Policy Cycle Research Articles

Barriers to public sector innovation in Switzerland: A phase‐based investigation

AbstractInnovation processes are crucial to modernizing business processes, products, and institutional arrangements in the public sector. However, many attempts at innovation in this area fail. Previous research has identified various barriers, yet little is known regarding which might manifest during the various phases of the innovation process. In this study, we analyse the barriers to public sector innovation from a process perspective, using the policy cycle as an analytical framework. We conducted qualitative interviews (n = 22) with Swiss practitioners to explore barriers to public sector innovation in individual phases of the innovation process. Thus, this study contributes to a better understanding of the barriers that can impede a successful public sector innovation process by shedding light on the barriers’ dynamics and differences at the national and regional levels.Points for practitioners Public sector innovation (PSI) barriers often require public sector organisations to follow a professional innovation management approach. Reluctance to connect and insufficient and/or unclear room to manoeuvre appear to be the most critical barriers, likely resulting from the substantial complexity of the context. PSI barriers show different levels of prevalence in each phase of the innovation process. It is crucial to address barriers in each stage appropriately. Understanding the prevalence of barriers in each phase will help with determining the appropriate strategy. Barriers must be considered throughout innovation process, without neglecting any phase. This requires a strategic and long‐term perspective on innovation management.

Lessons from Past Monetary Easing Cycles

Many central banks are at a critical juncture in their current monetary policy cycles as they assess whether it would be appropriate to embark on an easing phase following one of the most aggressive episodes of monetary tightening in recent history. In this note, we highlight key aspects of past monetary policy easing episodes in selected advanced economies and what lessons we may learn from these past experiences.

Computational social science in regional analysis and the European real estate market

ABSTRACT The recent so-called ‘data revolution’ offers unprecedented opportunities to innovate regional policies. New data sources are being widely used by the scientific community, however their uptake is far from being systematic in the policy cycle, where data innovation can improve territorial impact assessment. This paper presents a survey on the use of non-traditional data in the context of regional policy, together with a case study on real estate markets of three European countries, highlighting the perspectives and limitations of computational social science in regional analysis in terms of data quality and availability.

The restructuring process of the Polish defence industry in the twenty-first century: doing more of the same while expecting different results

ABSTRACT This paper examines the restructuring of Poland’s defence industry during and after the country’s systemic transition of the 1990s, seeking to identify the main political, economic, and military challenges involved in the process. These reforms, which can be described as statist in nature, are dissected into phases corresponding with Anderson’s Public Policy Cycle. This approach enables a reconstruction of the initial conditions influenced by post-communist legacies and the selection and implementation of policies, as well as an assessment of the actions taken. The study highlights the determinants and long-term rationale behind these reforms, emphasising the challenges faced by the defence sector in countries that, like Poland, have undergone a systemic transition. The paper additionally discusses the potential risks of excessive state control in this sector of industry and evaluates the impact of these reforms on Poland’s role in international security co-operation.

The UK’s post-study work visa: Abolition and reinstatement of a degree mobility incentive

This paper examines the 2012 abolition of the Post-Study Work visa for international students in English and Welsh Universities and its subsequent re-establishment in 2021. A policy cycle analysis was performed of the phases of agenda setting, formulation, implementation, and evaluation. This revealed that the UK government abolished the PSW visa in 2012 because of national security concerns and perceived public opposition to immigration, but minimised the role of higher education institutions and failed to consider economic and cultural drivers when setting the policy agenda. The impact of the subsequent top-down approach to implementation led to a range of negative outcomes for HEIs and their contribution to the UK economy. Subsequently, bottom-up pressure led to the UK government re-establishing the PSW visa for economic reasons, political reasons (Brexit), and in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The credit card-augmented Divisia monetary aggregates: an analysis based on recurrence plots and visual boundary recurrence plots

In this paper, we compare the dynamics of the growth rates of the original Divisia monetary aggregates, the credit card-augmented Divisia monetary aggregates, and the credit card-augmented Divisia inside monetary aggregates. This analysis is based on the methods of recurrence plots, recurrence quantification analysis, and visual boundary recurrence plots which are phase space methods designed to depict the underlying dynamics of the system under study. We identify the events that affected Divisia money growth and point out the differences among the different Divisia monetary aggregates based on the recurrence and visual boundary recurrence plots. We argue that the broad Divisia monetary aggregates could be used for monetary policy and business cycle analysis as they are exhibiting less fluctuation compared to the narrow Divisia monetary aggregates. They could positively affect policy decisions regarding environmental choices and sustainability. We also point out the changes in the monetary dynamics locating the 2008 global financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic.

