Policy Implementation 2oe60

POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

Overview of the Chapter • Reviews typical implementation problems encountered in the policy process • Methods to make implementation processes more adaptive and effective • Need to consider implementation in the all phases of policy process

The basics of policy implementation What is policy implementation? • is a dynamic and non-linear process • Political • Agencies and divisions within agencies compete for resources and control over implementation activities • Tensions may arise between the public,private and non-profit organizations as they vie for influence and funds to implement government programs • Also seen as a form of network governance

Actors in policy implementation

• Bureaucracy

• Implementation is an expensive ,multi- year effort and continued funding for programs is not gauranteed • authoritative decision makers both political and istrative in nature remain a very significant force in the implementation stage • Traget group whose behavior is intended to be altered play direct or indirect role in the implementation • Political and economic resources of the target group play an important role in implementation

• Regulators often have to make compromises with the powerful target groups • Often powerful groups resources are utilised to make the implementation simpler and less expensive • This is formally done in Sweden,Uruguay and Austria • In the above mentioned countries ,regulatorregulatee negotiations are done for the development of istrative standards

• Changing level of public for a policy can also affect implementation • Many policies witness decline in after decision has been made . As a result it gives the decision makers greater opportunity to vary the original intent of a decision should they so desire

Analytical tools for understanding policy implementation There are two vantage points from which to view the gap between policy intentions and outcomes • The first sees the implentation from the view point of policy-makers trying to control outcomes at the grassroots.This top-down view can be described as a correspondence theory .Theorists adopting this perspective look for deficiencies in the way policies are communicated,and standard of implementation enforced,from policy makers to field- level implementers

• The second, bottom-up analysts in contrast begin with the assumption that street- level bureaucrats often face an impossible task. Policy ambiguity,limited resources and time pressures may make it impossible to implement policies as intended.To the extent that outcomes are deemed less than satisfactory from a policy makers’s point of view

• Bottom-up approach would look for the reasons in resouce gaps, in the incentives embedded in the institutional environment faced by street-level bureaucrats, and in understanding of their work and roles

Contextual factors when assessing obstacles to effective implementation Context matters greatly when assessing these potential obstacles to effective implementation and when drawing appropriate implications for action Four contextual factors to consider: 1. The first is the degree of political and policy stability.The environment for policy implementation is ‘enabling’ if there is relatively strong political for the program outputs that are to be produced .

2. The second is the degree to which the external political and economic environment in which policy-makers are working is changing slowly or more rapidly. 3. The third contextual factor concerns the openness of the policy process. For instance ,in highly pluralistic country with a strong NGO sector and free press,policy making will inevitably be shaped by a broader range of actors .the conflicts among different actors may be resolvesd in earlier stages of agenda setting,formulation and adoption. But in close system ,the actors who were not included in the earlier stages may try to sabotage the implementation of policies with which they disagree

4. The degree of public sector decentralization is an another important factor The central level actors should set minimum standards , provide technical assistance and capacity building where local capacities vary significantly