Social Policy Essay and Term
Paper
Making Policies by government at local, state and federal levels influence
behaviors of individuals and society living within their jurisdictions. Social
services, education, childcare, housing, nutrition, consumer rights, product
safety, and the environment are highly influenced by Social or public policies
with a wide impact on economic comfort as well as the physical and mental
fitness of individuals and society. Government of whatever nature local, state,
or federal—frames and control policies (rules and regulations) to create a state
of discipline the in society. Policy makers may also offer society with direct
services which individual of a particular society could not afford or obtain on
their own.
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Policy decisions may radically affect the lives of citizen in a particular
society. Increasing or decreasing public services such as closing schools,
hospitals, day-care centers and residential homes for the elderly;
transportation; and street cleaning will raise or drop the moral or image of
that society and in particular policymakers. As public policy issue evolves,
policy makers must first clarify their objectives or targets. Then it commences
by expressing concern and becoming concerned. For example citizens of a
particular community realizes there has no means of transportation for old
people. Citizens may become concerned in this matter as individuals or as
members of a group working together to address the transportation trouble.
Identifying alternatives and their consequences are the two most decisive steps
in public policy designing. Examining all alternatives and consequences requires
identifying accessible alternatives, brainstorming new ones, and recognizing
that doing nothing is an alternative. When all alternatives and their
consequences have been measured, a selection must be made. However, on some
stages of public policymaking, citizens acting as elected or appointed
representatives on behalf of their community might be making choices.
Rational Model
This model tries to evaluate all the alternatives that are available for
consideration. Hence, one needs to be very alert when making assumptions about
the way decisions are made in social policy. What consider, to the rationalist,
is "what works". However, there are two points to consider in relation to this.
The rational model oversimplifies the way in which decisions are made. For
instance, we know that governments, even in full control of all required
information, in actuality need to trade expressed public preferences and their
own objectives. One cannot even say that each policy makers shares the same
objectives as the one who face its repercussions.
Major Strengths
Rational model deals into taking account all the relevant consequences, and
choose the best one. Which could be a successful strategy to plan out social
policies. As Rationalism is more interested with the best way to systematize
government in order to guarantee and unbiased flow of information, the feedback
accuracy, and the respecting moral values. Rational model uses techniques such
as PERT, CPM, OR, and linear programming. This model tries to improve the
content of public policy.
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Major Weakness of Rational model
The thought that information is likely to be as available and comprehensive
nature as needed is quite problematic. Accessing and obtaining information can
be a difficult task in certain case. Specially where it can be deliberately
withheld or the resources that are required to obtain it might be insufficient.
Or having obtained information might not be welcomed due to various causes such
as privacy and secrecy. Rational model sometimes broaden gap between its
planning and implementation. It could disregard role of people, entrepreneurs,
leadership, etc. it could overlook the human factors while framing social
policy. Its multidimensionality and complexity often hurdle its implication.
Predictions done in rationalism often went wrong and simple solutions to social
issues may be overlooked. The costs involved in rational-comprehensive policy
making may outweigh the cost that could be saved through policy.
Incremental Model
In some ways it is the opposite of the "rational" models. But it doesn’t mean
that decisions are essentially taken irrationally – it is just that rationalist
thought is not involved while framing policies. Incrementalists as described by
Lindblom and Braybrooke don’t try to discover and settle problems. What they do,
rather, is try to escape and lessen troubles. If it seems impossible, then
necessary actions or decision will be taken, but only when there is sufficient
or excessive pressure. Rational actor prefers the most appropriate means to meet
the chosen end, while the incrementalist prefers - the ends need to be suitable
to the means available, so that several ends depend upon the accessibility of
the resources. Such resources will not be created to achieve a specific
solution. Lindblom and Braybrooke speak of "disjointed" or "fragmented"
incrementalism by which they mean that if one solution is seen to generate more
problems or troubles than it resolves, the incrementalist administrator will
gladly swap to an alternative means of action - even though it might be based
upon totally different conception from the previous one.
Major Strengths
Incremental model depends on the notions of incremental decision-making such as
satisfying, organizational drift, bounded rationality, and limited cognition.
Essentially it can be called "muddling through." This approach to policy making
represents a conservative tendency: new policies are only slightly different
from old policies. Policy-makers do not too involved to design totally new
policies rather they modifies such polices as and where required so it save lot
of time. This model looks various ways to improve the effectiveness and
acceptability of public policy.
Major Weaknesses
Well, limiting resources could be cost saving but not as functional or
successful as required for problem. Incrementalism can downplay useful
quantitative and qualitative information, which might result in failure of any
particular social policy. That could lead to redesign of a totally new policy
framework. Further more it is anti-intellectual approach to solving problems. It
also limits assumptions and imagination of alternatives, which could lead having
effective alternative selection.
References
Craig. K. (Fall, 1987) "Making The Difference in Public Policy: The Home
Economics Initiative," in Home Economics Forum 2:1 (pp. 3-4).
Doble, J. and J. Johnson. (1991) “Science and the Public, The Public Agenda
Foundation”, New York, New York
Hahn, A.J. (1988) “Resolving Public Issues and Concerns through Policy
Education”. Ithaca, NY: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell University.
Harwood, R. (1989) “The Public's Role in the Policy Process: A View from State
and Local Policymakers”. Dayton, OH: Kettering Foundation.
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