Problem Definition and Agenda Setting
55 Questions
0 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

Which of the following is NOT one of the four parts of problem definition?

  • Claim that the government is responsible for solving the problem
  • Identification of the problem
  • Description of why it is a problem
  • Identification of potential solutions (correct)

    • In the resource dependency model, which of the following statements is most accurate?

  • Less resourceful groups often have more influence if they collaborate.
  • Influence is determined primarily by public opinion, not resource availability.
  • All groups have equal influence over the government regardless of resources.
  • More resourceful groups tend to exert greater influence on policy-making. (correct)

    • What does the convergence thesis imply about developed countries?

  • They face unique problems that do not overlap.
  • They should have different approaches to problem-solving.
  • They have no influence on global issue framing.
  • They share similar problems due to common economic structures. (correct)

    • What are 'Expanders' and 'Containers' in the context of problem definition?

    <p>Agents pushing to publicize issues and those who resist such publicity due to potential negative effects.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following factors does NOT influence how a problem is framed?

    <p>Timing of elections</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary characteristic of Beveridge systems?

    <p>They aim for universal coverage regardless of employment status.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a risk associated with increased life expectancy and below-replacement fertility?

    <p>Challenges in financial sustainability of pension systems.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor is NOT a determinant of reform capacity in pension systems?

    <p>Employment rates in the private sector.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do defined benefit schemes differ from defined contribution schemes?

    <p>Defined benefit schemes calculate benefits based on earnings over a career.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which system has been shown to have the lowest degree of vertical redistribution among elderly individuals?

    <p>Bismarckian systems.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the double payment problem in pension systems?

    <p>Paying workers while also supporting retirees.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a parametric reform to pension systems?

    <p>Raising the retirement age.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of pension is administered through employer contributions as part of an employee benefits package?

    <p>Occupational pensions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What strategy can help politicians avoid blame when reforming pension systems?

    <p>Obfuscation strategy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who generally manages state-supervised pension schemes?

    <p>Employer and worker representatives.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect does a high degree of business coordination in an economy have on social policy spending?

    <p>It leads to higher spending on social policies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant challenge to family policy in modern economies?

    <p>The decline of the male breadwinner-female carer model.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor is correlated with higher maternal employment rates?

    <p>Public spending on childcare and preschool education.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of leave is specifically focused on providing care in the home?

    <p>Care leave.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group is least likely to benefit from care allowances in France?

    <p>Solo mothers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a direct effect of increasing female employment in a postindustrial economy?

    <p>Increase in low-paid, insecure jobs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What impact do parental leave policies have on gender roles?

    <p>Reinforce traditional gender norms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do child poverty levels compare across different countries?

    <p>There are considerable differences in child poverty rates among countries.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main function of pension systems?

    <p>To smooth consumption across different life stages.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of pension scheme guarantees a predefined benefit amount?

    <p>Defined benefit scheme.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What pension system relies on contributions from current employees to pay the pensions of retirees?

    <p>Pay-as-you-go (PAYG).</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which gender pattern is often observed in parental leave policies?

    <p>Women taking leave more often than men.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What correlation exists between benefit generosity and fertility rates?

    <p>There is no direct relationship between generosity and fertility rates.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which region are family policies generally considered most effective?

    <p>Scandinavian countries.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is emphasized in interest/actor based frameworks regarding policy change?

    <p>Preferences and beliefs of key actors involved in policy-making</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic feature of institutional based frameworks?

    <p>They analyze the impact of institutional rules and norms on policy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do structure frameworks explain policy change?

    <p>By emphasizing unforeseen external factors and events</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does the 'Piggy Bank' play in welfare states?

    <p>Provides equality of opportunity and insurance against life risks</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group of countries generally had the highest social expenditure growth from 1980-2005?

    <p>Nordic and Continental group countries</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has been a significant pressure on welfare states since the 1980s?

