Public Policy Engagement Research Articles

A conceptual framework for the government big data ecosystem (‘datagov.eco’)

The public sector, private firms, and civil society constantly create data of high volume, velocity, and veracity from diverse sources. This kind of data is known as big data. As in other industries, public administrations consider big data as the “new oil" and employ data-centric policies to transform data into knowledge, stimulate good governance, innovative digital services, transparency, and citizens' engagement in public policy. More and more public organizations understand the value created by exploiting internal and external data sources, delivering new capabilities, and fostering collaboration inside and outside of public administrations. Despite the broad interest in this ecosystem, we still lack a detailed and systematic view of it. In this paper, we attempt to describe the emerging Government Big Data Ecosystem as a socio-technical network of people, organizations, processes, technology, infrastructure, standards & policies, procedures, and resources. This ecosystem supports data functions such as data collection, integration, analysis, storage, sharing, use, protection, and archiving. Through these functions, value is created by promoting evidence-based policymaking, modern public services delivery, data-driven administration and open government, and boosting the data economy. Through a Design Science Research methodology, we propose a conceptual framework, which we call ‘datagov.eco’. We believe our ‘datagov.eco’ framework will provide insights and support to different stakeholders’ profiles, including administrators, consultants, data engineers, and data scientists.

“It’s an Old White Boys’ Club:” Faculty of Color’s Perceptions of Policy Engagement

Scholars of color remain underrepresented in policymaking contexts, and the absence of their expertise in policy processes can have significant consequences for society. In this study, we examine motivations for and perceived barriers to engagement in public policymaking among faculty of color. Using an institutional logics framework and interviews with 20 tenure-stream faculty of color at 20 research universities, we identify three main themes that elucidate their perceptions of public policy engagement: (1) the network-driven, racialized nature of public policymaking spaces; (2) communal motivations and perceived benefits of public policy engagement; and (3) the double-edged sword of engaging with public policymaking.

Caught in crises: Syrian refugees in Türkiye’s labor market

PurposeThis study aims to analyze the factors driving Syrian refugees into the informal labor market in Türkiye despite the existence of regulations and programs to facilitate their integration into the formal labor market.Design/methodology/approachThis study presents results from a literature review of secondary sources and primary data collection through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and Syrian refugees.FindingsThe study shows that the implementation of policies and programs to boost formal employment among refugees has yielded limited results. Many refugees continue to operate within the informal economy. This informality is due to various socio-economic challenges, including anti-refugee sentiments, geographical restrictions and economic crises. The 2023 twin earthquakes have further exacerbated the vulnerable situation of refugees, intensifying the difficulty of achieving self-reliance.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s drawbacks include a small sample size. This implies that the sample is not representative; therefore, results may lack generalizability.Practical implicationsThe study’s findings could stimulate greater engagement in public policy, facilitate the management of public perceptions regarding refugees and provide support to the private sector, all to enhance the integration of Syrian refugees into the formal labor market.Originality/valueThis study addresses crucial areas previously unexplored, including the impact of economic and natural disaster crises on the labor market integration of refugees. To the best of the author’s knowledge, by investigating these factors for the first time, this study offers novel insights into their influence on refugees’ labor market integration.

Supporting Public Policy Engagement for Tenure-Stream Faculty of Color

In Short Colleges and universities can do more to support engagement in public policymaking among faculty of color. Institutional support for public policy engagement among faculty of color would increase the representation of people of color in policymaking settings and advance institutional goals (magnifying their impact and creating new opportunities for partnerships and funding). Recommendations for institutions to better support faculty of color’s policy engagement include formally valuing policy engagement, offering institutional support and protection from the consequences of public policy engagement, and providing resources for such engagement.

Untimely publications: Delayed Canadian fisheries science advice limits transparency of decision-making

The governance framework for wild-capture fisheries varies widely across the world, but most frameworks generate and use science advice in decision-making, developed with some level of peer-review. The Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) oversees the peer-review process of science related to the management of Canada’s fisheries and oceans; the resultant publications with science advice are the main source of scientific evidence used in decision-making in Canada’s fisheries. The CSAS has a publicly available policy intended to ensure transparency and timely dissemination of publications that is currently under review. To examine the effectiveness of the existing policy, inform its revision and development of similar policies in other jurisdictions, this paper evaluates the timeliness of the publication of scientific information to support the management of Canada’s fisheries and oceans from recent CSAS meetings against current policy deadlines. It was found that from 2017 to 2019, implementation of the policy was poor, with most documents published late, if at all. Furthermore, the science advice considered most during fisheries management decision-making was often not publicly available until after the decision was made and communicated. Despite having a policy to promote transparency, public engagement in policy and decision-making is being limited and a common understanding of the science evidence underlying advice inhibited. Transparency, which is becoming a cornerstone principle in modern fisheries management, is being compromised in Canadian fisheries management.

