Notes on Policy-Oriented Professionalism

6 Policy-Oriented Professionalism

A Unique Standpoint

• All participants in natural resource policy decisions have unique perspectives and strategies.
• Policy-oriented professionals differentiate themselves by actively understanding decision processes.
• They serve as both participants and observers, aiming to facilitate common ground among stakeholders.
• Unlike typical participants (advocates, officials), policy-oriented professionals focus on the broader public interest.
• Essential for these professionals is self-examination within the context of decision-making processes.

A Unique Orientation to Serve the Public Good

• Policy-oriented professionals clarify policy situations for various stakeholders.
• Importance of understanding one’s own position to improve decision-making clarity (Lasswell 1971a).
• Opportunities include problem analysis, context mapping, defining issues, and evaluating solutions to enhance rationality in politics.
• Effectiveness hinges on maintaining a unique standpoint.

Characteristics of a Policy Orientation

• Must engage in rational inquiries while influencing decision-making functions.
• Emphasize dependable and realistic inquiry, avoiding excessive theory to ensure clear communication.
• Acknowledgment of biases is crucial, aimed at minimizing the impact of societal factors.
• Professionals seek out common interests that others may miss.
• Key self-reflective questions include roles played, problem-solving tasks, and influences shaping work approaches.

Toward a New Career Outlook

• Policy orientation can develop through deliberate self-examination or accumulated experience.
• Professionals may transition towards a pragmatic approach to serve public interest more effectively.
• Career trajectories may evolve from a specialized discipline to a broader inter-disciplinary approach involving diverse knowledge areas.
• The shift emphasizes collaborative problem-solving over individualistic or rigid methodologies.

Serving Decision Making

• Policy-oriented professionals operate at various levels, facilitating broader understanding among clients (e.g., decision makers, general public).
• They offer appraisal services:
  • Performance evaluation of policy processes.
  • Impact assessment of organizations on decision-making.
  • Constitutive appraisal for understanding shifts in power dynamics.
• Effective intelligence involves mobilizing knowledge and clarifying goals while remaining sensitive to decision makers' needs.

Determining Your Standpoint

• The distinction lies in establishing an observational standpoint focused on the collective good.
• Professionals should articulate values and formulate problem-solving tasks tailored to public interests.

Knowledge Systems: Positivism and Post-Positivism

• Examination of different knowledge systems crucial for understanding policy effectiveness.
• Positivism emphasizes objective measurement with definitive outcomes.
• Post-positivism acknowledges the subjective nature of knowledge, recognizing multiple realities and contexts.

Outlook and Procedure: Positivistic Science vs. Pragmatism

• Positivistic science aims for rigorous prediction and objectivity, while pragmatism emphasizes real-world problem-solving.
• Pragmatism encourages reflective practices that consider the social implications of knowledge and decision-making.

Understanding: Functional and Conventional

• Policy-oriented professionals apply a functional understanding to social processes, seeking connections and implications in policy dynamics.
• Conventional approaches may overlook broader implications and dynamics of power, contradicting the complex realities of decision-making.

Conclusions

• Cultivating a policy orientation enables professionals to clarify and secure common interests while addressing the complexities of decision-making in natural resource management.
• This orientation enhances analytical, rational, and integrative capabilities in professional practice, promoting effective policy processes.

Suggestions for Further Reading

• Schön, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action.
• Sullivan, W. M. (1995). Work and Integrity: The Crises and Promise of Professionalism in America.