Report on POLICY ANALYSIS - Special Problems in Development Administration

Definition of Policy Analysis.                   Policy analysis is defined as “determining which of the various alternative policies will achieve the a given set of goals in light of of the relations between policies and goals”.

Analysis for policy is analytical and descriptive, i.e. it is involved with formulating policies and proposals. It depends on the area of interest and the purpose of analysis to determine what type of analysis is conducted.

So-called policy analysts usually operate in public agencies but may also be useful to private organizations. US Defense Secretary Robert McNamara’s system analysis forms part of the origin of policy analysis. Policy analysts can come from many and varied academic disciplines. [In the Philippines they frequent hotel coffee shops and Malacañang’s employee canteen, work in the media, sell Tupperware and traipse around the globe courtesy of travel agencies and airlines.]

Approaches to policy analysis.     Among various approaches, three are distinguished as “general”:

Approach		Features
	Focus	Scope	Problem interpretation	Primary aim
Analycentric	Focuses on indivi dual problems and solutions	Micro-scale	Usually technical in nature	To identify the most effective and efficient solution in technical and economic terms
Policy process	Political processes and involved stake holders	Meso-scale	Usual political in nature	To determine what processes and means are used and tries to explain the role and influence of stake holders within the policy process. By changing the relative power and influence of certain groups, e.g. enhancing public participation and consultations, solutions to the problems may be identified.
Meta-policy	Both a systems and context approach	Macro-scale	Usually of a structu ral nature	To explain the contextual factors of the policy process, i.e. what are the political, economic and socio-cultural factors influencing it. As problems may result because of structural factors, e.g. certain economic system or certain political institutions, solutions may include the change of the structure itself.

Methodology of  policy analysis.   The methodologies of policy analysis are diverse, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Among the common methods are case studies, survey research, statistical analysis, and model building.

Method	Description
Common methodology	1.     Define the problem and evaluation criteria; 2.     Identify all alternatives; 3.     Evaluate the alternatives; 4.     Recommend the best policy option.
Case study Case studies lend themselves to both generating and testing hypotheses.	Commonly used for social science research; rather than using large samples and following a rigid protocol to examine a limited number of variables, case study methods involve an in-depth, longitudinal examination of a single instance or event: a case. Such methods provide a systematic way of  looking at events, collecting data, analyzing information, and reporting results. As a result, the researcher may gain a sharpened understanding of why the instance happened as it did, and what might become a important to look at more extensively in future research.
Statistical surveys Structured interview or researcher-administered survey Questionnaire or self-administered survey	This method is commonly used to collect quantitative information about items in a population. Surveys of human populations and institutions are common in political pooling and government, health, social science and marketing research. A survey may focus on opinions or factual information depending on its purpose, and may surveys involve administering questions to individuals.
The Eightfold Path Also The “Noble” Eightfold path based on Gautama Buddha’s teachings of right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right meditation and right concentration. It is written that his book, A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving, now on its 2nd edition, is an  integral part of public policy and public administration around the world.	This method was developed by Prof. Eugene Bardach at the UC-Berkely Goldman School of Public Policy. His procedure goes: 1.   Define the problem       2.   Assemble some evidence 3.   Construct the alternatives  4.   Select the criteria   5.     Project the outcomes 6.     Confront the trade-offs 7.     Decide 8.     Tell your story. 9.     Repeat steps 1-8 as necessary

Models of  policy analysis.           Models are used by analysts to identify important aspects of policy as well as to explain and predict policy consequences or implications. Here are some common models:

Model	Description
Institutional model	Public policy is determined by political institutions that give policy legitimacy. Government universally applies policy to all citizens of society and monopolizes the use of force in applying policy.
Process model	In creating policy, these are the 4-step procedures: 1.     Identification of a problem and demand for government action 2.     Formulation of policy proposals by various parties/stakeholders, e.g. congressional committees, think tanks, interest groups, affected communities 3.     Selection and enactment of policy (policy legitimation) 4.     Evaluation of policy
Rational model	Policy is thought of as intended to achieve “maximum social gain”. This model is guided by the rational choice theory where the policy that maximizes benefits while minimizing cost if the best policy.
Incremental model	Policy is a continuation of previous government activity, with minimal changes made to previous policy. The goal is systematic periodic review.
Group model	The political system’s role is to establish and enforce compromise between various, conflicting interests in society.
Elite model	Policy is a reflection of the interests of those individuals within society that have the most power, rather than the demands of the masses.
Policy analysis in 6 easy steps	1.     Verify, define and detail the problem 2.     Establish an evaluation criteria 3.     Identify alternative policies 4.     Evaluate alternative policies 5.     Display and distinguish among alternative policies 6.     Monitoring the implemented policy.

Additional notes:

On Public Administration

As to scope, public administration is concerned with the institutional framework of government, its socio-economic milieu and the behavior of the individuals who man the bureaucratic machine. (R. Presthus)

By 2005, the Philippines is considered (still) a developing country or, in APEC parlance, a developing economy. It is also characterized by a changing society where the ecology of public administration is also changing. And public administration must concede to such developments by generating changes in itself and remaining sensitive to the constraints posed by its changing environment.

These constraints are:

1.  Educational constraints.     Advanced society must match its educational system to manpower requirements (characteristics of society, literacy levels, availability of specialized vocational training, higher education, management development programs, balanced educational brain power)

2. Legal/political constraints.   Laws, for instance for personnel administration, must not be to complicated to make legality practicable; laws must also be based on human relations.

3. Socio-political constraints. Public administration, as a subsystem of society, also has its own “culture” just as the governed sector also has a set of customs, traditions and values that much be understood and respected.

4. Economic constraints.                     Available funds must be properly sourced for quality public utility-type services.

5. Religious constraints.                      Surfacing of religious to fanatical attitudes; includes the Catholic and some Christian churches attitude toward population management, forms of gambling, etc.

The Philippine government is considered a  real, productive sector of the country’s economy with revenues that are generated at both national and local government levels. Government spending financed by these revenues help stimulate economic growth in the course of producing goods and services that are of value to enterprises and households but which only government can provide.

Government thus operates as a monopoly granted by the citizen-stakeholders the power to compel obedience and enforce its lawful will. Along the way, government faces various challenges such as follows:

• Raising revenues from an inequitable and unevenly distributed economy
• Gaps between government intention and actions
• The burden of debt
• Loss of government resources due to waste and corruption
• Mixing public-private resources in attaining common social goals
• Coordinating central and local resources in performing government role and
• The performance of government organizations

On Policy Analysis

Policy is an attempt to establish a general rule. (Leveriza)

A policy is a projected program of goals, values and practices.

Policies are a form of management control. Control is a management action to adjust the operations of the organization to predetermined standards. Thus, control may be useful in setting new goals, formulating new plans, changing the organizational structure, improving staffing and making major techniques of directing. Policies count among the various administrative devices that helps remind people of their work.

The policy process is the formulation and application of identifications, demands and expectations concerning the future.