DaLiF: a data lifecycle framework for data-driven governments

The public sector, private firms, business community, and civil society are generating data that is high in volume, veracity, velocity and comes from a diversity of sources. This kind of data is known as big data. Public Administrations (PAs) pursue big data as “new oil” and implement data-centric policies to transform data into knowledge, to promote good governance, transparency, innovative digital services, and citizens’ engagement in public policy. From the above, the Government Big Data Ecosystem (GBDE) emerges. Managing big data throughout its lifecycle becomes a challenging task for governmental organizations. Despite the vast interest in this ecosystem, appropriate big data management is still a challenge. This study intends to fill the above-mentioned gap by proposing a data lifecycle framework for data-driven governments. Through a Systematic Literature Review, we identified and analysed 76 data lifecycles models to propose a data lifecycle framework for data-driven governments (DaliF). In this way, we contribute to the ongoing discussion around big data management, which attracts researchers’ and practitioners’ interest.

Government Big Data Ecosystem: Definitions, Types of Data, Actors, and Roles and the Impact in Public Administrations

The public sector, private firms, business community, and civil society are generating data that are high in volume, veracity, and velocity and come from a diversity of sources. This type of data is today known as big data. Public administrations pursue big data as “new oil” and implement data-centric policies to collect, generate, process, share, exploit, and protect data for promoting good governance, transparency, innovative digital services, and citizens’ engagement in public policy. All of the above constitute the Government Big Data Ecosystem (GBDE). Despite the great interest in this ecosystem, there is a lack of clear definitions, the various important types of government data remain vague, the different actors and their roles are not well defined, while the impact in key public administration sectors is not yet deeply understood and assessed. Such research and literature gaps impose a crucial obstacle for a better understanding of the prospects and nascent issues in exploiting GBDE. With this study, we aim to start filling the above-mentioned gaps by organizing our findings from an extended Systematic Literature Review into a framework to organise and address the above-mentioned challenges. Our goal is to contribute in this fast-evolving area by bringing some clarity and establishing common understanding around key elements of the emerging GBDE.

The Effects of Politics on the Implementation of Government Programs/Projects: Insights from a Developing Economy

Over the years, Ghanaian governments have invested huge sums of money in programs and projects for socioeconomic development to improve their citizens' well‐being. However, the implementation of most of these programs and projects have failed and been abandoned. There is a lack of research addressing this issue and the specific causal mechanism through which politics and culture shapes these failed implementations and program abandonments. Partisan politics—which demonstrates strong favoritism toward one's preferred political party, adherence to party policies, and reluctance to compromise with political opponents—provides an appropriate framework to clarify the role of politics in programs and projects ineffective implementation and abandonment debates. Drawing on political theory and the partisan politics literature, this study explores the role partisan politics plays in the implementation failure and abandonment of government programs and projects in Ghana. Our analysis reveals three causal factors: political culture, political corruption, and poor planning and implementation, which are shaped by partisan politics in the Ghanaian context. This impacts negatively on the unity and socioeconomic development of the country.Related ArticlesDebrah, Emmanuel. 2016. “Decentralization, District Chief Executives, and District Assemblies in Ghana's Fourth Republic.” Politics & Policy 44 (1): 135‐164. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12146Kim, Eun Kyung. 2019. “Issue Ownership and Strategic Policy Choice in Multiparty Africa.” Politics & Policy 47 (5): 956‐983. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12327Mohammed, Abdulai Kuyini. 2013. “Civic Engagement in Public Policy Making: Fad or Reality in Ghana?” Politics & Policy 41 (1): 117‐152. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12003

The business of rapid transition

AbstractIn a context of climate emergency and calls from the IPCC for “transformative systemic change,” we need to revisit the role of business in helping to accelerate responses to climate crisis. The scale and depth of the challenges facing business have intensified in ways which force us to refocus our research on questions of urgency and speed, as well as the growing need for new and alternative business models and a fundamental re‐balancing of the economy. There is a large literature dealing with business responses to climate change from a range of perspectives and disciplines covering issues such as corporate strategy and public policy engagement. But I argue that the question of the nature and speed of change now required, and whether there are historical and contemporary precedents for accelerated transitions within and beyond business, must assume a more central place in our research. This must be alongside growing efforts to understand how business will adapt to climate chaos. This conclusion implies a closer engagement and cross‐fertilization of ideas with scholars of sustainability transitions, for example. Here, there is growing interest in the question of how to accelerate transitions, but where greater attention is required to the role of business actors.This article is categorized under: The Carbon Economy and Climate Mitigation > Decarbonizing Energy and/or Reducing Demand Policy and Governance > Private Governance of Climate Change

