William N. Dunn Associate Dean and Professor University of Pittsburg
Dr. Dunn is a scholar, educator, and academic administrator. His most well-known publication is Public Policy Analysis, 4th ed.,which is one of the most widely cited books on the methodology of policy research and analysis in print.
William N. Dunn Associate Dean and Professor University of Pittsburg
Dr. Dunn is a scholar, educator, and academic administrator. His most well-known publication is Public Policy Analysis, 4th ed.,which is one of the most widely cited books on the methodology of policy research and analysis in print.
The slides discuss the basic idea about public policy, types of policies, nature of public policy, forms of policies and models/ approaches of the public policies.
Policy, procedure, types of policy, characteristics of policy & policy an...Ali jili'ow
There has been a widespread confusion among students regarding the meaning of policy and procedure and the difference between these terms, some people talk about policy, meaning of a policy and procedures manual, Others talk about policy meaning the implicit framework that guides our day to day actions on the job while still Others emphasize that policy is made by boards within an organization.
However, this paper highlight very briefly what is a policy meaning and definition of policies, types of policy stages of policy cycle, elements of policy¸ criteria for good policy, policy analysis approaches, forms of policy analysis approaches, differences between policies and procedures, characteristics of policy and stages of policy process, the paper arranged as Q/A format.
Defines the policy,lists the main features of a policy , the step by step process of policy formulation and implementation,describes the criteria to judge the efficacy and chances of success of policy and lastly the weaknesses of policy formulation in a developing country like Pakistan
The slides discuss the basic idea about public policy, types of policies, nature of public policy, forms of policies and models/ approaches of the public policies.
Policy, procedure, types of policy, characteristics of policy & policy an...Ali jili'ow
There has been a widespread confusion among students regarding the meaning of policy and procedure and the difference between these terms, some people talk about policy, meaning of a policy and procedures manual, Others talk about policy meaning the implicit framework that guides our day to day actions on the job while still Others emphasize that policy is made by boards within an organization.
However, this paper highlight very briefly what is a policy meaning and definition of policies, types of policy stages of policy cycle, elements of policy¸ criteria for good policy, policy analysis approaches, forms of policy analysis approaches, differences between policies and procedures, characteristics of policy and stages of policy process, the paper arranged as Q/A format.
Defines the policy,lists the main features of a policy , the step by step process of policy formulation and implementation,describes the criteria to judge the efficacy and chances of success of policy and lastly the weaknesses of policy formulation in a developing country like Pakistan
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Union Budget for 2016-17 and reaffirmed that the economy is on the right track. The budget is aimed at strengthening India's firewalls by ensuring macroeconomic stability and prudent fiscal management; driving growth through domestic demand; and economic reforms and policy initiatives to change lives for the better. With measured focus on social sector reforms and recapitalising India's banking system, this Budget has an overarching focus on improving agriculture, and scaling infrastructure, all of which bode well for the country. The government is now planning to rationalise and channel subsidies to the poor by increasing the burden on the rich, and by increasing spending on public welfare through its own kitty.
Mr. Jaitley said the Union Budget is aimed at improving rural infrastructure and increasing rural income, as the biggest challenge to the economy is agrarian distress. Applauding the budget presented by the Finance Minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Budget is pro-village, pro-poor and pro–farmers, and is focused on bringing about qualitative changes in the country through a slew of time-bound programmes.
The attached note captures key highlights and summarises major announcements in the Budget.
Please reach out to us should you wish to understand more about the Union Budget and its impact on your business
Modi Effect on the Indian Economy - AJSH & Co. Chartered Accountants (New Del...TIAG_Alliance
Contact: AJSH & Co. Chartered Accountants (New Delhi, India)
The Modi government took charge at the Centre with a promise to bring about many changes in terms of governance. This created a wave of excitement among the people.
The Narendra Modi government has put together an elaborate economic reforms package in sync with the party’s election manifesto.
A "king among kings" is how Anil Ambani, one of India's leading industrialists, described Narendra Modi in January last year, long before the latter entered the race to become the country's next prime minister. After winning the Indian election comprehensively, the business community here is waiting with its arms wide open to embrace Mr Modi. They hope he will be their saviour at a time when the economic growth rate is flagging, investments are dwindling and consumer demand is dropping.
