Public Policy Praxis - Theory and Pragmatism : A Case Approach

by Clemons, Randy S.; McBeth, Mark K.

• ISBN13: 9780130258823
• ISBN10: 0130258822
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-01-01
• Publisher: Longman

Summary

This readable and conceptual approach to public policy carefully balances theory and practice-unlike most other books, which either lack theory or lack practicality. The authors combine positivist and postpositivist perspectives on policy analysis, supported by interesting and useful cases. Explores the political basis of policy making and analysis, with a careful eye toward readers' practical needs. Provides models and tools, along with the analytical knowledge necessary for policy analysis. Discusses the limitations, practical political problems, and ethical implications of different techniques and methodologies. Discusses value conflict, power, political systems, democracy, subjectivity, and ambiguity. A comprehensive reference for professionals in public administration or anyone interested in learning about public policy formulation.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Part I Theory and Practice	1	(132)
Public Policy, Power, the People, Pluralism, and You	1	(42)
Case: ``Drug Abuse and Waterville''	1	(2)
Introduction	3	(1)
Value Conflict	3	(5)
A Political System	8	(3)
Public Policy and Linkage Mechanisms	11	(5)
Power and Policymaking	16	(1)
An Ideal (Direct) Democracy	16	(3)
Representative Democracy	19	(1)
Interest Group Democracy	20	(1)
Elitism	21	(3)
Elite Democracy: The Irony of Democracy	24	(1)
Effect of Power Structures on the Policy Analyst	25	(1)
Stakeholder Analysis	26	(4)
Concluding Thoughts	30	(1)
Key Concepts	30	(1)
Glossary Terms	31	(1)
References	31	(12)
Case: Nightcrawlers and Cappuccino: The Old West versus the New West	32	(11)
The Rational Public Policy Method	43	(15)
Genesis of the Rational Model	43	(4)
A Critical Reaction	47	(1)
The Rational Model	48	(4)
Mini-Case: McNamara's Retrospective: Rational Decision Making?	49	(3)
Rationality or Something Else?	52	(3)
Mini-Case: The Small Town Health Clinic	53	(2)
Model Evaluation	55	(1)
Concluding Thoughts	56	(1)
Key Concepts	57	(1)
Glossary Terms	57	(1)
References	57	(1)
Critiques of the Rational Approach	58	(21)
Examples of the Power of Nonrational Explanations	58	(2)
Critiques of the Rational Model	60	(17)
Mini-Case: Policy Analysis, Ethics, and Role	67	(10)
Concluding Thoughts	77	(1)
Key Concepts	77	(1)
Glossary Terms	77	(1)
References	77	(2)
The Monrational (Political) Approach	79	(54)
Essence and Overview of the Policy Process	79	(4)
Problem Identification/Gaining Agenda Status	83	(4)
Policy Formulation, Adoption, and Funding	87	(1)
Policy Implementation	88	(1)
Policy Evaluation, Adjustment, Termination	88	(5)
Mini-Case: The Pocatello Prison Sitting Story: A Case of Politics	89	(4)
Concluding Thoughts	93	(1)
Key Concepts	93	(1)
Glossary Terms	93	(1)
References	93	(40)
Case: The Expansion of Human Services in Allegheny County, 1968-95	94	(39)
Part II Practice and Theory	133	(188)
A Pragmatic Public Policy Analysis Method	133	(42)
The Rational Public Policy Analysis Method: History and Form	134	(2)
A Five-Step Method	136	(14)
Summary of the Five-Step Method	150	(1)
Concluding Thoughts	150	(1)
Key Concepts	151	(1)
Glossary Terms	152	(1)
References	152	(23)
Case: Playing Politics: Bison, Brucellosis, Business, and Bureaucrats	152	(23)
Postpositivist Problem Definition and Praxis	175	(59)
The Two Tracks of Policy Analysis	175	(7)
The Ambiguous and Subjective Nature of Events in the System	182	(8)
What Is the ``Truth'' and How Are Policies Generated?	190	(4)
Stone's Symbolic Representation of Problem Definition	194	(2)
Other Critics of Postivism	196	(2)
Postpositivist Tools	198	(7)
Using Language in Problem Definition: The Yellowstone Bison Controversy	205	(8)
Concluding Thoughts	213	(1)
Key Concepts	214	(1)
Glossary Terms	214	(1)
References	214	(10)
Case: School Shooting and Focus Group Research: A Postpositivist Method of Problem Definition	217	(7)
Governor's Statement on Diseased Bison	224	(2)
Focus Groups and the Yellowstone Bison Controversy	226	(3)
Content Analysis and the Bison Case	229	(5)
Doing Democracy: A New Fifth Step	234	(37)
Defining Democracy	234	(10)
Structuring Democracy	244	(6)
Democratizing Steps I-IV and the New Fifth Step	250	(3)
Doing Democracy: A Postpositivist Approach	253	(12)
Ethics as Democracy	265	(3)
Concluding Thoughts	268	(1)
Mini-Case: Southern-Fried Analyst	268	(1)
Key Concepts	268	(1)
Glossary Terms	269	(1)
References	269	(2)
The Positivist Toolbox	271	(50)
Introduction	272	(2)
Sheila the Policy Analyst	274	(1)
Sampling and Mail Surveys	274	(13)
Extrapolation and Forecasting	287	(3)
Measures of Central Tendency	290	(4)
Deflating Money	294	(3)
Per Capita Analysis	297	(1)
Discounting	298	(4)
Cost Benefit Analysis	302	(15)
Concluding Thoughts	317	(1)
Key Concepts	317	(1)
Glossary Terms	317	(1)
References	317	(1)
Problems	318	(2)
Answers to Problems	320	(1)
Part III Praxis	321	(3)
The Conclusion: Praxis	321	(3)
Mini-Case: Drug Abuse and Waterville	322	(1)
Concluding Thoughts	323	(1)
Appendix: Researching on the Net	324	(6)
Use of the Internet for Research	324	(1)
Evaluating Internet Sites	325	(2)
Key Sites	327	(2)
Concluding Thoughts	329	(1)
Glossary	330	(4)
Index	334

