Understanding the (non-)Use of Societal Wellbeing Indicators in National Policy Development: What Can We Learn from Civil Servants? A UK Case Study

BackgroundDrowning is a leading cause of child death in Bangladesh. The present study investigated the emergence of drowning reduction as a priority within Bangladesh and the position it currently holds on the national policy agenda.MethodsThis case study documents the evolution of policy responses to drowning, reporting on data from semistructured interviews and a document analysis. To identify key factors that have facilitated the prioritisation of drowning prevention, data were synthesised using Shiffman and Smith’s 2007 Policy Prioritisation Framework. Furthermore, an inductive approach was used to identify key themes unique to drowning prevention that were not embedded in the framework.ResultsFour key phases of policy development for drowning prevention were distinguishable: (1) identification of issue and the emergence of actor support; (2) enhanced leadership and the accumulation of issue characteristics; (3) the formation of an internal frame and its impact on global support; and (4) enhanced national recognition and supportive global normative factors. Four additional themes unique to the case of drowning were also identified: competing health priorities, limited issue awareness, shift of disease burden to non-communicable diseases and the multisectoral nature of drowning.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that the level of political prioritisation given to drowning prevention has evolved over the last decade and a half. A comprehensive understanding of factors that have elevated the issue onto the policy agenda will ensure future stakeholder engagement activities can be designed to foster deeper and more sustained commitment by key actors and organisations.

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Stakeholder perceptions of scientific knowledge in policy processes: A Peruvian case-study of forestry policy development

Science and Public Policy ◽

10.1093/scipol/scz003 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 46 (4) ◽

pp. 504-517 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Luisa F Ramirez ◽

Brian M Belcher

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Scientific Knowledge ◽

Policy Development ◽

National Policy ◽

Problem Context ◽

Forestry Policy ◽

Policy Models ◽

Knowledge Policy ◽

Science Policy Interface

Abstract There is a need to better understand how scientific knowledge is used in decision-making. This is especially true in the Global South where policy processes often occur under high political uncertainty and where a shift toward multilevel governance and decision-making brings new opportunities and challenges. This study applies knowledge-policy models to analyse a forestry research project that succeeded in influencing national policy-making. We investigate how decisions were made, what factors affected and shaped the policy process, and how scientific knowledge was used. The results highlight the complexity of policy processes and the related challenges in crossing the science-policy interface. Perceptions of scientific knowledge differed greatly among stakeholders, and those perceptions strongly influenced how scientific knowledge was valued and used. The findings suggest a need for researchers to better understand the problem context to help design and implement research that will more effectively inform decision-making.

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Undvigestrategier – en tilføjelse til europæiseringslitteraturen

Politik ◽

10.7146/politik.v14i2.27482 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Nikoline Holm Kjærgaard

Keyword(s):

National Policy ◽

Civil Servants ◽

Eu Law ◽

Freedom Of Movement ◽

Policy Conflicts ◽

Veto Points ◽

The Eu

Despite a large literature on Europeanization, we still know relatively little about how civil servants act in those instances where national policy conflicts with EU-law. This article examines this gap in the knowledge by developing taxonomy of evasion strategies that national actors may apply in an attempt to resist change inflicted upon national policy by the EU. They are: a) Up-loading; b) Use of veto points; c) Communica- tion; d) Issue-linking; e) Implementation. These evasion strategies are derived from a screening of existing Europeanization studies. The article applies the taxonomy of evasion strategies to a case study of Denmark’s implementation of Directive 2004/38/EC on freedom of movement in the EU, and argues that civil servants to a large extent made use of such evasion strategies.

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COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MOTIVATION OF CIVIL SERVANTS AND PUBLIC SERVANTS IN THE LOCAL STATE ADMINISTRATION – CASE STUDY OF SLOVAKIA

Central European Journal of Labour Law and Personnel Management ◽

10.33382/cejllpm.2019.02.06 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Keyword(s):

Comparative Analysis ◽

Local State ◽

Civil Servants ◽

Public Servants ◽

State Administration

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Organized Labor, State Structures, and Social Policy Development: A Case Study of Old Age Assistance in Ohio, 1916-1940

Social Problems ◽

10.1525/sp.1989.36.2.03a00060 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 181-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jill Quadagno ◽

Madonna Harrington Meyer

Keyword(s):

Social Policy ◽

Old Age ◽

Policy Development ◽

Organized Labor ◽

Old Age Assistance

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Are They Ready for Their Close-Up? Civil Servants and Their Portrayal in Contemporary American Cinema

Public Voices ◽

10.22140/pv.98 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 8 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Michelle C. Pautz ◽

Laura Roselle

Keyword(s):

Popular Culture ◽

Public Administration ◽

Civil Servants ◽

Case Study Approach ◽

The Public ◽

Study Approach ◽

American Cinema ◽

Box Office ◽

Narrative Forms

Perceptions of government and civil servants are shaped by a variety of factors including popular culture. In the public administration literature the significant role that film and other narrative forms have on citizens’ perceptions is duly noted, and there is ample research on politicians and military heroes in film, but a focus on civil servants remains largely elusive. Among the sparse literature centered on civil servants are studies that employ a case study approach or focus on a few films. In contrast, our research employs a large sample of 150 films. These films comprise the top ten box-office grossing films from 1992 through 2006; therefore we examine the films most likely to have been seen by a majority of movie-watching Americans. More than 60 percent of the films in our sample portray government as bad, inefficient, and incompetent. However, the data on more than 300 civil servants yield intriguing findings. Surprising, in light of the negative depiction of government, is the positive depiction of individual civil servants. Half of civil servants were positively portrayed, and only 40 percent were negatively depicted. Americans may view government negatively, but they see in film positive depictions of how individual civil servants can and do make a positive difference.

