Summary knowledge clips Analysis of Governmental Policy (AM_470571)
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Course
Analysis of Governmental Policy (AM_470571)
Institution
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU)
Book
Making Health Policy
This is a summary of all knowledge clips that were provided for the literature of the course Analysis of Governmental Policy that are necessary for the exam and for the assignment.
Samenvatting Making Health Policy - Policy, Management and Organization (AM_470819)
Summary literature Analysis of Governmental Policy (AM_470571)
COMPLETE summary Policy, Management & Organisation (book: Making Health Policy)
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Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU)
Master MPA
Analysis of Governmental Policy (AM_470571)
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Chapter 1: The health policy framework
Strategic policy analysis and advice is necessary to battle societal problems.
Policy problem = (1) gap between the ideal world and current reality, (2) reason for this
difference is unclear, (3) there should be more than one possible solution to the problem.
→ a purposive couse of action followed by an actor/set of actors in dealing with a problem.
Means = series of intended activities with certain consequences (instruments) →
types: judicial (legislation), economic (subsidies/taxes), communication (persuasion),
modern (self regulation).
Simple relational model: health policy triangle =
(a) actors: individuals, organisations, groups, states → inside government; members of
parliament, ministers → outside government; groups that don’t seek political power, but
seek influence (FEX. civil society organisations, NGOs, private companies).
→ macro level: political (steers the whole society) -> meso level: institutional (groups of people) ->
micro level: societal (individuals).
(b) context: situational factors; focusing events, violent events (wars), natural disasters, new
disease epidemic → structural factors; political system, type of economy, tech, GNP,
demography, migration → cultural factors; religion, traditional, social values →
international factors; exogenous, interdependence among states, multilateral aid.
(c) process: stages of policy making; problem identification, policy formulation, policy
implementation, policy evaluation, feedback and policy terminatioon.
(d) content: what is the issue, why is something not working? → data analysis, actor chart,
labeling, causal analysis.
Chapter 10: Doing policy analysis
2 types of analysis:
1. Retrespective analysis: learning from the past, analysis of existing policy.
2. Prospective analysis: advicing the present, analysis for new policy,
change and reform.
Always important to study the stakeholders → stakeholder analysis = (a)
identify actors, (b) assess power relationships, (c) assess interests, positions
and commitment, and (d) assess the opposition → type of actor analsysis
(example picture left) → arrows between actors indicate the power.
There is a relation between power and position → actors might shift to higher
and lower power positions → especially the neutral power group.
Strategies for policy change: funds, personnel and facilities → info to increase expertise → access
to decision makers and media (who needs to be followed when we want to
change?) → public relations; victum status, hero status.
→ legislators are influenced by: direct contacts (FEX. lobbyists and business
coalitions), idiologies and beliefs, consumers and the media.
Literature review: be efficient in time, collect only data that matters, check
literature of experts (triangulation), look for the best practices and analogies
and ask key players (opposition).
→ picture right: develop policy instruments to change opposition into supporters.
, Chapter 4: Agenda setting
Agenda setting:
- Rational model = choose what is important (but this may differ per group).
- Hall model = 3 features; legitimacy (have to), feasibility (can we), support (will we).
- Kingdon’s stream model = 3 separate streams of processes; problem stream, policy
stream (solution), politics stream (will), that come together, creates a policy window.
- Hogwood & Gunn approach = issue search”, anticipate before problems turn into crisis.
- Shiffman & Smith’s model = policy making influenced by; actor power (strength of actors),
ideas (how they protray), context (featuring problems), characteristics → internal frame =
policy stream → external frame = politics stream.
Chapter 6: Interest groups and the policy process
Interest groups = non-governmental, involved in policy process to influence government
thinking → shift from government to governance: shift from traditional hierarchical and directive
mode towards adoption of networks of government, civil society and private sector → more
participatory relation between state and society → more flexible forms of regulation.
→ 3 features: (1) voluntary, (2) aim to achieve desired goals, (3) do not aim to conform to a part of
the government machinery (want to influence the government from the outside).
Not all civil society groups are interest groups: policy issues are not for all groups central to their
identity → FEX. for sportclubs → interest groups are related to market activities.
Sectional groups = protect interests of their members and political pressure is secondary aim →
very influential (FEX. trade unions) → in the health sector, medical professionals.
Cause groups = pressurise particular issues and draw their membership from a wide range of
people in society → FEX. environmental organisations, consumer groups, etc.
The influence of interest groups depends on their resources, such as: members, level of funding,
level of knowledge, persuasive skills, sanctions → the more members, the more influence.
Insider groups = accepted and respected by government policy makers → part of governmental
decision-making (FEX. through government committees) → often subtle lobbying.
Outsider groups = not perceived as legitimate by the government → difficulty in penetrating
policy process → resort to direct action (FEX. demonstration) to raise awareness.
→ thresholder groups: can shift strategies over time, from outsider to insider group.
Benefits interest groups: participation (alternative way for voters) - representation (widens range
of options) - political education (learn about policy process) - motivation (bring in new issues and
info) - mobilisation (build pressure of action) - monitoring (assessing performance of
government) - provision (deliver services).
Interest groups lobby → lobbyists = professional persuaders to take up certain causes → high
academic profile, possess relevant info and represent a substantial actor group → seek close
relationship with civil servants.
How do government and interest groups meet: policy sub-communities = special small and stable.
→ iron triangle = relationships between politicians, bureaucrats and industry (long history, meet
frequently and discuss relevant issues in their field).
→ issue networks = loosely interdependent, ubstable networks, many members whose
interactions fluctuates → meet when an issue arises and help with agenda setting.
→ FEX. the health reform issue connects professional monopolists (doctors), corporate
rationalists (insurers, hospital chains) and equal health advocates (patient groups).
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