Excerpts

PREFACE When we wrotePublic Policy Praxiswe were guided by several underlying principles. We believed that the book must be all of the following: practical as well as theoretical useful as well as cutting edge fun as well as thorough focused on the great issues and big themes as well as on specific techniques about the politics of the policy process as well as how to do policy analysis both readable and teachable Although our book targets future and current professional policy analysts, anyone who wants to understand and affect public policy (e.g., elected officials, citizen activists, interest group leaders, public administrators) must be a policy analyst. The genesis of this book was a discussion we had about policy cases. Although both of us believe in and utilize case studies, they are often too technical and fail to capture the essence of politics. They seldom require the application of the techniques the chapters introduce, or make clear the relationship of the concepts and theories covered in the chapters to what the students are to do with the cases. We complained that we had increasingly found ourselves writing our own cases. Moreover, the policy analysis texts available gave short shrift to politics, democracy, and how policy is made. We both believe that knowledge is as important as skills. So we were supplementing our cases with reserve readings, and writing lectures concerning politics, power, democracy, and the social construction of problems as well as policies. So we decided to write a case book with self-contained cases--that is, each case would be preceded by a discussion of a major topic. Students would complete the case--using the information, learning the material, and recognizing the importance of theory by doing. As it turned out, the self-contained case write-ups became full-scale chapters. The result is a public policy analysis book that we hope helps move the teaching of policy analysis in a direction that is more democratic--but ultimately practical. Our book is, essentially, a postpositivist view of social construction. Gone is the hegemonic, sometimes almost exclusive, emphasis on rational decision-making models. Instead the balance is tipped toward discussions of value conflict, power, political systems, democracy, subjectivity, and ambiguity. We think of policy analysis as requiring a combination of knowledge and skills. As in our classrooms, we teach "how to" but also teach the limitations, practical political problems, and ethical implications of different techniques and methodologies. Policy analysis is larger than, and often encompasses, program evaluation or productivity measurement. Our definition of policy analysis includes the initiation of policy as well as the review of or implementation of policy. Whatever the level of analysis, ultimately the goal usually is to establish a bottom line that facilitates decision making. This often leads to a focus on technical efficiency, cost-benefit analysis (CBA), and other efforts such as output measures, per unit cost estimates, client satisfaction surveys, statistical testing, and decision trees. Originally, policy analysis was seen as a way to assist democratic decision making. Somehow, along the way, policy analysis became part of elite and expert decision making. The theory and knowledge of politics, power structures, and the subjective human construction of public problem definitions was lost in a forest of rational decision models, complicated mathematical and analytical tools, microeconomics, and other scientific techniques. Yet good policy analysis requires investigation into the major actors and their roles, the political context (including economic conditions, social conditions, dominant values and beliefs), and the goals or purposes of the policy (which takes us to the crucial ideas of problem definition, values,