Models of Policy Change

Policy Changes Eight Models of Policy Change as Related to a Problem-Structuring Method Comprehensive Rationality and Synectics According to the text, comprehensive rationality occurs when "an individual or collective decision maker […] weighs the cost and benefits of all available alternatives and takes actions that are motivated by a concern with the efficient use of resources" (Chapter 2, 48). Here, problems within the community are addressed and discussed in terms of importance to see if they are worth acting upon.

Some may not ever be dealt with, while others are sent forth onto the next stage. An example of this is when a council member prepares a presentation for public policy change independently and then produces it to the Council. Thus, the City Council should pair this with the Synectics problem structuring approach because of the fact an individual can create and discern comparisons without the distraction of the group.

Second-Best Rationality and Boundary Analysis Here, for complicated problems, it is important to "delegate collective choices to a few decision makers (e.g. political or technical elites) who can be expected to reach a consensus" (Chapter 2, 50). Those problems that are worth addressing to the City Council are then dealt with by considering any and all possible alternatives that can be put into place based on policy changes such as executive orders, ordinances, and other legislative acts.

If the City Council agrees that smoking in public areas is a public nuisance and a health risk due to second hand smoke, the council may decide to ban smoking in public areas within the city grounds. Policy formulation is directly related to the methods of problem structuring.

The formulation of a given policy must attack the problem at its core, and to do that, the problem must be broken down into its component parts in order to see which part is actually measurable and a potential source of policy change that would have a domino effect on the other elements of the problem. This can be done through boundary analysis, which aims to understand the boundaries of the problem itself.

Boundary analysis helps break down a system of problems into "individual problem formations" so that these metaproblems can be most effectively solved (Chapter, 3-95). Therefore, these individual chunks of the metaproblem is best paired with Second-Best Rationality. Disjointed Instrumentalism and Classificational Analysis Here, "policy changes occur at the margin with the status quo, so that behavior at time t is marginally different from behavior at time t _ 1" (Chapter 2, 51) The only alternatives to be considered are those that are slightly different than the status quo.

Such a style of policy change requires shared responsibilities. The City Council may want to begin a grass roots publicity.