Lecture 3

MSJ11621: Communication Policy Making and Planning

Fall 2020
 Problem identification and Agenda-setting

 Decision-making (Identify Policy Alternatives)

 Policy Formulation

 Policy Implementation

 Monitoring & Evaluation

 Agenda Setting

Monitoring & Evaluation

Policy Formulation

Decision
Making/adoption
Policy Implementation
 Two aspects of competing agenda issues:
o Public Agenda Issues - merit public attention
o Formal Agenda Issues – merit decision makers attention

 To gain the attention of :

o Public
o Media
o Policy-makers

 To influence policy change

 Why only some problems, out of all that exist, receive
consideration by policy-makers requires an examination of
agenda setting;
 that is, how governmental bodies decide what problems to
address?
 What is a public problem?
 Why does some condition or matter become a public problem?
 How does a problem get on a governmental agenda?
 Why do some problems not achieve agenda status?
 This encompasses the creation, identification, or borrowing
of proposed courses of action, often called alternatives or
options, for resolving or ameliorating public problems.
 Who participates in policy formulation?
 How are alternatives for dealing with a problem developed?
 Are there difficulties and biases in formulating policy
proposals?
 Identification of possible solution = new policy
 Amendment of existing policy

 A complex process influenced by many factors:

o Time constraints
o Personal interests of decision-makers
o Lobby-group pressure
o Donors etc.
 Despite these factors, researchers should push a preferred

solution forward
 This involves deciding which proposed alternative,
including taking no action, will be used to handle a
problem.
 How is a policy alternative adopted or enacted?
 What requirements must be met? Who are the adopters?
 What is the content of the adopted policy?
 Policy is only as effective as its implementation
 Policy implementation bridges the gap between research and

policy
 Factors that may impact implementation phase:
o Bureaucratic incompetence
o Bureaucratic resistance
o Inadequate resources, expertise etc
o Inevitable policy modification
 Researchers need to identify implementation problems that

policy-makers need to overcome.

 (A synonym is administration.)
 Here attention is on what is done to carry into effect or apply
adopted policies.
 Often further development or elaboration of policies will occur in
the course of their administration.
 Who is involved?
 What, if anything, is done to enforce or apply a policy?
 How does implementation help shape or determine the content of
policy?
 To assess policy compliance
 To increase potential to generate knowledge to be used by

future policy-makers
 Evaluation sources:
o Scientific advisers

o Consultants

o CSOs (unsolicited evaluation)

o International financial institutions

 Researchers can have a significant impact

 This entails activities intended to determine what a policy is
accomplishing, whether it is achieving its goals, and whether it
has other consequences.
 Who is involved?
 Who is advantaged and disadvantaged by a policy?
 What are the consequences of policy evaluation? Are there
demands for changes in or repeal of the policy?
 Are new problems identified?
 Is the policy process restarted because of evaluation?
 Cabinet
Donors
Agenda
Setting

Monitoring & Parliament

Evaluation
Decision
Making
Civil Society

Ministries
Policy
Implementation Policy
Formulation
Private
Sector
 De-emphasizes an excessively linear view of a policy
 Policy-making processes are complex, stages are not

always sequential
 Many actors: ministers, parliament, civil servants, the

private sector, civil society, the media etc

 All busily seeking to engage in the process directly, and

trying to influence one another.

 Policy-making is a complex and dynamic process
 Key elements of the policy-making process: agenda-
setting, identification of policy alternatives, policy-
formulation & implementation and evaluation.
 Researchers need to create a “window of opportunity” to
impact on policy change
 It is also important to build coalitions:
o in & around government, media, business
o Interest & advocacy groups
o Civil Society Organizations
Thank you