Public Policy Analysis and Administration - lecture 4

Why is it important to consider the actors involved in the policy process?

• Public policies result from complex interactions

• Actors influence the agenda-setting and are involved in the negotiation and decision-making processes

• Social construction of problems

• Policy evaluation through feedbacks and assessments

• Changing political context

What is the political universe?

All actors involved in and affected by a given public policy

They are involved in the agenda setting and policy formulation

What is the political subsystem?

Specific actors, like stakeholders and experts, directly involved in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policies

What is the core decision-making environment?

Actors with formal authority and power who determine policy direction by selecting and legitimating the chosen option

Who are the main actors found in the policy-making arena?

• Public authorities

• Businesses/ private sector

• Citizens

Through which means do citizens operate in politics?

• Political parties

• Social movements

Why are the media important?

All political actors seek access to the media to get visibility

The media have become co-creators of information

What are the tools used by private sector to shape policy making?

• Support to political candidates that align th their interests

• “Revolving door”

• Lobbying

• Access to resources unavailable to the public

• Quasi-markets

• PPPs

What are PPPs?

Public-private partnerships are long term collaborations where ridate entities contribute resources, expertise or funding to implement a public policy

What are quasi-markets?

Quasi markets are public procurement contracts or calls for tenders for goods and services that allow businesses to bid competitively in order to foster cost efficiency, innovation and improved service quality by leveraging market mechanisms

What are SUD policies?

Sustainable urban development policies aim to make cities more socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable

Which are the barriers that SUD policies face?

• Organisational barriers → lack of funding or capacity

• Policy process-related barriers → poor coordination

• Interaction-specific barriers → weak collaboration

• Contextual barriers → local, political, legal or cultural limits

• Policy characteristics → technical complexity or inflexibility

Case study: PPPs SUD projects in Toronto

Quayside project, led by Google’s Sidewalk Labs:

• Far from Toronto

• Lack of transparency and insensitivity to local concerns

Regent Park project led by Daniels Corporation

• Headquartered in Toronto

• High community engagement and responsiveness