A complexity theory perspective on politico-administrative systems: Insights from a systematic literature review

Complexity theory (CT) refers to a collection of concepts and heuristics that can be used to study the developments emerging from interactions between phenomena, actors, and events. CT has increasingly been utilized in the study of public administration and policy. However, there is no comprehensive analysis of empirical or other research focused on the functioning of political-administrative phenomena applying CT. This article reports the results of a systematic literature review demonstrating how CT has been applied in empirical research in different stages of the policy cycle: policy preparation, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance. The study reveals empirical research utilizing CT offers practical implications that can be categorized into four themes: enabling leadership, leveraging experimentation, the holistic perspective, and the humble approach.

Life cycle thinking for the assessment of waste and circular economy policy: status and perspectives from the EU example

Life cycle thinking methods such as life cycle assessment (LCA) and costing (LCC) were originally developed to assess the performance of products and services (business-making decisions). However, they are increasingly deployed to support policy-making along the entire policy cycle, including via impact assessment (IA) of different policy options. These applications are associated with a number of challenges, mainly related to the dynamic and prospective nature of policy IA, typically forward-looking into 10–20 years ahead. This requires the application of prospective scenario analyses to develop the baseline scenario, reflecting the ‘do nothing’ into the future (business-as-usual), and the alternative scenarios, reflecting the consequences incurred by the implementation of the policy options under study. Such prospective and broadened boundary nature of policy IA challenges traditional LCA/LCC practices mostly based on retrospective, static scenarios and datasets. The present study provides an overview of recent IA studies supporting waste policy to show the state-of-the-art and the main challenges associated with the application of life cycle methods in IA, focusing on the most recent EU waste and circular economy policies. Moreover, since specific and transparent guidance on how to implement consistently these methods in policy IA is lacking, the study provides an initial guidance for application of life cycle thinking in IA drawing upon the knowledge obtained conducting waste policy IA studies. Key challenges in the field are still to be addressed, and might inspire further research to improve the application of life cycle thinking to policy assessment.

The credit-augmented Divisia aggregates and the monetary business cycle

Abstract We follow Belongia and Ireland (2021) and investigate the role that the Center for Financial Stability credit card-augmented Divisia monetary aggregates could play in monetary policy and business cycle analysis. We use Bayesian methods to estimate a structural VAR under priors that reflect Keynesian channels of monetary transmission, but produce posterior distributions for the structural parameters consistent with classical channels. We also find that valuable information is contained in the credit-augmented Divisia monetary aggregates and that they perform even better than the conventional Divisia aggregates, in terms of highlighting the role of the money supply in aggregate demand.

Analyzing China’s “One Village One Product” Policy Implementation through the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework and Policy Cycle Theory

Analyzing China’s “One Village One Product” Policy Implementation through the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework and Policy Cycle Theory

Coastal Laws evolution in Spain: An analysis from the public policy cycle

This paper presents an analysis of the evolution of the legislation on coasts in Spain using the methodology of the cycle of public policies. This made it possible to recognize important differences in how the issue of coasts entered into the government agenda, the definition of the problem to be addressed and the design of each of the laws analyzed, mainly due to the influence of the political and economic context. The entry into the government agenda ranges from the need to take advantage of the coast to promote tourism, the recovery of State ownership of the maritime-terrestrial public domain (MTPD) and the attempt to recover private ownership of properties released from the MTPD. In the design, two important elements have been maintained in all three cases: the definition of public domain (PD) goods, and the establishment of easements on privately owned land. In the 1988 and 2013 Laws, the publicist and conservationist legal principles have been maintained, as well as the techniques of the PD and the impact on private rights over properties adjoining the MTPD. The implementation of the laws has been very contrasting. The first law was hardly implemented at all, while the two subsequent laws have been resolutely implemented by the state administration. Finally, the most important elements that are recognized in the evolution of the Coastal Laws is the protection of the PD and the affectation of private property through easements. However, that the legal framework is confusing as two current Laws coexist.

Sustainable political commitment is necessary for institutionalizing community participation in health policy-making: Insights from Iran