A session on ' Public Policy' with the entrepreneurship club in IIT Delhi. This session was more of experience sharing than the theoretical perspective. Focused on the budding talents interested in public policy research
This is an analysis on the Capital Expenditure of the 2016 Budget – Appropriation Bill – with special focus on the Number of Capital Projects to be executed by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The document gives highlights from key sectors – agriculture and rural development, banking, financial services and insurance, defence and aviation, e-commerce and retail, energy, FMCG, food & beverages, infrastructure and housing, manufacturing, railways, social welfare, steel and mining, and technology IT & telecom.
Recent data released by Stats SA show that public-sector capital expenditure has risen over the last five years, from a total of R203 billion in 2012 to R284 billion in 2016; an average rise of 8,7% per year. Over R1,2 trillion was spent during this five-year period.
Eskom topped the list as the biggest capital spender of the 772 public-sector entities covered in the report. The power utility contributed 25,7% (R73,0 billion) to total capital expenditure, focusing mainly on the continued construction of the Kusile and the Medupi power stations, and the Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme.
Transnet was the second biggest spender, focusing mainly on maintaining capacity in its port and rail divisions.
For more on this, go to
http://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=10252
Describes about the meaning of public policy, need and importance of public policies, recent public policies in india, weakness of public policies and remedies to overcome the public policy problems
Whole systems change across a neighbourhood
How can we collaborate with people to help them build their resilience? Get under the skin of the culture and the lives people live. Identify people’s feelings and experiences of community and understand what people think is shaped by different values and by the environment and infrastructure around them. The future of collaboration could bring many opportunities but people find it more difficult to live and act together than before. How can we help people…and communities build their resilience? Understand people’s different situations and capabilities to develop pathways that help them build resilient relationships. Help people experience and practice change together. Help people grow everyday practices into sustainable projects. Turn people’s everyday motivations into design principles. Support infrastructure that connects different cultures of collaboration. Build relationships with people designing in collaboration for the future…now.
Metrics is a hot topic within all fundraising fields. Measurement models have been established for monitoring the work of frontline fundraisers in order to assess the variety of activities performed as well as the schedule, pace, and outcomes of those activities. With this information in hand, choices can be made about which fundraising activities are most effective in achieving the desired donor behavior, most obviously giving.
Organizational Capacity-Building Series - Session 6: Program EvaluationINGENAES
This session describes different kinds of program evaluations, and key evaluation considerations. These presentations are are part of a workshop series that was implemented in Nepal and 2016 as part of the INGENAES initiative.
Module 4.2 - Performance management
The SENSES project co-funded by the European Union funds (ERDF and IPA)
For more information check the official website: http://www.interreg-danube.eu/senses
Slides from an Executive Masterclass I taught (with support from incredible guest lecturers) at Ta'atheer 2017, the Middle East, North Africa CSR and Social Impact Summit. The one-day program gave participants a quick dive into theory, practice and application of strategic CSR Impact Measurement and Management
.
Follow, engage, learn, perform
LinkedIn Profile http://bit.ly/Wayne-Profile
LinkedIn Author Page http://bit.ly/Wayne-LinkedIn
YouTube Channel http://bit.ly/CSR-YouTube
Strategic CSR Video Playlist: http://bit.ly/Strategic-CSR
SlideShare http://bit.ly/Wayne-SlideShare
CSR Training Institute on LinkedIn http://bit.ly/CSR-LinkedIn
Twitter @Zingmore / https://twitter.com/ZINGmore
Website http://www.csrtraininginstitute.com/
Newsletter - http://eepurl.com/XWCy5
Evaluation of SME and entreprenuership programme - Jonathan Potter & Stuart T...OECD CFE
Presentation by Jonathan Potter, OECD LEED Senior Policy Analyst, and Stuart Thompson, OECD LEED Policy Analys, tat the seminar organised by the OECD LEED Trento Centre for the Officers of the Autonomous Province of Trento on 13 November 2015.
https://www.trento.oecd.org
A process server is a authorized person for delivering legal documents, such as summons, complaints, subpoenas, and other court papers, to peoples involved in legal proceedings.
This session provides a comprehensive overview of the latest updates to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (commonly known as the Uniform Guidance) outlined in the 2 CFR 200.
