Course Master of Development Management MDM Subject Policy
Course: Master of Development Management (MDM) Subject: Policy & Development (PD) Lecture 6: Policy Implementation 1
Implementation Policy success is dependent upon a number of factors, including support from politicians, the bureaucracy, stakeholders and citizens; adequate funding; leadership and management; clarity of purpose and objectives; and efficient and effective administration. 2
Implementation Assign responsibility for delivery Assess existing structure of organization for capacity 3
Implementation Governments can implement policy in a number of ways. We refer to these ways as policy tools or policy instruments. A policy statement describes what is being sought; the tool or instrument is the method by which the desired outcome is pursued. 4
Policy Tools/Instruments A number of aspects of governance can be described as policy tools. These include legislation, regulation, Orders in Council, guidelines, standards, procedures, programs, grants, subsidies, taxes corporations. It has been suggested that something of a nation’s character can be seen in the policy instruments that its government chooses to achieve its objectives. 5
Policy Tools/Instruments To establish an overall context, some political scientists position policy instruments along a continuum. One of the most common characteristics on which to base such a continuum is the degree of choice (or level of coercion) accompanying the policy instrument. 6
Making Choices: A Continuum of Policy Instruments Private behaviour Persuasion Expenditure Regulation Public ownership Self-regulation Stewardship Voluntary compliance Speeches Conferences Advisory committees Programs, Grants Subsidies Transfers Market-based incentives Taxes, tariffs fines Imprisonment Corporations Mixed corporations Minimum <. . (degree of legitimate coercion). . > Maximum In a liberal democratic society, governments generally start with the least coercive instruments and move to the right side of the continuum only if compliance is not being achieved. 7
Alignment and Transfer Two activities, both of which take place just before implementation, are often overlooked in the policy development process: policy alignment and policy transfer. 8
Policy Alignment Policy Alignment: Alignment requires a final, comprehensive look at how the changed or new policy fits within the overall policy, regulatory and program environment. How does the new policy fit within the existing policy framework? Does it recognize and respect the same fundamental principles? Is its treatment of stakeholders and the public consistent? Alignment must be both vertical and horizontal, i. e. , the new policy must fit within the government or department flow from general framework policy to operational policy and it must be consistent with the policies of other governments or departments with similar or overlapping mandates, geographic areas or key stakeholders. 9
Policy Transfer Policy Transfer: How will those who must implement the policy or program get the message and have sufficient understanding to do the job well? Hopefully, some of the individuals responsible for implementing a policy participated in the actual process of developing the policy. 10
Group Exercise Describe the tools used by governments to implement public policy How does a government protect the public interest? What does the public interest mean in your work? 11
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