Political Science 1020E Quiz: BUREAUCRACIES AND PUBLIC POLICY

• School: Western University
• Department: Political Science
• Course: Political Science 1020E
• Professor: Andrew Chater

Document Summary

Policy = plan of action adopted by an individual, group, business or government. formal decision has been made. Official sanction to a particular course of action. Formal stated decision of government. process because involves linked series of actions or events: inputs vs output. Rather than on substance of policy and consequences, product. Public policy is made through a series of linked decisions. Rational actor models > goal-directed behaviour with rational calculation: basis economic theories utilitarianism. Thus these procedures: nature of problem is identified; goal is selected on basis of individual preference; available means are evaluated in effectiveness, reliability, costs, etc. ; decision made through means that are most likely to secure the end. Cost-benefit: problems: in groups more conflicting objectives. And decisions are often made on inaccurate information. Incremental models > judgements made in the light of changing circumstances: decisions are made on inadequate information and low levels of understanding. Lacking overriding goals, adjusting position by feedback of earlier decisions.