    <p>Rising globalisation and tax competition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factor primarily influences cross-national variation in the extent of retrenchment?

    <p>Economic conditions and demographic shifts</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which family policy model is characterized by minimal family support and gender-neutral provisions?

    <p>Liberal/Gender Neutral</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key objective of family policy?

    <p>To increase female employment and gender equality</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the 'Robin Hood' role of the welfare state emphasize?

    <p>Wealth redistribution for social equality</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes a male breadwinner family policy model?

    <p>Women's benefits are derived through their husband's employment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary reason for decreased fertility rates affecting welfare states?

    <p>Higher life expectancy and aging populations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What influences the likelihood of retrenchment policies in a welfare state?

    <p>High centralization of policy formation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the systematic agenda primarily composed of?

    <p>All societal problems demanding government attention</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which model emphasizes that outsiders initiate an issue for reform?

    <p>Outside-initiative model</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does mass media play in agenda setting?

    <p>It amplifies public perception and awareness of issues</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group is primarily involved in the drafting stage of policy making?

    <p>Ministerial bureaucracy and experts</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What describes a veto player in the context of policy adoption?

    <p>An individual or group that must agree to maintain the status quo</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about the issue attention model is true?

    <p>It suggests public perception shifts from increased interest to boredom</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What impact do institution-based perspectives have on agenda setting?

    <p>They suggest that institutions occasionally define the agenda</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key characteristic of cooperative veto players?

    <p>They have no incentive to change the status quo</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the power distribution perspective view conflicts in agenda setting?

    <p>It posits that the key factor is the distribution of power among contestants</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor is considered a veto point in policy adoption?

    <p>An aspect of the constitution that can block decisions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines the 'Funnel of Causality Perspective' in agenda setting?

    <p>It emphasizes independent existence of problems and solutions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the role of international organizations in drafting policies?

    <p>They propose ideas that may impact policy proposals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect does an increase in the number of veto players have on policy change?

    <p>It makes achieving policy changes more difficult</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Problem Definition and Agenda Setting

    • Problem definition is crucial for effective decision-making, encompassing four key elements: identifying the problem, explaining why it's a problem, pinpointing the causes, and asserting government responsibility.

    • Problem Construction: Both objective (data-driven) and subjective (ideology-driven) factors shape how problems are defined.

    • Objective factors include economic trends and structural issues, while subjective factors involve opinions, worldviews, and ideologies.

    • Agenda Setting: Not all problems reach the policy agenda. The conditions for a problem to become a public issue, demanding government attention and action, are key aspects of agenda setting.

    • Agenda Setting Processes: Outside initiatives (media attention, public lobbying), internal strategies (government departments pushing issues), and public perception (issue attention cycles) influence an issue's position on the agenda.

    • Agenda Types: Systematic (all societal problems needing government attention), and institutional (formal government consideration and action). Power structure significantly impacts what issues make it onto the agenda.

    • Analytical Perspectives: Different theories - process patterns (socioeconomic), power distribution (cleavage approach), institutional (historical institutionalism), contingency (sociological and rational choice), and the funnel of causality - provide various frameworks for understanding how problems enter the policy agenda.

    Decision-Making and Policy Change

    • Decision-Making Stages: Policy-making involves drafting (involving government, bureaucracy, experts, interest groups, IOs) and adoption (requiring parliamentary approval or similar institutional processes).

    • Actors in Drafting Stage: Bureaucracy, experts, international organizations, interest groups, and the government itself all play a role in developing policy proposals.

    • Actors in Adoption Stage: Public actors (parliament, chambers, courts) are involved in decisions on adopting policy proposals.

    • Policy Adoption: Institutional Determinants:

    • Veto points and players (Tsebelis): Veto points are potential bottlenecks causing policy stall. Veto players are individuals or groups whose agreement is essential for policy change. Institutional veto players include executive, legislature, and judiciary. This further includes partisan veto players (e.g., a president's party, coalition groups) and competitive/cooperative veto players.

