Administrative Policy Changes Research Articles

Welfare, Environment, and Changing U.S.-Chinese Relations: 21st Century Challenges in China (review)

Reviewed by: Welfare, Environment, and Changing U.S.-Chinese Relations: 21st Century Challenges in China Sangbum Shin (bio) Maria Weber , editor. Welfare, Environment, and Changing U.S.-Chinese Relations: 21st Century Challenges in China. Cheltenham, UK, and Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar Publication in association with ISPI, 2004. xxxi, 181 pp. Hardcover $90.00, ISBN 1-84376-827-5. If is often difficult to have a current, comprehensive, and accurate understanding of China's economy and society, simply because they are changing too rapidly, and China is a huge nation with much regional variation. Maria Weber's edited volume, Welfare, Environment, and Changing U.S.-Chinese Relations, is definitely one of the books that help us to have a better understanding of current China's situation and predict its future more accurately. The volume contains a lot of useful information and thoughtful discussion on current China's social and economic conditions and prospects for the future. The authors in each chapter discuss the various important issues in China's development and their impact on socioeconomic changes, such as the ecological environment, regional disparity, income inequality, unemployment, an ageing population, the public health care system, and insurance. The authors also predict how these issues will change China's future based on their systematic evaluations of current status and policies, predictions which help students of China studies draw their own maps for the future, or at least, invoke questions and debates. In this sense, the volume can be a good starting point for discussion on how much, and in what direction, China will be changing in the near future, and what the implications may be for U.S.-China relations. The chapters that make up Part I offer discussions on some initial challenges that China has been faced with and will be faced with in the future. Chapter 1 poses specific questions of whether China's economy can continue to grow rapidly and whether this continued growth might be in harmony with the rest of the world. The author draws relatively optimistic conclusions on these issues arguing that China's further rapid growth is not only feasible but also will have overall positive impact on other countries' economies, especially in terms of China's huge potential domestic market and import demand. The subsequent two chapters focus on the widely recognized problems that the rapid growth has produced, that is, the pressure on China's ecological environment, and growing regional, urban/rural, and income gaps. In chapter 2, Nicoletta Marigo argues that environmental improvements via the government's conscious and carefully-planned policy actions are not only feasible but also necessary for China's sustainable development, even at the current low-income levels. The author provides explanations on the three most important factors that shape the state of the China's environment-changes in industrial production and ownership, population growth and increased mobility, and large-scale energy consumption [End Page 281] -and tries to convince readers (or perhaps, more importantly, the Chinese policymakers) that the Chinese government's systematic response to environmental problems might eventually have a positive impact on its economic growth in the future. In chapter 3, Vasco Molini investigates the main determinants of rising inequality in China and finds that the urban-rural divide has been the main contributor to inequality, and it remains unresolved to date. This finding, in particular, leaves us with a need for systematic research, or at least a midterm appraisal, on the effect of the Great Western Development Strategy on the inequality problems, as the author mentioned in the concluding section. One remaining chapter in Part I is particularly assigned to the overview of the key issues and prospects for U.S.-China relations, which is the only chapter in this volume that explicitly discusses U.S.-China relations. The chapter first provides a historical overview of the relationship between the two countries, including the Bush Administration's policy changes from strategic partnership to strategic competition. It then moves into more specific issues such as the Taiwan issue, China's changing attitude and behavior after September 11, and China's increasingly important role in the North Korean nuclear issue, although it does not contain recent...

Western Wildfires: A Policy Change Perspective

AbstractMy research objective in this article is to analyze policy change affecting wildfire suppression programs administered by the United States Forest Service and the United States Department of the Interior. Using a variant of the punctuated equilibrium approach, a content analysis of New York Times stories dealing with wildfires over the past two decades was examined in relation to both administrative and legislative policy changes. I conclude by suggesting that administrative shifts were undertaken by federal land administrators in response to crises and media attention to protect decisional autonomy as well as forest resources, while the architect of legislative change was a president taking advantage of the combined effects of increasingly intense wildfire seasons, demographic shifts involving the movement of people and structures to the high‐risk wildland urban interface areas, greater media scrutiny, and pressure to act from wildfire weary constituencies.

The Use and Misuse of ‘National Security’ Rationale in Crafting U.S. Refugee and Immigration Policies

Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, U.S. immigration and refugee policy has developed based on narrow and evolving theories of ‘national security’. Immigration reform legislation, federal regulations, and administrative policy changes have been justified in terms of the nation’s safety. On 1 March 2003, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was folded into the massive new U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), formally making immigration a homeland defense concern. Counterterror and immigration experts increasingly agree on what constitute effective and appropriate immigration policy reforms in light of the terrorist threat. Unfortunately, many of the post-September 11 policy changes do little to advance public safety and violate the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. These include reductions in refugee admissions, the criminal prosecution of asylum seekers, the blanket detention of Haitians, and a safe third-country asylum agreement between the United States and Canada. Other measures offend basic rights and may undermine counterterror efforts. These include ‘preventive’ arrests, closed deportation proceedings, and ‘call-in’ registration programs. This article reviews post-September 11 U.S. policy developments based on their impact on migrant rights and their efficacy as counterterror measures. It argues for a more nuanced and rigorous sense of ‘national security’ in crafting refugee and immigration policy.

