Model Of Policy Process Research Articles

Pharmaceutical Policy in Hong Kong: Defining an Evolving Area of Study

Background: Hong Kong as a developed economy in Asia still lags behind other advanced economies of the OECD in medicines regulation and the promotion of pharmacists’ professionalism. It lacks a significant local drug industry, and has only recently placed priority on cost-containment measures for pharmaceutical expenditures. This latter has increased politicization of pharmaceutical issues and sets the ground for a serious study of the policy processes affecting medicines and the stakeholders involved, both of which have hitherto not been researched locally. Objectives: To review pharmaceutical policy developments in Hong Kong and to identify the major policy debates regarding pharmaceuticals in recent years (2002-2006) with the view of studying the characteristics of these policy processes and activities. Methods: Documentary analysis method using minutes of meetings of the health services panel in the legislature and documents and position papers issued by various stakeholder groups. The framework for analysis is based on components of the policy cycle. Relevant policy process models and various theories are employed as tools to aid understanding of the policy activities. Results and Discussion: Pharmaceutical policy in Hong Kong is not concerned with issues of regulating the pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical R&D and patent protection, and state reimbursement of pharmaceutical payments which are characteristic priorities of policymaking in advanced economies. The ability of public policy to bring forward a new pharmaceutical regulatory framework and promote rational use of medicines is hampered by inadequate exercise of professionalism (muted pharmacist’ role due to lack of separation of prescribing and dispensing), an underdeveloped community pharmacy sector and insufficient integration of the various levels and sectors of healthcare provision. The pharmaceutical regulatory agency in Hong Kong remains conservative in outlook but is facing similar strain of challenge from the pharmaceutical sector despite the issues raised are of plain trade and business rather than industrial policy in nature. Description of the policy process is benefited by adapting the ‘stages heuristic’ framework. Both garbage can and policy streams models are useful in providing for an explanation of policy change.Conclusion: In the absence of an integrated framework, pharmaceutical policy formulation will likely remain ad hoc and continue to revolve around the ongoing wider discussions about health care reform. The problems faced by policymakers in formulating pharmaceutical policy in Hong Kong represent a different picture from Western countries where medicines policy in the latter naturally subsumes industrial policy, healthcare policy and public health policy under one rubric. This peculiarity may not be unique to Hong Kong but is perhaps reflective of other small jurisdictions as well.

Information security policy: An organizational-level process model

To protect information systems from increasing levels of cyber threats, organizations are compelled to institute security programs. Because information security policies are a necessary foundation of organizational security programs, there exists a need for scholarly contributions in this important area. Using a methodology involving qualitative techniques, we develop an information security policy process model based on responses from a sample of certified information security professionals. As the primary contribution of this research study, the proposed model illustrates a general yet comprehensive policy process in a distinctive form not found in existing professional standards or academic publications. This study's model goes beyond the models illustrated in the literature by depicting a larger organizational context that includes key external and internal influences that can materially impact organizational processes. The model that evolved from the data in this research reflects the recommended practices of our sample of certified professionals, thus providing a practical representation of an information security policy process for modern organizations. Before offering our concluding comments, we compare the results of the study with the literature in both theory and practice and also discuss limitations of the study. To the benefit of the practitioner and research communities alike, the model in this study offers a step forward, as well as an opportunity for making further advancements in the increasingly critical area of information security policy.

From Local Experiments to National Policy: The Origins of China's Distinctive Policy Process

China's national policy formulation undergone economic transformation and shaped the making of policies in promotion of private business and stock market regulation. China's distinctive process of central-local interaction in policy generation is one of its core strengths in reforming its economy.

Overview of the water policy process in South Africa

This research article provides an overview of the policy process followed by the South African Government in developing and implementing the White Paper on a National Water Policy for South Africa between 1994 and 2003. The research is based on a report published by the South African Water Research Commission (WRC), which formed part of a project entitled: Consolidation and Transfer of Knowledge and Experience Gained in the Development and Implementation of Water and Related Policy in South Africa (WRC Project number K5/1295). An attempt was made in the research project to solicit lessons of experience from the last ten years and to suggest findings regarding future options. It was found that valuable experience exists that is relevant not only to present and future policy and strategy initiatives in South Africa but also to policy process development in a regional and global context. The review of the water policy process has included a deliberate attempt to apply a selected policy process model to the South African water policy process in order to attempt a systematic analysis of the process. Specific findings were made regarding policy and strategy processes, institutional capacity and policy research in the water sector. The findings of the study included a confirmation of the technical quality of the policy and identification of several opportunities and priorities in the implementation of water policy.

