Instrumentation in policy design: policy tools - from devices to activators

Abstract

Effective policy design requires an understanding of policy instrument choices and the range of possibilities for tool deployment present in any design situation. Instrumentation, or the selection of tools in a policy design, is a key factor determining design effectiveness, and policy advisors and decision-makers must be aware of what instrument options they have and how they can be mobilized. Understanding which tools are technically feasible in a given context as well as which are considered legitimate and appropriate by policy experts, politicians and the public is a critical component of successful policy-making. This chapter discusses these elements of policy instrument choices, their implications for policy design and the state of knowledge concerning how such choices are, and should be, made.