Appreciative Inquiry: A Field Study of Community Development

The meaning of race, ethnicity, social class, and culture has rapidly changed within the last two decades. In addition to the tremendous growth of diverse populations in our neighborhoods, administrative policy changes have pushed community leaders to approach organizational engagement with diversity more comprehensively. Using Appreciative Inquiry method to achieve a high level of participation and to transform inner dialogue between the participants, this study is about doing systemic thinking and practice in a diverse inner-city setting in the United States. The results of this study indicate that Appreciative Inquiry method is an appropriate model for systemic practice in community development.

Administrative Traditions and Policy Change: When Policy Paradigms Matter. The Case of Italian Administrative Reform During the 1990s

In recent years a growing number of scholars have developed cognitive and ideational theoretical frameworks for the analysis of policy‐making processes: their underlying belief is that ideas (conceived as beliefs, causal theories and paradigms) really do matter. The concept of policy paradigm has been particularly useful in studying both the contents and dynamics of policy change. The present paper takes this concept, partially reformulates Hall's definition in terms of the distinction between the hegemonic and dominant paradigm, and then uses it to come to terms with the contents and dynamics of the Italian administrative reforms implemented during the 1990s. Mixing the conceptual lenses offered by the ideational and cultural path taken in the field of public policy and by historical neo‐institutionalism, this article attempts to explain the Italian trajectory, and to underline how normative and cognitive elements represent an important influence on the ‘design’ and ‘strategy’ of policy change. Our analysis of the consistency of the reformers’ documents and policy strategy shows that, despite their claims, the contents and strategy of reform do not represent a paradigmatic about‐turn, but constitute an evolutionary adaptation to external pressures imposed by the hegemonic administrative paradigm.

Chinese Security in the Post-11 September World: Implications for Asia and the Pacific

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and the Bush administration's policy changes, Chinese strategic specialists are engaged in a wide ranging and increasingly public debate over China's national security strategies and priorities. Although senior leaders continue to argue that most trends remain favorable for Chinese security interests, far more cautionary assessments are also being voiced. In this article, Jonathan D. Pollack, chairman of the Strategic Research Department, US Naval War College, points out that the increased complexity and differentiation in Chinese policymaking reveals multiple trends at work. Even as Chinese policymakers emphasize their keen desire to reinforce regional stability, the longer-term picture remains clouded, from the Taiwan straits to the Korean peninsula to Central Asia to future developments in nuclear weapons policy. Pollack argues that there is a compelling need to invigorate exchanges between senior officials in Beijing, Washington, Tokyo and other major capitals, lest China and other states undertake policies that undermine the prospects for long term regional stability and security.

Discretion without Accountability: Politics, Flood Damage, and Climate

Federal disaster assistance is one component of U.S. policy for coping with damaging floods. The president ultimately determines whether or not federal relief is provided to states and local communities following a disaster. Yet, guidelines governing the president's discretion are vague and the total federal cost of disaster assistance is extremely difficult to determine. This study analyzes flood-related presidential disaster declarations from 1965 to 1997. It compares the annual number of flood-related declarations to measures of precipitation and flood damage, finding that presidents have differed significantly in disaster declaration policy. Annual differences in declarations during seven presidential administrations do not correspond to the president's political party affiliation. In addition, a state's ability to pay has not been a major consideration in presidential decisions about whether a disaster warrants federal assistance. However, presidential decisions are related to whether or not the president is running for reelection. Declarations are also related to changes in legislative and administrative policy. This paper discusses the significance of these findings in the context of national policies governing floods and other disasters.

Controlling Police Decisions to Use Deadly Force: Reexamining the Importance of Administrative Policy

Prior research has sought to identify appropriate mechanisms that can effectively control police officers' decisions to use deadly force. Using data from Philadelphia for a period of more than two decades, this article employs interrupted time series analysis (ARIMA) to examine the impact of two changes in administrative policy on monthly levels of deadly force in Philadelphia. Findings support prior deadly force research suggesting that administrative policy can be an effective deadly force discretion control, but the Philadelphia experience indicates that formal policy can be outweighed by the personal philosophies and policies of the chief, and that its impact is limited to elective encounters.