With a focus on the 2024 revisions issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), participants will gain insight into the key changes affecting federal grant recipients. The session will delve into critical regulatory updates, providing attendees with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate and comply with the evolving landscape of federal grant management.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the rationale behind the 2024 updates to the Uniform Guidance outlined in 2 CFR 200, and their implications for federal grant recipients.
- Identify the key changes and revisions introduced by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the 2024 edition of 2 CFR 200.
- Gain proficiency in applying the updated regulations to ensure compliance with federal grant requirements and avoid potential audit findings.
- Develop strategies for effectively implementing the new guidelines within the grant management processes of their respective organizations, fostering efficiency and accountability in federal grant administration.
ZGB - The Role of Generative AI in Government transformation.pdfSaeed Al Dhaheri
This keynote was presented during the the 7th edition of the UAE Hackathon 2024. It highlights the role of AI and Generative AI in addressing government transformation to achieve zero government bureaucracy
Canadian Immigration Tracker March 2024 - Key SlidesAndrew Griffith
Highlights
Permanent Residents decrease along with percentage of TR2PR decline to 52 percent of all Permanent Residents.
March asylum claim data not issued as of May 27 (unusually late). Irregular arrivals remain very small.
Study permit applications experiencing sharp decrease as a result of announced caps over 50 percent compared to February.
Citizenship numbers remain stable.
Slide 3 has the overall numbers and change.
Jennifer Schaus and Associates hosts a complimentary webinar series on The FAR in 2024. Join the webinars on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon, eastern.
Recordings are on YouTube and the company website.
https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferschaus/videos
Up the Ratios Bylaws - a Comprehensive Process of Our Organizationuptheratios
Up the Ratios is a non-profit organization dedicated to bridging the gap in STEM education for underprivileged students by providing free, high-quality learning opportunities in robotics and other STEM fields. Our mission is to empower the next generation of innovators, thinkers, and problem-solvers by offering a range of educational programs that foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking.
At Up the Ratios, we believe that every student, regardless of their socio-economic background, should have access to the tools and knowledge needed to succeed in today's technology-driven world. To achieve this, we host a variety of free classes, workshops, summer camps, and live lectures tailored to students from underserved communities. Our programs are designed to be engaging and hands-on, allowing students to explore the exciting world of robotics and STEM through practical, real-world applications.
Our free classes cover fundamental concepts in robotics, coding, and engineering, providing students with a strong foundation in these critical areas. Through our interactive workshops, students can dive deeper into specific topics, working on projects that challenge them to apply what they've learned and think creatively. Our summer camps offer an immersive experience where students can collaborate on larger projects, develop their teamwork skills, and gain confidence in their abilities.
In addition to our local programs, Up the Ratios is committed to making a global impact. We take donations of new and gently used robotics parts, which we then distribute to students and educational institutions in other countries. These donations help ensure that young learners worldwide have the resources they need to explore and excel in STEM fields. By supporting education in this way, we aim to nurture a global community of future leaders and innovators.
Our live lectures feature guest speakers from various STEM disciplines, including engineers, scientists, and industry professionals who share their knowledge and experiences with our students. These lectures provide valuable insights into potential career paths and inspire students to pursue their passions in STEM.
Up the Ratios relies on the generosity of donors and volunteers to continue our work. Contributions of time, expertise, and financial support are crucial to sustaining our programs and expanding our reach. Whether you're an individual passionate about education, a professional in the STEM field, or a company looking to give back to the community, there are many ways to get involved and make a difference.
We are proud of the positive impact we've had on the lives of countless students, many of whom have gone on to pursue higher education and careers in STEM. By providing these young minds with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed, we are not only changing their futures but also contributing to the advancement of technology and innovation on a broader scale.
Russian anarchist and anti-war movement in the third year of full-scale warAntti Rautiainen
Anarchist group ANA Regensburg hosted my online-presentation on 16th of May 2024, in which I discussed tactics of anti-war activism in Russia, and reasons why the anti-war movement has not been able to make an impact to change the course of events yet. Cases of anarchists repressed for anti-war activities are presented, as well as strategies of support for political prisoners, and modest successes in supporting their struggles.
