Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
SUSS POL 201 Study Unit 3: Policymaking Process (Policy cycle stage 3:…
SUSS POL 201 Study Unit 3: Policymaking Process
What is policymaking
Policymaking is about constrained actors attempting to match policy goals with policy means in a process that can be characterised as
‘applied problem-solving
’
How can policy making go wrong
Often policy may go wrong because you have
wrong understanding of problem
, focus on solving
uncritical aspect
of problem, choose
unsuitable solution
, and/or use
flawed implementation
Policy cycle stage 1: Agenda-setting
Select and
scope the problem
/need worthy of attention and to be addressed
Policy cycle stage 3: Decision-making
Decide
and approve on which
solution
or course of action to adopt officially
Types of decision-making model
Rational decision model
Compare
benefits against costs
for all options possible, and select option with
highest payoff
Focus on
economic principles
(e.g. how much value/return to be obtained, how much input to be used, how well objectives to be met)
Pro
:
objectivity
with less bias, commitment to get job done
Cons
: Almost impossible to come up with full range of options and find perfect information on each option,
neglect ethics and democracy
Incremental decision model
This model Considers
a few options
which do
not differ a lot from existing policies
/initiatives, and select the most suitable option among them
Result in decisions that produce an
incremental effect
(change bit by bit)
Pros
: Less tedium,
more flexibility
in coping with issues under time constraint
Cons:
Perpetuation
and condonation of
status quo
, inability of incremental solution to solve issues that
need radical change in fundamentals
“Garbage can” model
This model regards decision-making as a chaotic and unpredictable
process using trial and error
Critical decision-making
involved, Decide on what to do, often based on what happens at the moment
assumes that problems, solutions and participants are disconnected and
exist as separate
organisational streams
Pros
: Easier way to handle great amount of uncertainties
Cons: Exploration of insufficient range of options,
non-systematic, lack of rationality
Participatory model
Consult a
diverse variety of stakeholders
(with different interests, backgrounds, perspectives, etc) during decision-making, in order to understand varied perspectives
Pros:
Democratically inclined
, ethical and promotes citizen participation.
Cons: may not necessarily be able to arrive at a 'perfect-fit solution as stake-holders may have vaired interests.
Elite theory
Reserve the
authority and privilege of making decisions to selected few elite
members
Define elite members by their knowledge level, education or status within a public organisation
Pros: No bureaucratic intertia
Cons: Authoritatrain inclined.
How to improve decision-making on policy/initiative
Organise
Base decisions on systematic analysis
Integrate
Integrate political, technical and organisational considerations and make it mandatory to
jointly consider
them, with better definition of
decision criteria
Assess
Assess
projected economic, social and environmental
impacts of options
, with cautious avoidance of biases
Trade-offs
Set
tolerance
level
for trade-offs
and determine how to manage them
(e.g. let them be, reduce them before implementation, cushion their ill effects after implementation)
Strengthen capability
Strengthen capabilityof policy analysis,
through adequate
provision of
resources, training, information
access and institutional support
Strengthen communications
Improve
intra-agency and inter-agency consultation,
cooperation and coordination
in decision-making
Policy cycle stage 5: Evaluation
Review performance
of policy/initiative during implementation and assess what can be done to improve or terminate it
Types of evaluation/assessment
process
Impact
Theory
Efficiency
Needs
Types of data and feedback collection methods
Questionnaires
and surveys
Interviews
Focus groups
Documentation
reviews
Observations
Police cycle stage 2:
Formulation
Create
list
of alternative
solutions
or courses of action to address the problem/need
Policy cycle stage 4: Implementation
Roll out and
execute policy
/initiative based on solution or course of action selected
Stakeholder engagement
There is a growing involvement of various non-state stakeholders in the policy processes, due to the trends of
citizen participation
and
collaborative governance
, as well as the benefits that stakeholder involvement can bring