Administrative Policy as Symbol System

Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity, formerly known as Statistical Policy Directive 15, is a classification system that governs the U.S. government’s collection and presentation of data on race and ethnicity. The directive underwent a public evaluation between 1993 and 1997 to determine whether the racial and ethnic group categories should be revised. This article links theories of the role of the state in the social order and the social construction of identity to explain how conflictual political processes modify administrative policy. Two narratives on the debates over the reclassification of “Native Hawaiians” and the addition of a “multiracial” category illustrate recent political conflicts over group identities established by state agencies. The author argues that the main explanation for administrative policy changes was the responsiveness of state agencies to political demands of significantly mobilized groups with claims to state re sources.

An exploration of social policy and organizational culture in jail-based mental health services

Mental health staff encounter difficulties delivering services to mentally ill offenders in the criminal justice system environment. This manuscript explores administrative and clinical policy changes made in a mental health program in a mega jail environment resulting in improved inter-agency communications and access to services for mentally impaired offenders. The authors use attribution theory to explain changes in the social policy and organizational culture of the program. The authors suggest the use of two value-based schema as tools to prompt discussions about and improve the relationship between the criminal justice and mental health service systems.

State Actions on Reproductive Health Issues in 1994

In 1994, US state legislators considered 436 bills related to reproductive health issues and approved 19, of which five were later vetoed. In addition, states considered and enacted administrative policy changes on these issues. Most of the bills introduced (304) dealt with abortion. Half of these bills were designed to limit access to abortion, and a third were drafted to protect abortion rights. Two bills of each kind were enacted. Administratively, four more states (for a total of 17) began to fund abortions for indigent women under most circumstances. In 16 of these states, the income ceiling for abortion coverage is higher than the regular Medicaid ceiling. For the first time in recent years, the number of bills introduced which would limit funding access was equal to the number which would increase it. Of the 49 measures which would have imposed counseling and waiting periods on women seeking abortion, only one was enacted, but others which had been on the books were enforced. The parental consent measure which survived veto replaced a harsher law. Legislative action increased the number of states with clinic access protection laws to 11. While coercive welfare reform measures failed in 1994, some states received permission to extend the eligibility requirements for Medicaid family planning services. Debate has also centered around ways to prevent adolescent pregnancy, but very few of the 44 bills introduced offered universal access to voluntary family planning services. The availability of a contraceptive implant has engendered efforts to coerce its use in certain populations, but none of these efforts was translated into law. None of the bills on private insurance coverage of family planning services was enacted, but one bill was approved to ban publicly funded coverage of infertility services. While some of the administrative changes of 1994 were encouraging, conservative support for punitive, coercive measures is growing, and legislators continue to ignore the relevance of family planning services, including abortion, as an integral part of welfare reform.

Influence of uncertainty about a specialtyʼs administrative status on studentsʼ specialty choices at a Florida medical school

At the University of South Florida College of Medicine, there was a statistically significant drop in the number of 1990 graduates entering family practice residencies compared with the numbers entering during the previous decade. A retrospective analysis was carried out to determine what factors could have produced such a change and what specialties benefitted. The only factor identified was an administrative policy change that threatened the departmental status of the family medicine unit. Psychiatry was the only specialty choice that showed significant increases. The findings of this study suggest that medical students' selection of family practice as a specialty choice is detrimentally influenced by uncertainty about the family medicine unit's departmental status, and that family medicine may be competing with psychiatry for students' interest.

The evolution of languages administrative policies in New South Wales

Abstract This paper identifies the nature of the administrative policies prior to ‘The Wyndham Report’ and then traces changes up until the late 1970s. It reports research that used documentary analysis and depth interviews, and has three main findings. First, the administrative policy changes from 1962 to 1979 overlooked their impact on Languages education. Second, school-based decision making exposed Languages to diverse administrative practices, including those that reinforced elitism. Third, the falling numbers of candidates being examined in Languages in the late 1970s was only halted by the introduction of ‘Z Courses’ and by the demand for community languages. From the earliest days of civilization — and until quite recently — it went without saying that the principal business of education was to ensure that an educated person had a mastery of language. Modern Language Association, USA, 1977)

Racial Employment and Earnings Differentials: The Impact of the Reagan Administration

Numerous authors have considered the time paths of black/white employment and earnings differentials. Some have dealt with significant policy change impacts such as the 1964 Civil Rights Act. This study reports evidence concerning the impact of Reagan administration policy changes. The major drawback to the study is, of course, that the administration's total impact will no doubt not be felt for years. Regardless, using U.S. Census data through 1984, it was found that the administration had either a mixed effect (relative employment) or no effect (relative income), leaving the decaying position of blacks in the labor market little changed.