Thumbnail picture is by MediaZona, you may read their report on anti-war arson attacks in Russia here: https://en.zona.media/article/2022/10/13/burn-map
Links:
Autonomous Action
http://Avtonom.org
Anarchist Black Cross Moscow
http://Avtonom.org/abc
Solidarity Zone
https://t.me/solidarity_zone
Memorial
https://memopzk.org/, https://t.me/pzk_memorial
OVD-Info
https://en.ovdinfo.org/antiwar-ovd-info-guide
RosUznik
https://rosuznik.org/
Uznik Online
http://uznikonline.tilda.ws/
Russian Reader
https://therussianreader.com/
ABC Irkutsk
https://abc38.noblogs.org/
Send mail to prisoners from abroad:
http://Prisonmail.online
YouTube: https://youtu.be/c5nSOdU48O8
Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/libertarianlifecoach/episodes/Russian-anarchist-and-anti-war-movement-in-the-third-year-of-full-scale-war-e2k8ai4
Presentation by Jared Jageler, David Adler, Noelia Duchovny, and Evan Herrnstadt, analysts in CBO’s Microeconomic Studies and Health Analysis Divisions, at the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists Summer Conference.
Many ways to support street children.pptxSERUDS INDIA
By raising awareness, providing support, advocating for change, and offering assistance to children in need, individuals can play a crucial role in improving the lives of street children and helping them realize their full potential
Donate Us
https://serudsindia.org/how-individuals-can-support-street-children-in-india/
#donatefororphan, #donateforhomelesschildren, #childeducation, #ngochildeducation, #donateforeducation, #donationforchildeducation, #sponsorforpoorchild, #sponsororphanage #sponsororphanchild, #donation, #education, #charity, #educationforchild, #seruds, #kurnool, #joyhome
3. • Who Evaluates?
• Elites:
– Government Agencies, Think Tanks, National or
International Audit institutions, Regulators
• Interest Groups:
– Trade Associations, Business groups, Pressure groups,
Media
• Citizens:
– Complaints, Whistle Blower laws, Public Opinion, Voting
• Of course, some agencies may be shielded from
evaluations, some may have repeated evaluations
thrust upon them.
Politics of public policy evaluation
4. • Determine policy outcomes
• Identify policy strengths
• Identify and improve weaknesses
• Justify use of resources
• Increased emphasis on accountability
• Professional responsibility to show
effectiveness.
Why evaluate?
6. • Summary process.
Evaluation
Identify
scope and
stakeholders
Analysis
Information
gathering
Identify
sources of
information
Team
Selection
Compare with:
business strategy
business case
Use the information for more effective business
operations
7. • Why are you doing the evaluation?
– mandatory?
– policy outcomes?
– policy improvement?
• What is the scope? How large will the effort be?
– large/small
– broad/narrow
• How complex is the proposed evaluation?
– many variables, many questions?
• What can you realistically accomplish?
Scope of evaluation
8. • There are a number of common challenges that
may be encountered
• the evaluation team need to be aware of these
• although they may not be able to solve them.
Common challenges
9. • more than one organisation involved, no common standard
for measuring and recording benefits and costs
• lack of documentation
• inadequacy of baseline measures - measures of success can
only be made accurately by comparing the level of
performance before implementation
• sensitivities – examining performance may lead to feelings
of insecurity or grievance for those involved
• the organisation is too busy and it never gets it done (there
should be policies to ensure that it is normal practice)
• lack of cooperation by involved agencies.
Challenges:
10. • There is one most important question
• What is it that you want to know about your
policy?
• Once you have defined this make it
measurable
• Do not move forward if you cannot answer
this question!
Ensuring effective and efficient
monitoring
11. • What is the purpose?
• What should we measure to ensure that the policy:
• is producing the required products
• is being carried out to schedule and in accordance with its
resource and cost plans
• remains viable against its business case
• Monitoring activities facilitate the checking and
reporting on progress against the plan
• Control activities promote revisions to be made to the
plan in response to issues discovered during
monitoring.
Monitoring ... for control
12. • To benchmark is to compare performance against a
standard
• To improve the effectiveness of monitoring and
evaluation (M&E) in the policy cycle, benchmarking can
be useful in three ways
1. can help place an outcome in context - was the
achievement good, bad, or indifferent?
2. can help assess the reasonableness of targets that
may be set
3. can help identify specific regions or subgroups whose
exceptionally good or poor results hint at what factors
drive performance.
