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Conflict, Uncertainty, and the Role of Planning and Analysis in Public Policy Innovation
Author(s) -
Deyle Robert E.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
policy studies journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1541-0072
pISSN - 0190-292X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1541-0072.1994.tb01481.x
Subject(s) - public policy , policy analysis , process (computing) , public administration , innovation process , public economics , political science , business , public involvement , economics , public relations , economic growth , marketing , work in process , computer science , operating system
Innovation by “groping along,” in which appointed public officials experiment during program implementation after little, if any, initial planning and analysis, has been promoted as a more accurate model of policy innovation than the rational comprehensive model of policy change. Analysis of two cases of environmental regulatory policy innovation suggests that administrative agencies may be more likely to follow the conventional model of the policy cycle when high levels of conflict are likely to accompany policy initiatives. The cases also suggest, however, that public officials will experiment during the innovation process when they are uncertain about the nature of the problem and the probable impacts of alternative solutions.