BackgroundCommunity participation is currently utilized as a national strategy to promote public health and mitigate health inequalities across the world. While community participation is acknowledged as a civic right in the Constitution of Iran and other related upstream documents, the government has typically failed in translating, integrating and implementing community participation in health system policy. The present study was conducted to determine the level of public voice consideration within the health policy in Iran and address fundamental interventions required to promote the public voice in the context of Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). This study has originality because there is no study that addresses the requirements of institutionalizing community participation especially in low-middle-income countries, so Iran’s experience can be useful for other countries.MethodsMethodologically, this study utilized a multi-method and multi-strand sequential research design, including qualitative, comparative and documentary studies. In the first phase, the current level of community participation in the health policy cycle of Iran was identified using the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) spectrum. In the second phase, a comparative study was designed to identify relevant interventions to promote the community participation level in the selected countries under study. In the third phase, a qualitative study was conducted to address the barriers, facilitators and strategies for improving the level of public participation. Accordingly, appropriate interventions and policy options were recommended. Interventions were reviewed in a policy dialogue with policy-makers and community representatives, and their effectiveness, applicability and practical feasibility were evaluated.ResultsBased on the IAP2 spectrum, the level of community participation in the health policy-making process is non-participation, while empowerment is set at the highest level in the upstream documents. Moreover, capacity-building, demand, mobilization of the local population, provision of resources and setting a specific structure were found to be among the key interventions to improve the level of community participation in Iran’s health sector. More importantly, “political will for action” was identified as the driving force for implementing the necessary health interventions.ConclusionsTo sum up, a paradigm shift in the governing social, economic and political philosophy; establishing a real-world and moral dialogue and communication between the government and the society; identifying and managing the conflicts of interest in the leading stockholders of the healthcare system; and, more importantly, maintaining a stable political will for action are integral to promote and institutionalize participatory governance in the health sector of Iran. All of the above will lead us to scheme, implement and institutionalize suitable interventions for participatory governance in health and medicine.

Examining disparities in common agriculture policy direct payments among farming systems: evidence from Portugal

One of the stated goals of the common agricultural policy reforms has been to provide a fairer distribution of payments across and within member states, but little progress has been accomplished, with about 20% of farmers receiving 80% of the total amount of direct payments. This research aims to investigate the underlying structural factors that contribute to this inequity in Portugal, with a particular focus on farming systems. A logit model was developed using agricultural census data at the commune level, with the percentage of farmers receiving direct payments as the dependent variable. The findings reveal that the local importance of arable crops (cereals) and cattle farming systems, as well as the existence of larger farms and younger farmers, all contributed to farmers' increasing access to direct payments between 2009 and 2019. In traditional Mediterranean farming systems, access to direct payments has been restricted to a smaller proportion of farmers. Nevertheless, it is evident that a certain degree of redistribution took place during the previous programming cycle of the common agricultural policy. This redistribution included a shift in support from larger to smaller farmers, older to younger farmers, and from olives, cereals, and cattle to other farming systems, particularly vineyards.

Present and future screening programs for diabetic retinopathy: a narrative review.

Diabetes is a prevalent global concern, with an estimated 12% of the global adult population affected by 2045. Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a sight-threatening complication, has spurred diverse screening approaches worldwide due to advances in DR knowledge, rapid technological developments in retinal imaging and variations in healthcare resources.Many high income countries have fully implemented or are on the verge of completing a national Diabetic Eye Screening Programme (DESP). Although there have been some improvements in DR screening in Africa, Asia, and American countries further progress is needed. In low-income countries, only one out of 29, partially implemented a DESP, while 21 out of 50 lower-middle-income countries have started the DR policy cycle. Among upper-middle-income countries, a third of 59 nations have advanced in DR agenda-setting, with five having a comprehensive national DESP and 11 in the early stages of implementation.Many nations use 2-4 fields fundus images, proven effective with 80-98% sensitivity and 86-100% specificity compared to the traditional seven-field evaluation for DR. A cell phone based screening with a hand held retinal camera presents a potential low-cost alternative as imaging device. While this method in low-resource settings may not entirely match the sensitivity and specificity of seven-field stereoscopic photography, positive outcomes are observed.Individualized DR screening intervals are the standard in many high-resource nations. In countries that lacks a national DESP and resources, screening are more sporadic, i.e. screening intervals are not evidence-based and often less frequently, which can lead to late recognition of treatment required DR.The rising global prevalence of DR poses an economic challenge to nationwide screening programs AI-algorithms have showed high sensitivity and specificity for detection of DR and could provide a promising solution for the future screening burden.In summary, this narrative review enlightens on the epidemiology of DR and the necessity for effective DR screening programs. Worldwide evolution in existing approaches for DR screening has showed promising results but has also revealed limitations. Technological advancements, such as handheld imaging devices, tele ophthalmology and artificial intelligence enhance cost-effectiveness, but also the accessibility of DR screening in countries with low resources or where distance to or a shortage of ophthalmologists exists.

Monetary policy and housing market cycles

AbstractUsing monthly data from 1978:M1 to 2019:M9, this paper provides empirical evidence concerning the role that monetary policy plays in the US housing market. We first show that shocks to short-run interest rates have significant impacts on house prices and that these effects are persistent. Our findings also provide evidence supporting the claim that too-low-for-too-long interest rates are responsible for the 2002–2006 US housing boom. We further investigate the different channels through which an easing monetary policy fuels the house price boom and find that faster sales and lower inventory levels in the housing market most amplify the policy effects. Lastly, we provide compelling evidence of the asymmetric effects of contractionary and expansionary monetary policies on house prices.

