Conclusion

Abstract

The editors of the book came to the following conclusions. First, the policy analysis field has made significant progress in Mexico but still needs to overcome several important challenges. Second, despite some recent progress, policy analysis is not extensively conducted yet at neither the Executive nor the Legislative federal branches. Third, autonomous agencies, advisory councils and some departments of the federal bureaucracy are able to conduct policy analysis to a greater extent than other state agencies. Fourth, compared to the federal level, policy analysis is much weaker at the state and local levels. Fifth, the lack of a truly functioning merit civil service is one of the main reasons that explain the low policy analysis capacity at all levels and most areas of the Mexican state. Sixth, policy analysis is much weaker across non-state organizations than at state spheres, something that is directly related to the Mexican tradition of strong state presence. Seventh, while policy analysis is conducted to some extent in parties, think thanks, civic and business organizations, it is only scarcely conducted within unions and the mass media. Eight, there seems to be some evidence for a positive relationship between policy analysis and policy influence.