Policy Analysis, in theory and in practice

Question 1

Policy analysis - why do it?

Answer 1

• Why do it?
– Explaining policychange:
• Policy Analysis ≠ policy report (a report for decision makers)
–Betterunderstandingofkeyelementsdrivingchangeorshapingresults; – Strongerpositiontobringaboutchangeornegotiateoutcomes;
– Awarenessofpoliticisationofhealth;
– Avoidrepeatingerrors,learnfrompastexperiences.

Question 2

Retrospective and Prospective policy analysis

Answer 2

• Retrospective – Analysis of policies: Taking account of change
– Explaining what has happened
– Identifying causal/determining factors
– Comparing to other cases
– Recognising patterns of mechanisms within contexts
– Hypothesising about similar situations
• Prospective–Analysisforpolicy: Bringingaboutchange
– Analysing the current situation
– Identifying policy needs
– Recognising opportunities for change
– Acting to make changes
Purpose: ‘to show how to win the policy wars without giving up on the science and evidence that goes into effectivepolicy-making.’ (KennethPrewitt)

Question 3

Rational policy process criticism

Answer 3

• Rarely a good description of reality
• Not a ‘causal theory’ – no causal drivers within or across stages
• Sequence of stages may be inaccurate
• Top down bias for passing major legislation

Question 4

Other models of policy process analysis

Answer 4

• Incrementalism
– Policy change is typically characterised by small changes at the
margins
– Constraints on how much change can be made
– Policies have long histories and many elements
• Mixed models
– Punctuated equilibrium – periods of ‘stability’ and incremental
change with interruptions of crisis and more major changes
– Mixed scanning – Policy makers focus on small issues while also surveying the landscape for opportunities for major changes

Question 5

Multiple Lenses (Cairney, 2007) for Complex problems

Answer 5

• Multiplelensesapproach
– No one approach will explain all cases
– Risk of fitting the case study to the theory/model
pre-selected
– Multiple important insights
• ‘A series of perspectives’ to view an issue
• Some will provide more points for action, more useful to guide
policy development
– Not searching for the ‘best’ theory/model, but instead trying to see what different ones can do for your understanding.

Question 6

Interest-based theories

Answer 6

• Focus on how individual and group interests lead to policy change - may reflect ideologies of power (e.g. marxism)
• E.g. Rational Choice Theory
– Based on self-interest
– Often economic in orientation
– Policy change follows from groups pursuing their interests
– Underlying concepts often draw on pluralist assumptions or beliefs with regard to power and structure of political activity.

Question 7

Institutional approaches

Answer 7

• Focusonhowthestructureofthepoliticalsystem shapes what is achievable.
– Different approaches:
• Physical entities (legislature, committees, etc)
• Rules and regulations – accepted strategies for given
situations.
• Broader norms, ways of working, understanding of issues in society.

Question 8

Institutions and Power

Answer 8

• Politicalinstitutionsshapewhatisfeasible – The ability to raise/debate particular issues
• 2nd Dimension of power – the ‘corridors of power’ and the structures that facilitate or hinder particular issues being raised
– The ways people understand the importance of issues
• 3rd Dimension of power – social institutions affect how
we think about issues (marriage, sex, morality, freedoms, etc.)

Question 9

Ideational approaches

Answer 9

• Ideas drive policy change
– Vastvarietyofconceptsmaybeclassifiedundertheheadingof‘ideas’.
E.g.:
• Structural Adjustment, MDGs, ‘Ending Poverty’
– Questionofifideasfunctionindependentlyinpolicyprocesses
• Underlying beliefs shape policy features:
– Individualistorcollectiveresponsibility?
– ‘Freedom’ofcertainbehaviours(horseriding)butnotothers(ecstasy
taking)
– Moralorsocialassociationsofitemswithhealthimplications(alcohol
vs marajuana, ‘appropriate’ sexual behaviour vs sexual freedom, etc)
• Cognitive framing processes affect how information is understood and what ‘makes sense’

Question 10

Network theory

Answer 10

• Emphasis on the importance of groups
– Which key actors have access/influence and why
– How key communities may dominate the policy agenda
• Policy is about associational relationships so behaviour of policy makers must be understood in reference to groups
– If assume equal access to form and join groups, then effectively represents pluralism
• Some authors more formally undertake network mapping and analysis