Policy Analysis: Problem Definition

• The common approach to policy analysis involves steps within rational problem-solving.
• A policy analysis comprises five steps: defining and analyzing the problem, constructing policy alternatives, developing evaluative criteria, assessing alternatives, and drawing conclusions.
• Policy analysis is shaped by the orientation and types of analysis used.
• When defining a problem, each public policy student should research a key issue/problem and provide a clear definition, without advocating for a particular solution, but offering a thorough description.
• Responses should include a title, executive summary (2-3 sentences), and a summary explaining the issue, its importance, root causes, and current policies.
• Assignments should be between 500 and 750 words, excluding the title and executive summary.
• Policy makers can act on the information, so clarity and conciseness are important.

Defining and Analyzing the Problem

• Questions to consider include: What is the problem? Where does it exist? Who is affected? How did it develop? What are the major causes? How can policy action improve the situation? How might the causes be affected by policy actions?
• This step involves referring to unsatisfactory conditions for which relief or improvement is sought via community groups or co-ops.
• It involves describing the set of conditions and their magnitude through data collection.
• It focuses on clarifying conditions and defining them to help create accurate measurements.
• Analysts go beyond gathering information to understand the connections within the problem.

Constructing Policy Alternatives

• Questions to consider include: What policy options might address the problem?
• Policy change is challenging, and governments have limited actions, tools, and instruments they can fully utilize at once.
• Maintaining the status quo is a strong mechanism if creative solutions are lacking (e.g., Yacht/cruise ship example).

Developing Evaluation Criteria

• Questions to consider include: What criteria are most suitable for the problem and alternative? What are the costs of actions? What will the costs be if no action is taken? What is likely effectiveness? What is the social and political feasibility or equality of alternatives?
• Analysts begin assessing potential saliency and determine suitable evaluation criteria based on effectiveness and likelihood of success.
• Efficiency and feasibility (political feasibility/risk, bi-partisan support) are also considered.
• Fracking is a big issue of natural gas in the U.S.

Assessing the Alternatives

• Questions to consider include: Which alternatives are better? What analysis can distinguish between better or worse policy alternatives? Is evidence available, and how can it be produced if not?
• Analysts consider alternatives to the status quo and make judgements on how well each policy fits the most likely criteria.
• Analysts would rank the options based on overall feasibility and the most efficient way to achieve the biggest outcome.
• Evidence availability is key to discussing alternatives.

Drawing Conclusions

• Questions to consider here include: Which policy option is most desirable given the circumstances and evaluative criteria? What other factors should be considered?
• Most analysts aim to identify the most desirable option.
• Choosing the most desirable option is not always required, analysts do not often recommend a single policy.
• Decision-making can be left to policymakers or the public through referendums, where people vote on policies following sufficient ballot signatures.
• All analysis is partial and limited, and recommendations may or may not work.
• This also means there is consideration of the level of uncertainty/nature of the work.

Policy Analysis Orientations

• Scientific orientation focuses on truth, theory building, actions, the scientific method, and its effects, but may not have a broad audience.
• Professional orientation involves research, synthesizing, and lots of evaluations, similar to think tanks (e.g., heritage foundation, GAO).
• Political orientation is advocating for supporting policies.

Analysis

• Problem analysis uses methods to analyze the causes of public problems, their effects, and potential solutions.
• Problem analyses start with basic questions: How did the problem come about? What are its major causes? What does the problem entail? What do we already know about it? What are the possible solutions? Why should it be considered a matter of public policy?
• When addressing public problems, measurement is important to assess the size/scope/scale of the issue being examined.
• Descriptions of situations vary depending on the policy actor's solution.

Problem Analysis Components

• Defining and analyzing the problem involves painting a picture of its impacts and compiling a strategic data set.
• Analysts should look for patterns to understand and analyze causes.
• Foreshadowing solutions and recognizing that nothing exists entirely without problems.

Nature of the Problem

• Problem analysis starts by defining and answering basic questions: How did the problem originate? What are its components? Who has already worked on it? Why should people/politicians care?
• Public problems often have multiple causes, and policymakers may disagree (which is the most important issue/why people should care as far as public policy makers go).
• It can be difficult to determine the magnitude of issues, such as environmental problems.

Additional Factors

• Analysts should apply this approach to issues surrounding the economy.
• They also learn how to handle the policies of this?
• Analysts should also learn to cut through nonsense.
• Measurement is crucial in problem analysis/public problems.
• Operational measurements are a way to define policy problems, such as poverty or literacy rates.
• It's emphasized that definitions are important for understanding the issue.
• Specific ways to define and measure a policy problem are often used with quantitative numbers.
• Analysts use quantitative measures to get a sense of the problem, but they need not necessarily pick qualitative or quantitative.

