目的全部潜在影响。因此，公共当局应进行战略评估以及适当的资助机制。这项工作通过为学者和政治家之间更具建设性的讨论指明方向，从而为未来对经济的整体可持续性做出更有效的决策，从而为科学做出贡献。