International comparisons and
benchmarking
13. • Today, there is much online
availability of large
internationally comparable data
sets (such as those in the World
Bank’s Data Development
Platform)
• Plus widely available national
survey data
• It is now considerably easier to
use international data for
benchmarking exercises.
Benchmark with what?
16. • Give an example of a performance indicator
for your area of responsibility ...
Exercise
17. • Consider these assumptions:
• Indicators will provide clear answers to
questions about policy efficiency and
effectiveness
• Indicators will help explain how decisions and
decision outcomes are linked
• Having the right indicators will result in better
decisions.
Performance indicators
18. • Political use – indicators used to support a
predetermined position
• Symbolic use – ritualistic assurance about appropriate
attitudes towards decision-making (“we even
developed indicators”)
• Tactical use – indicators and the process used as a
delaying tactic or substitute for action (“we will do it
later once we have indicators”)
• Conceptual use for enlightenment – change the
understanding of an issue
• Instrumental – direct relationship between indicators
and decision outcomes.
Possible motives
19. • Indicators play an important role in the policy cycle
and can serve a useful purpose
• They can
– Help assimilate and better understand stakeholder views
– Add to the process of governance
– Help guide and mould policy decisions
• Indicators are linked to the governance process ...
• “which can act like a magic bullet causing decision-
making to become instantly objective and scientific”.
Indicators in the Policy Cycle
20. • Saliency
– will anyone care?
• Legitimacy
– can people trust it?
• Credibility
– can people believe it?
• Usability
– can people understand it?
Observing agency outputs
21. Standards for an M&E Plan
• Utility
– serve practical information needs of intended
users
• Feasibility
– be realistic, prudent, diplomatic and frugal
• Propriety
– conducted legally, ethically, and with regard to
those involved in and affected by the evaluation
• Accuracy
– reveal and convey technically accurate
information.
22. Factors to Consider When
Setting Targets
• What can realistically be achieved given the
resources and the program context?
– Baseline levels
– Past trends
– Needs and gaps in services
– Capacity and logistics
– International benchmarking.
23. Approaches to Setting Targets
• Establish final target then plan progress in
between
• Establish intermediate targets
• Assess progress in attaining targets and
readjust, if necessary.
24. • Past trends
• Expert opinion
• Research findings
• What has been accomplished elsewhere
• Client expectations.
Useful Information for Setting Targets
25. • Advocate for the need for M&E
• Understand program goals and objectives
• Identify user needs and perspectives
• Learn about existing data collection systems &
their quality
• Understand indicators that are being collected
and used (or not used)
• Determine capacity for collecting and using data.
Stakeholder Consultation
26. • Developing M&E framework
• Selecting indicators
• Setting targets
• Reviewing results
• Requires building consensus & commitment
and maintaining effective relationships with
intended users.
Stakeholder Participation
27. DEVELOP A DATA COLLECTION MATRIX FOR YOUR PROGRAM. CONSIDER
THE FOLLOWING ISSUES:
• Who will be responsible for data collection and its supervision?
• Who will be responsible for ensuring data quality at each stage?
• How will data quality be checked at every stage?
• How often will the data be collected, compiled, sent, and analyzed?
• What indicators will be derived from each data source?
• How will the data be sent (raw, summary)?
• What tools/forms will be used, if any?
• What resources (staff, office supplies, computers, transportation) will
be needed at each stage?
• Who will analyse the data? How often will analysis occur?
• How often will the results be compiled into reports?
• To whom and how often will the results be disseminated?
Data Collection Plan
28. Developing & Implementing an
M&E Plan: Logic Model
Inputs
•Human
resources
•Understanding
of the program
•Authority and
mandate
•Stakeholders
Processes
•Advocate
•Assess strategic
information needs
•Assess information
systems capabilities
•Achieve consensus
and commitment
•Develop
mechanism for M&E
plan review
•Prepare document
for final approval
Outcomes
Output
•M&E Plan
Document
Short-term
•M&E System for obtaining
Strategic Information
decision making
Long-term
•Evidence-based decisions
for improving programs
Impacts
•Policy delivery
29. • Start early
• Involve stakeholders at all stages in the process
• Assess strategic information needs for intended users
• Assess current capacity and use what is already available
• Avoid duplication of data collection and reporting
• Do not collect information that will not be used
• Review progress / results regularly and make adjustments
to M&E plan, if necessary.
