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Public Policy Making and Assessment (The Policy Cycle (Implementation…
Public Policy Making and Assessment
Definition
The agent is government, exercising the authority of the State
The object is society as a whole or elements (sectors) [meso-policy] within it
Each sector has its own characteristics, shaped by
Societal, state and international institutions
Socio-economic context
Sets of ideas and beliefs (discourse)
Interaction of policy actors (communities, networks)
Historical experience, long-term patterns and narrative
Every sector constitutes its own policy sub-system, each with its own dynamics
Two major concerns of policy studies are
How the operations of the policy cycle are affected by the nature of the policy sub-systems
The dynamics of policy stability and change within a sector
Policy-making involves choice, has both a rational and a normative dimension
Public policies are problem-solving in nature, recognize complexity
Policies are articulated in policy statements that have several components:
Problem definition
Policy goals (general and specific)
Policy instruments (means)
Implementation plans
The context and tests are ultimately political
Theories on Approaches
At different times, major theoretical approaches to understanding policy decisions and outcomes have focused on the role played by one or more of:
Political and administrative institutions
Groups and networks (actors) – associations and informal relationships within and outside political institutions
Problem definition and agenda setting are the result of interaction among policy actors
Advocacy (interest or pressure) groups and associations
Businesses, voluntary and other civil society organizations, individuals
Social movements also have a role, but are often less willing to work within the established system
Canada (with the US) has an activist civil society, higher level of interest-group participation than other countries
11-39% (narrow-broad definition – Young & Everitt)
Compares with 19% members of political parties
Provides training for democracy and is more diverse (changing dynamic due to online activism and advocacy)
State institutions
State and societal actors sharing a common policy focus or idea set
(community) vs. the link between them through the policy process (network) or
Attentive public (community) vs. sub-government (network) or
Discourse communities vs. interest networks
Political parties can be seen as a distinct group
Rational choice – interests and preferences of actors, expressed as a series of games, within institutional and socio-economic contexts
Socio-economic factors – class, economic and social elites
Ideas
More recent theories seek to explore linkages among these factors and build a dynamic synthesis
The Policy Cycle
Probem identification
Agenda setting
Why is it being raised now? By whom and in what terms?
Choice of policy instruments
policies are creative solutions to challenging puzzles, aim for outcomes in terms of:
Behaviour of individuals
Political, social or economic conditions
Services to the public
Options
Act directly
Do nothing (static response) – approach related to
Nature of problem, resources, precedent, self-correcting
Act indirectly (affirmative/promoting vs. negative/restraining)
Information (encourage, persuade, dissuade)
Expenditure (policy-driven transfers, taxes and fees)
Regulation (licenses, criminal prohibitions, other legislation)
State agency (department, programs and services)
State corporation
Third party partnership/contract
Decision Making
shaped by several factors
Constitutional and political institutions and culture
Style and goals of the government of the day
Inherent and current public agenda
Canada is characterized by formally collectivized decision-making, growing role of the PM
Implementation
Low state capacity/Volutnary
Family & community
organizations
Private market Information & exhortation
Mixed
Subsidy
Tax & user charge
Regulation
Public enterprise
High state capacity/Compulsory
Direct provision
Evaluation
modes of evaluation
Political
Technical (policy) evaluation
Legal/judicial
Influences on Policy Making
According to Miljan
Contextual (Background)
Political culture
Constitution
Economy and society
Globalisation
Geography
Proximate (More direct impact)
Cabinet
Legislature
Courts
Media
Public opinion
Political parties
Interest groups
Social movements
Media
Public Communication
Public communications shape the environment for public policy and public administration
They are central to relations between the State and its citizens
Information about government programs and services
Information as a government service
Information about the needs and views of the public
Public input to the policy process
This is reflected in related internal administrative arrangements
Government communications
Access to Information and Privacy
the medium for public policy
Dissemination of information and opinions
Formulation of images and perceptions
Shaping of public agenda and evaluations
Media are active agents in the political and governance process, deploying a range of techniques (les techniques politico-médiatiques)