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The political economy of and practical policies for inclusive growth—a case study of Scotland

Cambridge Journal of Regions Economy and Society ◽

10.1093/cjres/rsaa039 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Donald Houston ◽

Georgiana Varna ◽

Iain Docherty

Keyword(s):

Political Economy ◽

Policy Development ◽

Regional Governance ◽

Community Empowerment ◽

Inclusive Growth ◽

Key Policy ◽

Inclusive Governance ◽

The Uk ◽

Civic Institutions

Abstract The concept of ‘inclusive growth’ (IG) is discussed in a political economy framework. The article reports comparative analysis of economic and planning policy documents from Scotland, England and the UK and findings from expert workshops held in Scotland, which identify four key policy areas for ‘inclusive growth’: skills, transport and housing for young people; city-regional governance; childcare; and place-making. These policies share with the ‘Foundational Economy’ an emphasis on everyday infrastructure and services, but add an emphasis on inter-generational justice and stress the importance of community empowerment as much as re-municipalisation. Factors enabling IG policy development include: the necessary political powers; a unifying political discourse and civic institutions; and inclusive governance and participatory democracy.

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Evaluating Landscape Attractiveness with Geospatial Data, a Case Study in Flanders, Belgium

Land ◽

10.3390/land10070703 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 703

Author(s):

Astrid Vannoppen ◽

Jeroen Degerickx ◽

Anne Gobin

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Policy Development ◽

Bare Soil ◽

Geospatial Data ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Landscape Indicators ◽

Landscape Characteristics ◽

Landscape Quality

Attractive landscapes are diverse and resilient landscapes that provide a multitude of essential ecosystem services. The development of landscape policy to protect and improve landscape attractiveness, thereby ensuring the provision of ecosystem services, is ideally adapted to region specific landscape characteristics. In addition, trends in landscape attractiveness may be linked to certain policies, or the absence of policies over time. A spatial and temporal evaluation of landscape attractiveness is thus desirable for landscape policy development. In this paper, landscape attractiveness was spatially evaluated for Flanders (Belgium) using landscape indicators derived from geospatial data as a case study. Large local differences in landscape quality in (i) rural versus urban areas and (ii) between the seven agricultural regions in Flanders were found. This observed spatial variability in landscape attractiveness demonstrated that a localized approach, considering the geophysical characteristics of each individual region, would be required in the development of landscape policy to improve landscape quality in Flanders. Some trends in landscape attractiveness were related to agriculture in Flanders, e.g., a slight decrease in total agricultural area, decrease in dominance of grassland, maize and cereals, a decrease in crop diversity, sharp increase in the adoption of agri-environmental agreements (AEA) and a decrease in bare soil conditions in winter. The observed trends and spatial variation in landscape attractiveness can be used as a tool to support policy analysis, assess the potential effects of future policy plans, identify policy gaps and evaluate past landscape policy.

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Tracking Progress from Policy Development to Implementation: A Case Study on Adoption of Mandatory Regulation for Nutrition Labelling in Malaysia

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13020457 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 457

Author(s):

SeeHoe Ng ◽

Bridget Kelly ◽

Heather Yeatman ◽

Boyd Swinburn ◽

Tilakavati Karupaiah

Keyword(s):

Policy Development ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Political Activities ◽

Nutrition Labelling ◽

Policy Windows ◽

Industry Engagement ◽

Stakeholder Partnerships ◽

Implementation Gaps ◽

Health Experts

Mandatory nutrition labelling, introduced in Malaysia in 2003, received a “medium implementation” rating from public health experts when previously benchmarked against international best practices by our group. The rating prompted this qualitative case study to explore barriers and facilitators during the policy process. Methods incorporated semi-structured interviews supplemented with cited documents and historical mapping of local and international directions up to 2017. Case participants held senior positions in the Federal government (n = 6), food industry (n = 3) and civil society representations (n = 3). Historical mapping revealed that international directions stimulated policy processes in Malaysia but policy inertia caused implementation gaps. Barriers hindering policy processes included lack of resources, governance complexity, lack of monitoring, technical challenges, policy characteristics linked to costing, lack of sustained efforts in policy advocacy, implementer characteristics and/or industry resistance, including corporate political activities (e.g., lobbying, policy substitution). Facilitators to the policy processes were resource maximization, leadership, stakeholder partnerships or support, policy windows and industry engagement or support. Progressing policy implementation required stronger leadership, resources, inter-ministerial coordination, advocacy partnerships and an accountability monitoring system. This study provides insights for national and global policy entrepreneurs when formulating strategies towards fostering healthy food environments.

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