Summary: The Basics
32. • Case study 1
– Continuously troublesome students are excluded from
school to prevent disturbance of well behaved
students
• Case study 2
– in 18th- and 19th-century northern Europe, there was
a “window tax”
– a property tax whose amount depended upon the
number of windows in a house
– an explicit “income tax” was politically unpopular, so
the intention was to create an income tax without
explicitly taxing on the basis of income.
First order and second order
impacts
33. • Unintended consequences arise because we
live in an interconnected and complex world
• Interconnectedness and complexity of the
world imply that a small change in one part of
a system can potentially generate far-reaching
effects in another part of the system
• Also policymakers may be unable to anticipate
or understand how their policies affect the
incentives of individuals within the system.
Complex systems
34. • public policy attempts to address social
problems, often without understanding
the policy’s effects on individuals’
incentives
• systematic consideration of a policy’s
intended and unintended effects is
imperative
• just because a policy could theoretically
affect individuals’ incentives doesn’t mean
that the policy actually will
• the extent to which individuals respond to
incentives is an empirical question, which
requires an empirical answer.
Empirical answers
36. • The good evaluation of a project or a policy
needs on the one hand thorough application
of methodology up to the highest professional
standards ...
• and is on the other hand a creative thought
exercise: what do we really want to know and
how to find out.
Evaluation methodology
37. • If policies are meant to improve on outcomes, they should not be
based on ideology or wishful thinking, but rather on proven
effectiveness
• But obtaining convincing evidence on the effects on specific policies
is not an easy task
• Relevant data on possible outcomes has to be gathered
• Showing a mere correlation between a specific policy or practice
and potential outcomes is not proof that the policy or practice
caused the outcome
• For policy purposes, mere correlations are irrelevant, and only
causation is important
• What would really happen if a specific policy is introduced – would
it really change any outcome that society cares about?
• Evidence-based policy require answers to causal questions.
Overview
38. • The need for evidence-based policy is increasingly
recognised (e.g., Commission of the European Communities
2007)
• Providing empirical evidence suitable for guiding policy is
not an easy task
• It refers to causal inferences that require special research
methods
• Not always easy to communicate due to technical
complexity
• Econometrics is a set of quantitative techniques that are
useful for making "economic decisions“
• Of course, economic decisions are not restricted to those
made by economists ...
Econometrics
39. • The decision of a student to stay an extra year at
university to earn a double degree
• The decision of a spice seller to open a shop in
this village, or another
• The decision of a bank to approve a loan
application
• The decision of a power company to start-up an
extra generator on a certain day
• The decision of a Government to introduce a
purchase tax in order to reduce income taxes.
Examples:
40. • The "efficient allocation of resources" is the subject
matter of economics
• The traditional role of econometricians is to "test"
alternative economic theories
• To confront theories with real data and to reject those
that are not compatible with reality
• It is what transformed economics from an "art" into a
"science“
• However, it only gave the econometrician an indirect
role as an economist's sidekick
• If economists didn't come up with new theories,
econometricians didn't have anything to do!
What is old?
41. • Regardless of what economists do, economic problems
persist in reality and decisions have to be made
• The modern role of an econometrician is therefore more
direct
• Econometricians extract information from the available
data in order to provide support for an economic decision
• The raw material that the econometrician uses is more
often real observed data, instead of economic theory
• In any specific problem if an economic theory that has been
validated by data exists, it will certainly be used
• If no such model exists, however, econometrics must still
make a statistical model for the data, and provide
intelligent support for the decision process.
What is new?
42. • In government decision-making there are always
competing priorities for funds
• The purpose of a CBA is to allow competing policy
priorities to be compared in a consistent way, and for
their economic, social and environmental impacts to be
assessed
• In all areas of policy, the function of the CBA is to assist
policymakers to identify the best way to deliver the
strategic objectives of governments
• And then to assist with the evaluation of the policy.
Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA)
43. 1. needs to be future looking
2. needs to be objective
3. needs to consider implementation risks
4. to be easily understood so it can be subject to a
degree of contestability.
What does a good CBA look like?
