Lecture 2: Public Policy Making and Analysis PDF

# LECTURE 2 ## PUBLIC POLICY MAKING AND ANALYSIS (DPM 4100) ### PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS AND AGENDA SETTING "Wishful Thinking is not Sound Public Policy" Bjorn Lomborg ## The Public Policy Analysis - What is Policy Analysis? It's a process of identifying potential policy options that could addres...

# LECTURE 2 ## PUBLIC POLICY MAKING AND ANALYSIS (DPM 4100) ### PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS AND AGENDA SETTING "Wishful Thinking is not Sound Public Policy" Bjorn Lomborg ## The Public Policy Analysis - What is Policy Analysis? It's a process of identifying potential policy options that could address the problem and then comparing those options to choose the most effective, efficient, and feasible one. (CDC Webpage) Finding out what governments do, why they do it, and what difference, if any, it makes. (Thomas Dye, 2011) - Policy Analysis as an Art and Craft It is an art because it requires insight, creativity, and imagination to formulate and implement public policies. It is a craft because these tasks require some knowledge of economics, political science, public administration, sociology, law. (Thomas Dye, 2011) ## The Public Policy Analysis cont'd - Why is policy analysis important? It ensures a thorough and systematic process to choose the policy option that may be best for your situation. - Who is Involved in Public Policy Analyses? - People affected by the policy; - Subject matter experts; and - Public officials and administrators ## The Public Policy Analysis cont'd - How the Analysis of Public Policy is Conducted? a. Determine the problem b. Examine the policy goals c. Establish the criteria (Equity, Legality, Effectiveness, Cost and Benefit, Political and Social Acceptability, etc) d. Identify the alternatives e. Show strengths and weaknesses of each alternative f. Report, implement, monitor, and evaluate the policy ## Public Policy Models - There are several ways of viewing public policies. a. Institutionalism: Policy as the output of an institution. The National Assembly is supreme body for policymaking. This body enacts government policies, which are binding on all citizens. >* The image shows a building and a meeting room. b. Process: Public Policy as a Political Activity. >* The image shows a cycle with six stages: Problem Identification, Agenda Setting, Policy Formulation, Policy Implementation, Policy Evaluation, Policy Legitimization. c. Incrementalism: Policy as Variation on the Past. This policy model sees public policy as a continuation of past government activities with incremental modification. >* The image shows a bar chart showing the incremental evolution of a policy over the years 2002 to 2007. d. Group Theory: Policy as Equilibrium in Group Struggle. Individuals with common interests band together to press their demands on government. Public policy is the product of a group struggle from the organized masses. >* The image shows five stick figures holding hands and standing on a puzzle piece. e. Elite Theory: Policy as Elite Preference. The ruling elite has presence and influence of the governmental decision-making. >* The image shows a pyramid with the following components: >* Elite - at the top of the pyramid >* Officials & Administrators - in the middle >* Mass - at the bottom of the pyramid e. Public Choice Theory: It assumes that individuals and organisations seek to maximize their personal benefit in politics as well as in the market place. It holds that individuals are motivated mainly by self-interest >* The image shows a curve with the following components: >* Party A and Party B - represent two political parties >* PEE PEE PEE CEE/Liberal and Conservative /APN NEW - represent two political extremes >* Arrows - indicate the parties' policy position e. Game Theory: Rational Choice in Competitive Situations. This is where two or more rational participants have choices to make and the outcome depends on the choices made by each. Read about the Prisoners' Dilemma f. Rationalism: A rational policy achieves "maximum social gain"; that is, governments should choose policies resulting in gains to society that exceed costs by the greatest amount, and governments should refrain from policies if costs exceed gains. ## AGENDA SETTING - This is the idea of what the public thinks that is carried by the media. - The news plays an important part in shaping political and social realities. >* The image shows a diagram with three circles: >* Reality >* 'Media reality' - The media's agenda >* Public perception of 'reality' ## AGENDA SETTING When a Problem Becomes an Agenda Item? - It has reached crisis proportions and can no longer be ignored. - It has achieved particularity, in which the issue is part of a larger issue. - It has emotive aspects, or attracts media attention because of a human interest angle. - It has widespread impact. - It is fashionable