Toward an Integrated Model for Public Technology Policy Analysis - a Taxonomy Useful for Determining Scope and Type of Analysis

Abstract

How might the analysis of public technology policy be further systematised and made more objective so that important factors such as conscious subjects, interests, infl and prioritisation could better be taken into account by policy analysts and decision-makers? An integrated model designed to guide and structure the analysis process might comprise a solution to this problem. An adequately sophisticated yet concise and systematic framework of this sort would necessarily take into account the referential point of departure and alternative types of policy analysis as well as the nature, interests and priorities of those entities actually shaping public technology policy. The segment of the proposed integrated model and which is concerned with built-in assumptions about the nature of technological development has been covered in a previous article [1]. The purpose of the current article is to develop and present one further part or segment of an integrated model for public technology policy analysis (IMTPA) and to demonstrate its methodological and analytical utility with central policy analysis documents from Canada during the period 1990-2005. This article shall limit itself to a part of the IMTPA concerned with the type and scope of public technology policy analysis to be undertaken - a methodology which might better guide and make more transparent both the policies being examined as well as the policy analysis process itself.