Expertise in Political Contexts: Latour Avec the Third Wave in Science and Technology Studies

The interdiscipline of science and technology studies (‘STS’) has been characterized by its descriptive analyses of the presumptions and practices of scientific communities, and by numerous theoretical internal debates over the proper framework of analysis of science. While STS has not been characterized by a powerful effect on law and government, both of which are consumers of scientific expertise, an opportunity arises for engagement in public policy disputes due to the willful ignorance regarding science in the Trump administration, and the negative effects of political agendas and conflicts of interest therein. The urgent need for reliable expertise in such political contexts is addressed in the so-called third wave of STS that is based on Harry Collins and Rob Evans’s innovative ‘architecture of expertise.’ Two recent book chapters, namely Darrin Durant’s essay on ignoring experts and Martin Weinel’s essay on counterfeit scientific controversies, serve as practical examples of third-wave theory. Bruno Latour, who was engaged in a debate with Collins (and others in STS) concerning their respective approaches during the 1990s, also recently addressed the need for expertise (particularly climate expertise) in government contexts. Nowadays, Collins and Latour both promote consensus expertise and identify its reliance (for its authority) on science as a trusted institution. This article compares the similarities (and acknowledges the differences) between Collins and Latour with respect to their pragmatic strategies, and concludes that notwithstanding internal debates, STS scholars should join Collins (with Evans) and Latour to look outward toward critique and correction of governments that ignore scientific expertise.

Determining if nurses are involved in political action or politics: A scoping literature review

BackgroundThere is much current as well as long-standing concern that nurses need to be more involved in and also more adept at politics and political action for the advancement of the profession, and for the health and wellbeing of the public. ObjectivesAn historical scoping literature review was carried out to identify if, as well as why, when, and how nurses become involved in government or meso-level political action or politics, and what is or has been gained through this involvement. DesignScoping literature review. Settings (including geographical location)Worldwide published literature. ParticipantNil. MethodsResearch and non-research articles on the topic were identified in a decade-by-decade search of the CINAHL database, all relevant ones were retained, and the per-decade findings in them were compared over time. ResultsOnly 25 research reports, published 1988–2019, were identified. These studies were conducted in a few, mostly developed, countries. They provide a varied picture of nurse or nursing association involvement in political action and policy circles. In contrast, the opinion and theory articles demonstrate increased nurse and nursing association involvement in, as well as rising skill in political action and public policy engagement, although primarily in the United States and Canada. ConclusionsResearch and case reports are needed now in all countries to correct the view that nurses and nursing associations are apolitical, and to gain information on how and why nurses and nursing associations become politically active and also determine what is gained through this activity.

Public policy for health promotion: a special curated collection.

The idea that policy-making is required for the promotion of population health is not new. It was implicitly recognized by medieval and renaissance approaches to policing disease outbreaks [e.g. the establishment of quarantine procedures—(Sehdev, 2002) and having a ‘Gesundheits-Polizey’ or ‘health police’—(von Kotz, 1821)]. The legislation of hygiene and sanitation entered the modern public health canon in the 19th century with public health acts developed, debated (often for decades) and adopted across the world. Some of these public policies are more strictly enforced and sanctioned than others. The current challenges faced by the public health community in relation to the ‘anti-vaxxers’ demonstrate how a more romantic and simplistic version of imposing rules and procedures for disease prevention and health promotion is becoming a contest over facts, alternative facts, beliefs, cosmology and the public good. It appears that some health issues are very strictly monitored and regulated through public policy [e.g. a small group of infectious diseases under the International Health Regulations—(Baker and Fidler, 2006)]. Other health domains are contestable in spite of strong evidence for or against particular public policy engagement [e.g. anti-microbial resistance—(Berendonk et al., 2015) or psychotropic drugs—(Tinasti et al., 2019)]. And then there is a class of health challenges that is often referred to as ‘wicked’ or ‘fuzzy’. They include obesity, the health dimensions of climate change, general ecological and planetary health, and Aboriginal (health) inequity (Briggs, n.d.). Comprehensive- and system-based packages of public policy for those issues [as dictated by virtually endless scholarly analyses of these wicked problems, see for instance the Foresight Obesity Systems Map (Ulijaszek, 2015)] are lacking, haphazard, disconnected, incongruous and/or un-evidenced. Apologists for the lack of tried and tested public policy in these spaces claim that we need to deploy more ‘complexity science’ [e.g. (Keshavarz Mohamadi, 2019)].