44. 1. establishing the base case – or the ‘no change’ policy
option
2. defining the policy options to be evaluated and
compared against the base case and against each
other
3. laying out the estimates and assumptions for external
factors affecting the policy outcomes
4. defining and estimating the costs of a policy proposal
5. defining and estimating the benefits of a policy
proposal
6. drawing a conclusion.
Key steps in a CBA
45. • An initial question ‘what would happen if this investment
did not take place?’
• allows the CBA to compare two futures: the future with the
investment and that without the investment
• The base case does not mean ‘how things have been in the
past’ and should include any observed long term trends
• In particular, the base case needs to account for future
population and economic growth
• All forecasts contain an element of uncertainty
• In order to address this uncertainty, forecasters need to
develop different forecast scenarios (usually low, mid-range
and high scenarios).
1. Establishing the base case
46. • The purpose of any investment proposal is to achieve an
outcome that improves the wellbeing of the community
• In many instances there are multiple approaches that could
achieve the outcome
• Similar to the base case, the policy options in a CBA should
be clearly articulated and reasonable
• It is also important to consider whether there are any
policy options that may have been overlooked and not
included in the CBA
• A well thought-out CBA includes all the feasible options and
provides justification where options have not been covered
• Avoid “Goldilocks” analysis.
2. Defining the policy options
47. • Analysis will be built up from a range of estimates and assumptions
• Estimates are variables where there is existing evidence, preferably
from multiple sources
• Assumptions are variables where there is less robust data and the
team developing the CBA has had to use judgement
• Estimates are clearly preferable to assumptions
• A CBA, however, almost always includes assumptions because not
all of the information needed to perform the analysis is available
• Just because it is necessary to make some assumptions to conduct a
CBA does not mean it is not worth doing as all analysis involves
assumption about the future
• One strength of CBA is that it makes it clear what the key
assumptions are and allows for the systematic testing of
assumptions.
3. Estimates and assumptions
48. • What assumptions need to be made to conduct the
analysis?
• consider the impacts of a proposal across all sectors of
the economy by thinking about the inter-relationships
between sectors (economists term this ‘general
equilibrium analysis’)
• include all intangible costs and benefits where they can
be reliably estimated
• include all subsequent or contingent costs/investments
• analyse over the economic life of the underlying
proposal or assets, subject to a maximum of 20 years.
3. Estimates and assumptions
49. • Takes into account all the impacts of the policy
options that produce undesirable impacts
• A useful way of looking at costs is to identify which
individuals or groups in the community are worse-off
as a result i.e.
– Government
– Business
– The community
• The full range of costs in a CBA should be identified,
even those that may be difficult to measure -
understating or overlooking a cost that is difficult or
impossible to quantify is a common fault with CBAs
• Everything is relative to the base case – that is, the
costs that are additional to the base case.
4. Costs
50. • Helpful to ask, ‘who is made better off as a result of the investment?’ i.e.
– Government: time or money saved through more efficient programs or
processes
– Businesses: reduction in time or cost, particularly with respect to
administration, or improvements in efficiency, productivity and innovation
– The community: increase in welfare, safety, participation and/or connectivity
• Many CBAs will also look at benefits according to the ‘triple-bottom-line’
which covers the positive economic, environmental and social outcomes
of the investment
• While there is nothing wrong with classifying benefits under these
headings, it is crucial to avoid double-counting
• Like the cost side of the CBA, it is important to identify all the benefits
related to the policy options and measure them relative to the base case.
5. Benefits
51. • Finally calculate the value of each policy option taking into account
all future discounted benefits and all future discounted costs
• The final overall value is usually expressed in one of three ways:
– Net present value or Internal rate of return or Benefit-cost ratio
• In a CBA some options may be easier to value than others
• Although CBA places an emphasis on quantifying in financial terms
the impacts of potential options, the CBA should not be biased
towards an option just because it is easy to value
• This does not necessarily make it the best approach
• However, where difficult-to-value impacts are included, document
carefully and transparently the manner in which that has been
done.
6. Drawing a conclusion
52. • An important and often overlooked step, and
purpose is to:
– Identify whether the expected benefits of the
project have been realised
– Assess whether any aspects of the current project
require remedy
– What lessons can be learned from the project for
future investment projects.