    • Veto Player Characteristics: Number, ideological compatibility, and cohesion impact the likelihood of policy change.

    • Theories of Policy Change: Interest/Actor-based, Institutional-based, and Structure-based frameworks provide different perspectives.

    Welfare State

    • Welfare State Roles: 'Piggy bank' approach focusing on equality of opportunity and insurance, and ‘Robin Hood’ emphasizing redistribution and promoting equality.

    • Welfare Spending Trends: While trends show increases, there are large variations across countries in overall spending on welfare programs. Different countries prioritize different programs (e.g., health vs. pensions).

    • Cross-National Welfare State Variations: The degree of centralized power and the involvement of interest groups in welfare policy-making differ across countries influencing the effectiveness and reach of welfare state programmes.

    • Pressures on Welfare States: Globalization, unemployment, lower economic growth rates, demographic changes (aging population), and changing lifestyles put increasing demands on welfare systems

    • Explaining Cross-National Variation in Retrenchment: Economic conditions, demographic trends, labour market structure, interest group representation, and institutional structures influence how successfully a country might resist or adopt welfare retrenchment measures.

    Family Policy

    • Family Policy Functions: Prevent child poverty, boost child well-being, encourage fertility, and promote gender equality via various subsidies and benefits.

    • Family Policy Models: Male breadwinner, liberal/gender-neutral, and gender-egalitarian models represent different approaches to family support, often influenced by different social and political structures and power structures.

    • Explaining Different Policy Choices: Left-wing mobilization, Christian Democratic influences, institutional factors (veto points), and business coordination patterns can explain the varying design and characteristics of family policy strategies across countries.

    • Challenges to Family Policy: Changes in the industrial economy, marriage structures, fertility rates, and increased female participation in the workforce, all strain family policies.

    • Family Policy Success Indicators: Fertility rates, female employment, and child poverty rates are used to assess the effectiveness of family policies across various countries.

    Pension Policy

    • Pension System Functions Provide stability in consumption, insurance against longevity risks, and poverty alleviation.

    • Pension Type: Bismarckian (e.g., Germany) systems emphasize earnings-related contributory schemes. Beveridgian (e.g., UK) systems are characterized by universal, state-run, flat-rate benefits.

    • Pension Scheme types Fully Funded, Defined Benefit (DB), and Defined Contribution (DC) schemes differ in how much uncertainty is presented in future returns.

    • Challenges to Pension Systems: Increased life expectancy and lower fertility rates create financial strain on pension systems. Demographic changes, fluctuating employment, and pressures for changes in social insurance create further difficulties.

    • Pension Reform Strategies: Structural reforms (introducing new pillars) and parametric reforms (adjusting age of retirement) reflect diverse methods to secure pension funds and cope with demographic challenges.

    • Determinants of Reform Capacity: demographic, economic, and budgetary pressures, power structures, and political environment heavily influence the feasibility of implementing pension reforms.

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Description

    This quiz explores the vital concepts of problem definition and agenda setting in decision-making processes. It covers the elements of defining problems, the influences of objective and subjective factors, and the dynamics that allow issues to reach the policy agenda. Understand how external and internal forces shape public issues and impact government action.

    More Like This

    Research Problem Definition Quiz
    10 questions

    Research Problem Definition Quiz

    CapableTropicalRainforest avatar
    CapableTropicalRainforest
    Problem Definition: True vs Perceived Problems
    11 questions

    Perceived Problem Meaning Quiz & Flashcards

    CorrectSarod avatar
    CorrectSarod
    Problem Definition in Computer Programming
    19 questions

    Problem Definition in Programming Quiz and Flashcards

    GoldenLagrange avatar
    GoldenLagrange
    Research Problem Definition
    10 questions

    Research Problem Definition

    UndisputedSatyr avatar
    UndisputedSatyr
    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Open
    Browser
    Browser