Health promotion policies, perceptions, actions and needs in sports clubs in Ireland

Objective: Policy development is the biggest gap for health-promoting sports clubs. The present study aims to identify Irish sports club’s involvement in health promotion (HP) policy development. Design: Mixed methods concurrent survey design, with quantitative data providing insights into priorities, activities and documentation and qualitative data documenting stakeholders’ perceived needs. Setting: Two hundred and thirty-nine sports clubs in Ireland. Method: The survey measured perceptions of HP, the importance of promoting 10 health topics (e.g. suicide prevention, healthy eating, addictive behaviours) and corresponding actions relevant to HP in club policy documents and future needs. Quantitative data were analysed using multivariate statistics. The policy cycle was used to conduct a deductive analysis of qualitative data on sports clubs’ perceived needs. Results: A high importance score (>70%) was found for the 10 health topics. Sports clubs reported their greatest investment was in physical activity promotion, and the lowest investment was in supporting the participation of disabled people. Up to two thirds of sports clubs had no HP policy. Irish sports clubs’ perceptions of HP showed higher but similar patterns of response relative to sports clubs in other countries. Conclusion: Findings suggest that sports clubs consider HP to be an important part of their remit, but up to 66% have no policy in this regard. The policy cycle analysis helped identify the key tools needed to promote sports clubs’ HP policy development. Practical implications include fostering the inclusion of HP in sports clubs’ development plans by establishing templates and receiving support from sports federations.

Bandung Sadayana: Partisipasi Digital Masyarakat Kota Bandung dalam Membangun Smart City

The digital era has changed interactions between government and society, especially through wider digital participation and easy access through digital media. Community participation in this context can take the form of decision analysis, involving a process of deliberation and decision structuring to understand community preferences and perspectives. However, this participation is often limited to the later stages of the policy cycle, reducing the public's contribution to policy formation. This research focuses on the digital participation of the people of Bandung City, which is increasingly active through initiatives such as Bandung Sadayana. This platform, through features like Badami Forum, enables citizens to contribute to the development of the city. In the context of smart city development, Bandung faces challenges such as uneven socialization, lack of understanding of the smart city roadmap, and limited infrastructure. The effectiveness of community participation is influenced by a number of factors, including active involvement in planning forums, information transparency, effective communication, and the quality of policy implementation. Recommendations involve expanding digital participation through outreach campaigns, increasing transparency and communication, and focusing on the quality of project implementation.

Policy Cycles and Fiscal Outcomes in Latin America

Resumo Este artigo tem como objetivo examinar empiricamente a presença de ciclos políticos orçamentários no comportamento fiscal dos países da América Latina, utilizando dados em painel para o período de 1990 a 2017. O estudo revela que parte dos resultados macroeconômicos e fiscais é influenciada por ciclos político-econômicos. Os anos iniciais dos governos são caracterizados pela redução no crescimento relativo do PIB, desaceleração da inflação, melhora na arrecadação de tributos e dos resultados fiscais. Não há evidências de que os governos utilizem o expediente de amplificar despesas, de forma generalizada, em períodos eleitorais, mas apenas de forma setorizada.

Comparative Analysis of Educational Policy Formulation and Implementation Strategies in Developed and Developing Countries.

Educational policy formulation and implementation are critical components for improving educational systems worldwide, yet significant disparities exist between developed and developing countries. This paper explores these disparities and presents a comparative analysis of the strategies employed in both contexts. Drawing on key theories like the Policy Cycle and Actor-Network Theory, the comparative analysis examined how these frameworks inform the processes of policy formulation and implementation. Data were drawn from 53 peer reviewed articles gotten through a systematic search in online databases including Google Scholar, Sematic Scholars, Paperity and Ethos. The analysis reveals that both developed and developing countries emphasize evidence-based policy making, stakeholder engagement, capacity building, and the integration of technology in education. Developed countries have a more robust financial resources, advanced technology, and stable political environments, enabling robust funding systems and continuous policy adaptation. In contrast, developing countries face challenges such as inadequate funding, political instability, and bureaucratic inefficiencies, focusing more on community engagement and infrastructure development. Despite these challenges, developing countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya have made significant strides in improving educational outcomes through strategic partnerships and targeted policy interventions. The study concludes with implications for practice and recommendations for policymakers in developing countries, emphasizing the need for diversified funding models, technological integration, strengthened governance, stakeholder engagement, and continuous evaluation to enhance educational policy effectiveness and sustainability. The findings highlight the importance of context-specific approaches and the potential for developing countries to learn from the experiences of developed nations in creating robust educational systems.

School Choice in Chinese Context: Analysing the “Nearby Enrollment” Policy for Compulsory Education in Beijing through the Policy Cycle

School Choice in Chinese Context: Analysing the “Nearby Enrollment” Policy for Compulsory Education in Beijing through the Policy Cycle