1. Public Policy Process
An Introduction

2. Introduction Where does public policy come from--- Politics
Politics: a process by which societies help figure out how to organize and regulate themselves; that is, how to govern themselves.
Why “Public” in policy ? Social contract- Democracy-John Lock “power derives from the consent of the governed”
What is public and what is private?

3. Public Policy Morphology
Public Policy Process—Formulation and implementation of public policy- term “policy process” suggests that there is some sort of system that translates policy ideas into actual policies that are implemented and have positive effects.
Comparative Public Policy—Applies the logic of comparative analysis to the substance of different policy problems. Much of this work is descriptive, rather than theoretical

4. Morphology---
Public Policy Analysis—A logic of analysis and mix of techniques in support of public policy decision making--borrows heavily from economics.
Public Policy Research—Applied social science research aimed at documenting policy problems and evaluating interventions. It is problem driven- and is domain focused mostly

5. Classics—The Systems Process
Systems Thinking- input output
David Easton’s “ Systems Analysis of Political Life” 1953

6. Systems Questions
What are the characteristics of the environment that generate demands?
What are the characteristics of the political system that turns demands into output?
How do environmental inputs affect the political system?
How do characteristics of the political system affect public policy?
How do environmental characteristics affect public policy?
How does public policy through feedback, affect the environment and the political system itself?

8. A Systems Model of Policy
The Policy Environment
Inputs:
Election results
Public opinion
Communications to elected officials
Media coverage
Personal experiences
THE POLITICAL SYSTEM (“BLACK BOX”)
translates inputs into outputs
Outputs:
Laws
Regulations
Decisions
Feedback
A Systems Model of Policy

9. Focus on "the Black Box" The Institutionalist
The organizational structure
The power of each component
The composition
Rules and regulations
The coordination mechanisms

10. Alternative Selection
Agenda Setting
Issue Emergence
Enactment
Implementation
Evaluation
‘Textbook’ or ‘Stages’ Model of the Policy Process (multiple authors-Lasswel 1956)

11. Stages model--- Implies a beginning and an end
Implies an orderly step of stages
Strength: It’s a good way to organize our thinking
Weaknesses:
When does one stage end and the other begin?
Do policies move through each step?
Do policies move in order?
Does feedback always happen?
Does it feed back to the beginning, or somewhere else?

12. Kingdon’s Streams Model
An adaptation of the ―”Garbage Can’ model
The streams:
The state of politics and public opinion (the politics stream)
The potential solutions to a problem (policy stream)
Attributes of problems and the attention to them (problem stream)

13. A picture of the streams model
Problem Stream
Window of Opportunity
Policy Stream
Streams come together. Why and when?
Politics Stream
Time

15. Streams are parallel and somewhat independent of each other
Policy entrepreneurs try to join the streams in a ―window of opportunity
Window of opportunity: the possibility of policy change

17. Strengths Not as mechanical as systems/stages models
Shows how elements of the policy process happen separately and in parallel
Particularly strong in showing how alternative policies are selected and how agendas are set

18. Weaknesses of the Streams Metaphor
Doesn’t go much beyond agenda setting and alternative selection
Doesn’t really describe implementation (not a whole system model)
Not clear about the role of some actors, such as the courts (although these actors certainly fit in the model).

19. Baumgartner and Jones ―Punctuated Equilibrium
The important contribution to public policy studies:
Long periods of policy stability is followed by rapid change, followed by long periods of stability.
Policy change isn’t incremental
Policy isn’t in a state of constant instability

20. Baumgartner and Jones: ―Punctuated Equilibrium
The balance of political power between groups of interest is relatively stable over long periods of time
But this balance of power is punctuated by sudden shifts in:
Public understanding of policy problems
The balance of power between groups seeking to fight entrenched interests

21. Baumgartner and Jones: ―Punctuated Equilibrium
Policy Monopolies
Based on a coalition of government and special interest groups, they form a policy subsystem
These monopolies are controlled by a relatively few number of actors
How do policy monopolies break down?
Media attention to an issue
Changes in the policy image
Changes in the policy venue

22. Sabatier’s Advocacy Coalition Framework

23. Sabatier’s Advocacy Coalition Framework
Policy change can take a long time
There are stable and dynamic influences on the policy process
Stable influences –the policy problem, distribution of natural resources, and cultural values and social structure
Dynamic influences -Changes in socioeconomic conditions, technology, public opinion, governing coalitions

25. What does the ACF tell us?
Some features of the system are stable
External events matter and can be exploited
You can lead a coalition or be a policy broker
You need to find a policy broker as part of your agenda setting strategy.

26. Conclusion: A Complex Process
There are normally hundreds of actors from interest groups, governmental agencies, legislatures at different levels of government, researchers, journalists, and judges involved in one or more aspects of the process.
This process usually involves time spans of a decade or more
There are normally dozens of different programs involving multiple levels of government that are operating, or are being proposed for operation, in any given local
Policy debates typically involve very technical disputes over the severity of a problem, its causes, and the probable impacts of alternative policy solutions
Most issues involve deeply held values/interests, large amounts of money, and, at some point, authoritative coercion

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