Waste Management Policy Implementation in South Africa: An emerging stakeholder participation paradox

The need to eliminate plastic shopping bags from South Africa’s environment has resulted in the formation and implementation of the Plastic Carrier Bags and Plastics Flat Bags Regulations (hereafter referred to as the Plastic Bags Regulations).The new law requires manufacturers to produce thicker, reusable and recyclable plastic shopping bags sold at purchase points.However, some major retailers have refused to charge customers for the new bags claiming that they were not party to the policy process. Consumer organisations have called for boycotts and urged shoppers to support retailers that continue issuing ‘free’ bags. Drawing theoretical insights from actor network theory (ANT) and other actor oriented and practice-based policy frameworks, this small-scale study established that the failure to consider key actors and actants in the policy implementation process, and the role of powerful actor networks in the process have adversly affected the policy implementation process. Given that South Africa placed emphasis on consultative national environmental policy process approaches, the unfolding events and emerging policy process models show an emerging stakeholder participation paradox in implementing policies on waste management in South Africa.

Issue definition and two‐level negotiations: An application to the American foreign policy process

This article builds on the two‐level games and international negotiation literatures and shows how the use of an issue typology can shed light on the nature of the interactions between domestic political forces and international negotiations. This is done by presenting four foreign policy process models illustrating that the decision‐making process varies depending on the type of issue that is involved in a particular situation. The varying structure and nature of the process affects the range of the domestic level win‐set and hinders or aids the achievement of international agreement depending on which model is in play. Although the focus in this article is on the American foreign policy process, the argument is generic to the broader theoretical development of the two‐level games approach because similar, but country‐specific, decision‐making models can be developed for use in the study of non‐American foreign policy. Such generalizations build on recent work focusing on the impact of state structure on the foreign policy process and its outcomes.

WHO MAKES U.S. TRADE POLICY?

The foreign policy literature typically sees Congress abdicating its policy making role to the executive, implying a presidential dominance model is superior to other policy process models (joint participation, congressional dominance, and bureaucratic dominance). This article uses two theoretical approaches to investigate who actually makes U.S. trade policy: a political economy approach and an institutional approach. We look at the 1985 96 period and at individual presidencies: Reagan (1985-88), Bush (1989-92), and Clinton (1993-96). Contrary to the literature, we find strong evidence that Congress is an active participant in the trade policy making process. Using a variety of empirical techniques (crosstabs, the Index of Revealed Comparative Advantage, pairwise correlations, and stepwise logistic regressions), we confirm that the trade policy process for product-industry-specific policies tends to be dominated by Congress whereas the executive branch is more influential in the policy process for country-specific policies. We conclude by noting the advantage of integrating aspects of both the political economy of trade and institu tional literatures to understand the nuances of U.S. foreign trade policy making.

Cross-national Social Welfare Policy Analysis in the Graduate Curriculum

This article presents an analytical model for enabling social work graduate students to understand social welfare policies in a cross-national context. The author discusses a policy process model for comparative study that helps to explain why income, health, and social services programs are different among nations. The model examines governmental policies in other nations in terms of legal and assumed jurisdiction, obstacles and constraints to intervention, catalysts for intervention, needs identification, goals and strategies, program description, and evaluation.

Professional Development Policy in a Small Rural Education System

The paper describes the professional development policy of a small but geographically widespread education system in New South Wales. The policy has particular features. Notably it allows control of the content of staff development at three levels — the system, the school and the individual. The policy identifies a rationale and an aim, a set of assumptions, principles of procedure and characteristics of a healthy professional learning environment. These are used as guides for officers of the system in their choice of implementation models and in the processes they use. The process of implementation of the policy is described, including administrative structures and some models of inservice. Some similarities are commented on between the policy and Stenhouse's process model of curriculum development. Suggestions are made regarding the implementation of the Scott report in New South Wales. The conceptual framework of policy analysts, Hogwood and Gunn (1984), was particularly useful in the analysis.

Revising the research agenda on agricultural policy in developed market economies

Intervention by the state in agriculture is under increasing scrutiny world-wide as the financial cost to both consumers and taxpayers rises. This paper analyses the consequences for research of the contemporary and prospective revision of agricultural intervention, with attention directed to both direct and indirect farm support programmes. The discussion emphasizes the need for researchers to place their analyses within a more explicit conceptual framework of state-agriculture relations than in the past. A number of alternative frameworks are discussed including the previously dominant policy process model. Policy impact assessments emerge as the most researched area of state-agriculture relations, although recent research on the cost of agricultural support programmes is emphasized, together with projected effects of trade liberalization agreements. The paper concludes by drawing up a research agenda for the 1990s on agricultural intervention.