Cost-Effective Use of Laboratory Tests: A Joint Responsibility of Clinicians and Laboratorians

The successful attempts to achieve cost savings through improving the effectiveness of test utilization have several things in common. First, if the laboratory is to improve test ordering, it must thoroughly understand the clinical questions behind the test requests. Working with the appropriate clinical experts, the laboratory must establish standards and guidelines for appropriate test use. Then procedures must be developed to review and monitor test utilization to determine compliance with the standards and guidelines. Cost-effective improvements in the use of laboratory tests may require modifying clinicians' test ordering behavior through strategies such as problem-oriented request forms and administrative policy changes, but also the clinical laboratory's testing procedures where appropriate. Because laboratory tests are important elements of medical practice, the cost-effective use of laboratory tests and services is clearly the joint responsibility of clinicians and the clinical laboratory.

Optimizing Staff Performance in an Institutional Behavior Change System

Program equipment changes (two levels), information feedback (three levels), and administrative policy changes (two levels) were serially introduced to reduce errors made by nonprofessional staff in a forensic psychiatry institution. Errors were reduced from an initial level of 62.2% to 6.2%. Due to the uncontrolled nature of the design, it was not possible to determine the independent contributions of the three variables. However, introduction of the program equipment changes resulted in the smallest error reductions. The introduction of information feedback produced the next largest error reductions. Errors were optimally reduced when the information feedback was presented to the line staff and first level supervisors but attenuated when presented to second level supervisors. The largest and most consistent error reductions occurred following the introduction of administrative policy changes.

An instrument to assess staff time utilization in a community mental health center.

The Daily Staff Log is an empirically refined instrument to assess staff hours spent in direct patient and collateral contact, clinical backup time, consultation, education, and administration. Its primary uses as a management tool include description of staff activities, comparisons by discipline or clinic, pre- and postcomparisons following administrative policy change, and cost-effectiveness studies. Conditions for successful use include a firmly committed administrative interest, in-service education on the value of log data for decisionmaking to improve delivery of care, and positive feedback when logs indicate service goals are being met. Following the introduction of logging it was possible to document improvements in clinical and financial efficiency.

A work sampling study of midlevel health professionals in a rural medical clinic.

A work sampling study was initiated to provide a comprehensive description of the tasks performed by midlevel health personnel in the rural component of an experimental medical care delivery system. The investigation determined the proportion of time spent on various activities by the staff members of a rural clinic which is linked to supervisory physicians in a distant urban medical center. Over 800 observations were recorded during ten randomly selected days in a two-month period on each of the three staff members. The family nurse practitioner spent one-third of her time in direct patient care activities with almost one-half of the day devoted to indirect patient care tasks. The laboratory aide allocated one-half of her day to providing direct patient services whereas the clerk-receptionist spent over 40 per cent of her day on patient records and billing. Work sampling results were considered within a comparative framework to qualitatively assess performance. The findings were coupled with proposed changes in administrative and medical policy to provide a quantitative basis for developing cost-reducing alternative staffing configurations.

The Prison As a Community

SITUATIONAL explanation of crime calls for a situational approach to prevention and treatment. As sociologists, we are not true to logical implications of our science if we recommend individual treatment as only solution of penal ills. If function of a prison is to protect society, convict must learn, during his period of incarceration, how to live in society. It is purpose of this paper to point out some of major obstacles which prevent present-day American penal system from performing this function and to indicate changes in administrative policy to overcome them. The concept of prison as a is guiding principle for this analysis. The prisoner comes from a and, after an average stay of two and one third years, will return to a community. If he is to be accepted as a law-abiding person on his return, he must learn in prison to play role of a citizen. He cannot learn those things that will enable him to participate as an acceptable member of outside community, if he is engaged in activities that are foreign to people on outside. If prisoner learns on inside, that to fit in with institutional routine, he must walk close to wall, this will not help him on outside. In fact, it may mark him as peculiar. We are aware of real difficulties in way of fundamental reforms. Unless there is a dramatic escape, a bloody riot, or a mass whipping, as reported recently at San Quentin, press and public are apathetic. J. Edgar Hoover's vigorous defense of machine-gun of criminology with its hatred of slimy criminals and its belief in long prison terms as only means of punishment and his pungent attacks on the creampuff school with its moo-cow sentimentalities and its faith in rehabilitation have swung pendulum of public opinion in this country in direction of a hostile attitude toward offender and away from an attitude of inquiry. It is our conviction, however, that punitive attitude has been adequately tried and found wanting. The most promising method of progress is through experimentation. Why not, for example, make a sincere attempt to save money for a higher salary level and a better quality of personnel by housing a larger proportion of carefully selected prisoners in less expensive minimum security institutions? Furthermore, why not make the prison as a community guiding concept for administration? As it is, present-day American treatment of men in prison reminds us of relations between lions and their trainer. The function of a trainer is