Role of Spiritual Intelligence in Public Policy in the African American Pentecostal Church

Abstract Although many U.S. faith-based organizations have become partners with the government, the African American Pentecostal Church (aapc), which holds spirituality as a means of serving humanity as its theological framework, has remained a silent partner in public policy engagement. With the framework of spiritual intelligence, this qualitative case study addresses the perceptions of African American Pentecostal leaders regarding how the church’s theology may have an impact on the public policy engagement of its parishioners. Twelve African American Pentecostal Bishops were interviewed, and data were coded and analyzed to identify themes. Results revealed that participants use their spirituality to connect with public policy issues that relate to their personal experiences. Findings also indicated that the aapc is not an organized denomination, but rather a conglomeration of factions. Lack of an organized epicenter and lack of training and development of its leaders prevent this church from engaging in the public sphere. Although members embrace their responsibility to care for the needs of others, the church lacks a collective response to community issues. Findings may be used to prepare the next generation of aapc leaders to unify the church to offer spiritual solutions to public policy issues.

Recommendation to ASEAN nuclear development based on lessons learnt from the Fukushima nuclear accident

The disastrous circumstances in the aftermath of a massive event like Fukushima nuclear accident is not unique to Japan. The more exertion to prevent the next Fukushima nuclear accident is required not to reiterate the similar failure. The countries where nuclear power is potentially introduced in future need to study the lessons learnt from the Fukushima nuclear accident, which would help to highlight the critical point for the future nuclear operation. However, the scholarly application of the lessons from the Fukushima nuclear accident to such countries, in particular ASEAN Member States (AMS), has yet to be fully discussed. As such, this study first conducts the diachronic analysis of various energy and nuclear policies in Japan before and after the Fukushima nuclear accident and then identifies the three major lessons and challenges, that is; nuclear regulatory institutional reform, development of stringent regulation and public engagement in policy making. Finally, the current nuclear situation in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippine and Thailand in ASEAN is analyzed to extract the critical aspect of nuclear installation in AMS and to provide strategic implications on the basis of the identified lessons learnt from the Fukushima nuclear accident.

PROSPECTS OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN PUBLIC POLICY: A CASE OF INDIA

The shift from government to governance necessitated the role of multiple stakeholders in policy process and called for an approach that could optimally facilitate the process. Resulting adoption of the stakeholder engagement approach in public policy from the domain of corporate governance has come as a mainstay as one of the most sought after diagnostic technique for the achievement of good governance in the realm of public delivery. Although the concept of stakeholder engagement possesses an imported character, it is being widely practiced across all kinds of public and private organizations whereby the various stakeholders enjoy the opportunity to influence decision-making in a desired manner. Public policy process has also acknowledged and made use of this concept as a tool, both formal and informal, for policy development, monitoring and evaluation realizing and admiring the intertwined interests of the two domains, as also the stakeholders getting increasingly involved into the process of public policy thereby enabling better alignment of the public policy with their needs and aspirations than ever before. Public policy and governance are closely interwoven and interdependent for their efficiency and efficacy. It is due to the shift experienced in both these spheres as a clear impact of the global changes of neo-liberalism and globalization that enhanced role has been assigned to informed, aware and proactive stakeholders. Stakeholders hold a substantial position in terms of institutional framework as well as achievement of the established goals. Stakeholder engagement, an effort towards collaborative partnerships and proactive involvement towards the exchange of information, ideas and resources critically important for a contextual policy perspective, therefore, forms an integral part of present times policy process and is a significant determining factor in policy development right from identifying priorities to drafting a blueprint, from formulation to implementation, for decision-making and monitoring at all levels. The present paper attempts to understand the prospects, significance and challenges of stakeholder engagement in public policy sphere of India. It intends to draw inference on the basis of document analysis as regards some of the current Indian government’s development initiatives, like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Namami Gange Programme, Smart City Mission and assess the status of stakeholder engagement therein. The prerequisites of stakeholder engagement are many and complex calling for a continuum across the multiple stakeholders associated with a project in varying capacities and differing levels of engagement as per the authority or power they wield to influence decisions. Although the concept of stakeholder engagement is gaining increased acceptance and significance across various domains, there are yet no established normative frameworks and practices of the stakeholder engagement method courtesy the varying social, economic and political conditions across settings. Besides, being a direct human dimension, engagement of stakeholders is difficult to be quantitatively measured. Public policy demands a long-term, persistent and non-manipulative commitment on the part of the policy-makers and stakeholders to optimally reap the benefits of stakeholder engagement. Nonetheless, appropriate and effective stakeholder engagement in itself is not a guarantee to the success of a project or policy.

