Comparative Government and Politics: Public Policy

1. PUBLIC POLICY
Presented by Mr. Antonio T. Delgado

2. LESSON OUTLINE
01. Overview
02. Policy Process
03. Policy Cycle
04. Policy Diffusion and Convergence
05. Public Policy in Authoritarian States

3. PUBLIC POLICY:
AN OVERVIEW
01.

4. Public Policy
 the positions adopted and the actions taken (or
avoided) by governments as they address the
needs of society
 consists of all the authoritative public decisions
that governments make

5. Public Policy
POLICY OUTPUTS
Authoritative public decisions that
governments make
End results promoted by policy
outputs
POLICY OUTCOMES

6. Everything we do in public policy
prevents us from doing something else.
To govern is to choose.
—RICHARD LAMM
“ “

7. Policy Analyisis
 the systematic study of content and
impact of public policy

8. POLICY PROCESS
02.

9. MODELS OF POLICY PROCESS
RATIONAL MODEL
Identification of most efficient means
INCREMENTAL MODEL
Small changes following negotiations
GARBAGE-CAN MODEL
Emphasizes partial, fluid and disorganized qualities

10. Source: Hague, R., et al. (2015). Political Science: A Comparative Introduction, 8th Edition.

11. Cost-Benefit Analyis
 It is an effort to make decisions on the
basis of a systematic review of the
relative costs and benefits of available
options.

12. POLICY CYCLE
03.

13. 5
steps

14. INITIATION
STEPS IN THE POLICY CYCLE
Placing the
problem on the
public agenda

15. INITIATION FORMULATION
STEPS IN THE POLICY CYCLE
Placing the
problem on the
public agenda
Developing
a response

16. INITIATION FORMULATION IMPLEMENTATION
STEPS IN THE POLICY CYCLE
Placing the
problem on the
public agenda
Acting upon
the policy
Developing
a response

17. Implementation
TOP-DOWN
policy execution delivers the outputs and
outcomes specified by the policy-makers
Policy execution should adapt
to local and changing circumstances
BOTTOM-UP

18. INITIATION FORMULATION IMPLEMENTATION EVALUATION
STEPS IN THE POLICY CYCLE
Placing the
problem on the
public agenda
Acting upon
the policy
Developing
a response
Assessing the
effects of the
policy

19. Evaluation
POLICY OUTPUTS: ACTIONS
relatively easily identified and measured
more difficult to confirm and measure
POLICY OUTCOMES: ACHIEVEMENTS

20. TYPES OF POLICY OUTPUTS
DISTRIBUTIONEXCTRACTION OF
RESOURCES
SYMBOLIC
OUTPUTS
REGULATION OF
HUMAN BEHAVIOR

21. Evaluation
POLICY OUTPUTS: ACTIONS
relatively easily identified and measured
more difficult to confirm and measure
POLICY OUTCOMES: ACHIEVEMENTS

22. Source: Powell, Jr., G.B., et al. (2015). Comparative Politics Today: A World View, Eleventh edition.

23. REVIEWINITIATION FORMULATION IMPLEMENTATION EVALUATION
STEPS IN THE POLICY CYCLE
Placing the
problem on the
public agenda
Acting upon
the policy
Developing
a response
Assessing the
effects of the
policy
Deciding what
to do next

24. THREE OPTIONS
CONTINUE, REVISE, or TERMINATE?

25. Source: Hague, R., et al. (2015). Political Science: A Comparative Introduction, 8th Edition.

26. Why is policy termination rare?
Five possible explanations (Bardach, 1976):
 Policies are designed to last a long time.
 Policy termination brings conflicts.
 No one wants to admit the policy was a bad idea.
 Policy termination may affect other programs
and interests.
 Politics rewards innovation rather than tidy
housekeeping.

27. PUBLIC POLICY
DIFFUSION & CONVERGENCE
04.

28. Policy Diffusion and Convergence
POLICY DIFFUSION
the tendency for policy programs to spread
across countries
the tendency for policies in different
countries to become more alike
POLICY CONVERGENCE

29. Source: Hague, R., et al. (2015). Political Science: A Comparative Introduction, 8th Edition.

30. PUBLIC POLICY IN
AUTHORITARIAN STATES
05.

31. Public Policy in Authoritarian States
CENTRAL THEME:
subservience of policy to politics
political survival and personal enrichment
GOALS:

32. Rent Seeking
 seeking to make an income from selling
a scarce resource without adding real
value

33. RESOURCE CURSE
A state that is well-
endowed in a
particular natural
resource experiences
low economic growth.

34. RESOURCE CURSE
A state that is well-
endowed in a
particular natural
resource experiences
low economic growth.

35. The Exception
 Modernizing regimes whose ruling elite
displays a clear sense of national goals
and a secure hold on power follow
long-term policies, especially for
economic development.

36. The Exception
 Such countries do not suffer from
inertia, but find it easier to push
through policy change, because they
can suppress short-term demands that
would arise in an open political system.

41. No matter if it is a white cat or a black cat;
as long as it can catch mice,
it is a good cat.
—DENG XIAOPING
“ “

42. LESSON REVIEW
01. Overview
02. Policy Process
03. Policy Cycle
04. Policy Diffusion and Convergence
05. Public Policy in Authoritarian States

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44. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES
● Hague, R., et al. (2015). Political Science: A Comparative
Introduction, 8th Edition. New York, NY: Palgrave
Macmillan, pp. 324 – 341
● Powell, Jr., G.B., et al. (2015). Comparative Politics Today:
A World View, Eleventh edition. Esexx, England: Pearson
Education Limited, pp. 146 – 171
● Policy instruments – definition. Retrieved from
https://www.economicsonline.co.uk/Definitions/Policy
_instrument.html