POG 214 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Problem Solving, Policy Analysis
Document Summary
A course of action or inaction that is designed to deal with problems. A dimension of human activity that requires common, collective, societal, government action. Changing conceptualization of what is public and what is private: the distinction is increasingly blurred. Anything that a government chooses to do or not to do (thomas dye 1972) A course of action or inaction chosen by public authorities to address a given problem or interrelated set of problems (pal 2014,1) About constrained actors attempting to match policy goals with policy means in a process that can be characterized as applied problem solving (textbook) An area of study or sub-discipline in political science. No one single body of knowledge, approach or technique. Applicable to private, public and not for profit sectors. That focused primarily on the public sector is public sector. Conducted by professional policy analysts: sometimes called research analysts, associates or advisors. Make policies more rational, effective and efficient.