Post implementation
53. • Quantitative observations are made using scientific
tools and measurements
• The results can be measured or counted
• Any other person trying to quantitatively assess the
same situation should end up with the same results
• An example of a quantitative evaluation would be
"this year our government paid 4m citizens a pension
totalling $4,000m at an average of $1000 per
pensioner.“
Quantitative
54. • More subjective than quantitative evaluation, qualitative
observations are defined in science as any observation
made using the five senses
• Because people often reach different interpretations when
using only their senses, qualitative evaluation becomes
harder to reproduce with accuracy
• Two individuals evaluating the same thing may end up with
different or conflicting results
• In research and business, qualitative evaluations may
involve value judgments and emotional responses
• An example of a qualitative evaluation is "our government
provided a better pension arrangement last year than this
year."
Qualitative
55. • Both evaluation methods have their benefits, though one is usually
more appropriate than the other in any given situation
• Quantitative evaluation can help remove human bias from a
statistic, making it more of a reliable fact than any piece of
information gathered qualitatively
• Thus, accurate quantitative evaluations can be relied upon as truth
• Qualitative evaluations may also entail truths, but these truths are
harder to get at, and evaluators may not always agree
• Still, qualitative information is invaluable precisely because it
involves human interaction and interpretation
• Many fields need this interpretation in order to decide how to move
forward or to judge the value of past and future sources of data.
Benefits
56. • Individuals or groups are randomly assigned to
either the policy intervention or non-intervention
(control) group and the outcomes of interest are
compared
• There are many methods of randomisation from
field experiments to randomised control trials
• Random allocation design means that systematic
differences between groups are unlikely and so
any differences and changes in outcomes
between the two groups can be confidently
attributed to the policy intervention.
Control groups
58. • Increasing recognition that rigorous evaluation of public
interventions should feature in the policy decision making process
• Yet there is frequently a gap between the desire for information on
the effectiveness of programs and an understanding of the
potential and the limitations of evaluation tools
• What questions can evaluations answer?
• What administrative structures are required to implement them?
• What are the political and social factors surrounding the acceptance
of evaluations by target groups and the public?
• How much do evaluations cost?
• How long do they take to complete?
Cost-implications of different
methodologies
59. • For international aid programmes it is suggested that
the cost of an evaluation is between about 5 and 7
percent of the cost of the program being evaluated as a
rule of thumb (W. K. Kellogg Foundation, 1998)
• Other evidence suggests that there is very little
correlation between the cost of an impact evaluation
and the size of the program being evaluated.
Evaluation costs
60. • Objectives
– the policy questions to be addressed determine how complex
the study design must be and consequently how costly
– simpler is usually better
• Availability of representative socioeconomic data
– if national data exists, alternative methods of selecting a
comparison group can be considered which may be cheaper
than the ideal random assignment design
• Timeframe
– evaluators frequently do not have the luxury of months or years
for data collection
– this lack of time necessitates more creative use of data and
more complicated statistical techniques, potentially raising the
overall price of evaluation.
Cost factors
62. • Conduct a gap analysis
• Determine whether the project
goals were achieved
• Determine the satisfaction of
stakeholders
• Determine the project's costs and
benefits
• Identify areas of further
development
• Report findings and
recommendations.
Questions for post-
implementation review
63. • An equality impact assessment (EIA) is a tool that helps
public authorities make sure their policies, and the ways
they carry out their functions, do what they are intended to
do and for everybody
• Carrying out an EIA involves systematically assessing the
likely (or actual) effects of policies on people in respect of
disability, gender, including gender identity, and racial
equality and, where you choose, wider equality areas
• This includes looking for opportunities to promote equality
that may have previously been missed or could be better
used, as well as negative or adverse impacts that can be
removed or mitigated, where possible.
What is an Equality Impact
Assessment
64. • In many countries, if any
negative or adverse impacts
amount to unlawful
discrimination, they must be
removed
• Typically there are four possible
outcomes and more than one
may apply to a single policy:
– No major change
– Adjust the policy
– Continue the policy (justification)
– Stop and remove the policy.
Possible Outcomes
65. • Statutory Equality Duties Guidance
• Competition Assessment
• Small Firms Impact Test
• Greenhouse Gas Impact Assessment
• Wider Environmental Impact Test
• Health and Well-Being
• Human Rights
• Justice Impact Test
• Rural Proofing
• Sustainable Development Impact Test.
Other impact tests include ...