Multiple Streams Analysis SLIDES

PROBLEM RECOGNITION PROBLEM DEFINITION IDENTIFICATION OF POLICY OPTIONS POLICY SELECTION/ ADOPTION IMPLEMENTATION EVALUATION THE POLICY CYCLE

A GARBAGE CAN MODEL OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHOICE M.D. Cohen, J.G. March, & J.P. Olsen (1972) The garbage can process is one in which problems, solutions, and participants move from one choice opportunity to another in such a way that the nature of the choice, the time it takes, and the problems it solves all depend on a relatively complicated intermeshing of elements.

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social problems are complex

Knowing things about the world is hard

human cognition is imperfect limited information capacity selective attention

policy makers operate under severe time constraints

Ambiguity Identifying the real cause and consequences of problems is difficult and the way we understand problems is shaped by focusing events, crises, & symbols, among other things.

The policy “primeval soup” “Much as molecules floated around in what biologists call the ‘primeval soup’ before life came into being, so ideas float around in [policy] communities.”

Politics The national mood, organized political forces, the composition of policy making bodies (e.g. legislatures)

Timing, policy entrepreneurs, & policy windows “Entrepreneurs do more than push…they also lie in wait – for a window to open.”

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Agenda setting Problem Stream Indicators (e.g. statistics) Focusing events Feedback

Agenda setting Problem Stream Political Stream National mood Interest groups Politicians/policy makers

Agenda setting Problem Stream Political Stream Policy Stream Policy alternatives generated in policy communities

Agenda setting Problem Stream Political Stream Policy Stream Policy Window Changes in problem or policy streams circumstances

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Agenda setting Problem Stream Policy Stream Policy Window Changes in problem or policy streams circumstances Policy Entrepreneur Advocate willing to invest the resources – time, energy, reputation, money – to promote a position in return for anticipated future gain Political Stream

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Agenda setting Problem Stream Policy Stream Policy Window Changes in problem or policy streams circumstances Policy Entrepreneur “Coupling” to get problem or proposal on policy makers’ agenda Political Stream

Agenda setting Problem Stream Worked out policy option Policy Stream Policy adoption Problem Stream Political Stream Policy Window Policy formulation, legitimation, & adoption Policy Stream Political Stream

Policy change is more likely if… a policy window opens the streams are ready for coupling a policy entrepreneur promotes the policy change

Agenda setting Problem Stream Worked out policy option Policy Stream Policy adoption Problem Stream Political Stream Policy Window Policy formulation, legitimation, & adoption Policy Stream Political Stream

PUBLIC POLICY THEORY & APPLICATION P A D M N 6 3 2 0