Public Policy Process Pols 100 Dr. Douglas Brown February 2009

Public Policy Process What is Public Policy? Formal vs. Informal Policy and Process Rational models and alternatives Policy Communities Policy Instruments

What is Public Policy? Thomas Dye: “whatever governments choose to do, or not to do” What governments actually do can differ from what they say they do Continuous, messy, often obscured Rarely a single source for a policy How policy is made is important – i.e. narrative analysis

Formal Vs. Informal Policy Process Formal: Bureaucratically drive Bureaucratically drive Rule-bound Rule-bound Rational, at least in intent Rational, at least in intentInformal: Personal agreement, “who you know” Personal agreement, “who you know” Politicians and political staff distrustful of bureaucracy Politicians and political staff distrustful of bureaucracy Is the real world mainly personal power relationships? Is the real world mainly personal power relationships?

The Rational Model: Six Steps 1.Identify the problem 2.Determine and priorize the goals 3.Examine the alternatives 4.Review the consequences (costs) 5.Compare alternatives and consequences 6.Choose based on best fit of alternatives, consequences and goals

Alternative Models and Theories Almost all policy decisions incremental change of existing policy (Lindblom) Rationality is in fact bounded by realities, sensitivities, emotions Public officials do not always act in the public interest, but in their private interests (e.g. the “Budget maximizing bureaucrat) Within government there is often intense political conflict about what should be done.

Policy Community Model Government does not do policy in a vacuum– react with, and work with interest groups, civil society organizations. Some groups in society are more influential than others For each policy field, a network of policy actors can be identified: E.g. industry associations, unions, NGOs, other governments, media, etc. E.g. industry associations, unions, NGOs, other governments, media, etc.

Policy Instruments…. “Resources and techniques that governments have at their disposal …to affect human behaviour… Assumes that the state has the authority to exercise coercion, to issue binding rules and prohibitions, and that this will be accepted as legitimate.

The ends of policy (simplified) Either getting people (or corporations, other governments, etc.) to do something Or Getting them to stop from doing something

Three more simple categories: The policy instrument can be focused on one or all of the following: 1. changing the behaviour of individuals 1. changing the behaviour of individuals 2. changing political, economic or social conditions 2. changing political, economic or social conditions 3. providing services to the public 3. providing services to the public

Les Pal’s Typology of Policy Instruments Doing nothing Acting directly Providing a public good or service Providing a public good or service Acting indirectly Information Information Taxing and spending Taxing and spending Regulation Regulation