Politics in Problem Definitions

• This involves the strategic definition of defining situations and setting agendas.
• The process becomes strategic, considering how likely the status quo is to change.
• Time horizons should be considered, including projecting the world's future.
• Be prepared to portray things in a way that is beneficial.
• When thinking about a problem, consider both its causes and possible solutions.
• Define the problem regarding education quality.
• Measure the problem and determine its extent or magnitude.
• Think about the causes and set goals or objectives to determine what can be done.

Problem Analysis

• Step Two Measure the problem as part of major components of problem analysis.
• Data can be obtained from reliable sources, and measurement can be tailored to educational quality (e.g., determine the extent or magnitude of an issue in graduation rates.)
• Major components of problem analysis also include: Step 4 setting goals or objectives, (eg. what should be done about the problem and why).

Alternatives and Actions

• Trump delaying products for one month (USMCA) - treaty says no tariffs with countries in this agreement.
• Some governments have actions to deal with public problems including: regulation, subsidizing, Rationing, taxing and spending, contracting out, using market incentives, privatizing, charging fees, educating, creating public trusts, and conducting research.
• Analysts must assesses the alternatives, and consider cost-benefit analysis.
• Going through problem analysis helps to clarify goals and address issues, potentially keeping policies in place with added funding.
• Providing more money, raising standards, and use of fines/penalties are actions to address problem.
• Policymakers may try different institutional approaches like reorganization.
• There is also the option to allocate funds, or use institutional reforms.

Government actions textbook

• Governments can regulate, license, and enforce standards.
• Governments may subsidize, with loans, direct payments/benefits, tax credits, or price supports.
• Governments can also ration, by way of limiting access to scarce resources (e.g., permits for backpacking in national parks).
• Tax activities to encourage or discourage behavior.
• Contract options include contracting in government services, or buying products.
• Another choice is to implement market incentives, such as Raising gasoline taxes to encourage conservation of fuel and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
• Transferring public services from government to the private sector ( turning over management of public school or correctional institutions to private companies).
• Fees for select services (e.g., hunting and fishing licenses).
• Provide information in public through programs and other actions.
• Hold public property in trust for citizens indefinitely.
• Conduct/support research to drive support and development.

Daylight Savings

• While the idea is to conserve energy, studies suggest it doesn't.
• Different states/counties could opt into daylight savings or not –up to the states.
• Legislation to get rid of daylight savings put house never passed it.
• Assess and evaluate these based on cost benefit analysis.
• Evaluations focus on effectiveness and all alternatives need to con constitutional
• Basic steps for cost-benefit analysis are: Identify costs and benefits, measure those costs in dollar terms, adjust measurements considering time value, and compare if costs outweigh benefits.

Assessing and Evaluating Alternatives

• Analysts consider if one alternative is more effective or cheaper than another and assess options for maximum population benefit.
• Proposals are eventually our outcomes.
• It is important to argue why you are doing this
• Challenging it in court (federal system)
• If declared unconstitutional the result is that it cannot continue (stop)If declared unconstitutional —and the state/policy maker says NO..
• An enforcement mechanism by judicial system —-enforced by executive branch
• If the executive does not enforce, then the system falls apart.
• Constitution crisis (our entire policy making is based off trust)
• Herculean task to identify in one task

Evaluation Criteria

• Effectiveness is the likelihood of achieving policy goals (used in all government programs)
• Efficiency is achievement of program goals relative to costs (Regulatory policies, such as consumer product protection)
• Equity is fairness in distribution of costs, benefits, and risks (Civil rights, disability rights, tax cuts)
• Liberty/freedom is the extent to which public policy extends or restricts privacy and individual rights and choices. Proposed national identification cards, restrictions on internet use, property rights.
• Political feasibility is the extent to which officials accept and support a policy proposal - Any controversial policy, such as gun control.
• Social acceptability is the extent to which the public will accept and support a policy proposal- Expansion of agency duties, use of new policy approaches or new technologies.

Evaluation and Policy

• Evaluation methods have strengths and weaknesses (SWOT).
• Evaluation is more than financial considerations.
• Methods can clarify policy choices and most common method is cost-benefit analysis.
• Analysts must Public health or a cost-efficient measure in dollar terms.

conducting a cost-benefiting analysis

• Multiple levels —interconnected things are step identify
• Step 1 is to identify costs and benefits
• Step 2: Measure costs and benefits in dollar terms, Don't hide behind data
• Step 3: Adjust the measurements for changed in value over time
• Issues include immediacy / emergency situations related .
• Step 4: is when you are to sum up and compare all, then out weigh the benefits or vice versa. A conclusion from all steps would be next.

Plastic Bag Bans

• Public problem: Plastic bags end up somewhere.
• Implementing bans reduces plastic in waterways/trash islands
• Banning reduces wastes and helps address environmental problem.
• It is important to monitor how effective the ban is by collecting data in how much is collected, and its return on investment.
• The solution is not only nationally, but globally.
• Public by in and Education is needed for plastic banns.
• It is important also for incentives to pick up plastic bags. For One bag for 10 cents) or bring your own cup for a discount.
• Another important element for solution relates culture (demographics —rural/city)
• Enforcing may require honor system.