Enabling a transformation to a bioeconomy in New Zealand

The 2009 OECD call for a global transition towards a bioeconomy has resulted in a number of nations adopting national or regional strategies to develop their bioeconomies. New Zealand’s large biological resource base and a well-established cultural heritage in farm production, including a comparative advantage in livestock production, should make it well-positioned for bioeconomy-based wealth creation. However, ecological and societal limits require the current economic farming model to be re-evaluated. We develop a bioeconomy framework, and use it to analyse where New Zealand is currently positioned and what would be required for New Zealand to transform into a fully functioning bioeconomy. We identify several critical elements of a bioeconomy that are either not fully developed in New Zealand, or are clearly lacking, most notably finance and governance, and the need for public engagement in policy. In order for New Zealand to realise the potential opportunity the bioeconomy offers, we suggest a more integrated and cohesive primary sector model that goes beyond tweaking the existing (livestock and primary production based) regime towards supporting and developing new niche production sectors, based on a clear vision jointly conceived with wider society.

The Importance of Sociological Engagement in Public Policy

Some scholars believe that it is none of the business of sociology or social science to address social problem and formulate public policy. Lynd (1939) and Hempel (1965) argue that Sociology cannot contribute to setting the public policy and they also believes that the sociology cannot give important contribution in policy process. Is sociology cannot contribute in public policy? This article is especially focused in searching the answer one this question.
 This article argues that sociological engagement has been advancing gradually in public policy. Sociology has been playing an important role in solving the subjects of public concerns legally and addressing the subject of public interests in an appropriate way.

System Change Agents: A Profile of Policy-Focused Grantmaking Foundation Engagement in Public Policy

This study profiles the engagement of policy-focused Canadian grantmaking foundations in public policy. Policy-focused foundations now realize that downstream community issues are not isolated from upstream policy and regulatory practices. Foundation policy engagement has been measured across five policy streams: research and issue identification; policy entrepreneurship and convening; advocacy; implementation; and evaluation and impact. Themes emerging from this research include: 1) a migration from program into policy engagement; 2) the utilization of multiple soft and hard policy tools; 3) simultaneous engagement across multiple policy streams; 4) engagement with both systems and agents; 5) engagement in policy implementation; and 6) a long-term commitment to a focused policy issue. This research opens the door to a rich analysis of public policy engagement by grantmaking foundations.Cette étude décrit la participation aux politiques publiques de la part de fondations subventionnaires canadiennes axées sur les politiques. On reconnaît de plus en plus que les questions communautaires en aval ne sont pas isolées des pratiques reliées aux politiques et aux réglementations en amont. Dans ce contexte, la participation a été mesurée par rapport à cinq domaines : la recherche sur les politiques et le repérage de problèmes; l’entreprenariat et la convocation en matière de politiques; la défense des politiques; l’application des politiques; l’évaluation et l’impact des politiques. Les thèmes soulevés dans cette recherche comprennent : 1) le passage d’une participation aux programmes vers une participation aux politiques; 2) l’utilisation de multiples instruments politiques durs et doux; 3) une participation simultanée dans divers champs politiques; 4) une participation à la fois avec des systèmes et des agents; 5) une participation dans l’application de politiques; 6) une participation à long terme vis-à-vis de problèmes politiques spécifiques. Cette recherche ouvre la voie à une riche analyse de la participation aux politiques publiques de la part de fondations subventionnaires.

Public Health and Politics: Using the Tax Code to Expand Advocacy.

Protecting the public's health has always been an inherently political endeavor. The field of public health, however, is conspicuously and persistently absent from sustained, sophisticated engagement in political processes, particularly elections, that determine policy outcomes. This results, in large part, from widespread misunderstanding of rules governing how, and how much, public advocates working in tax-exempt organizations can participate in public policy development. This article briefly summarizes the rules governing public policy engagement by exempt organizations. It then describes different types of exempt organizations, and how they can work together to expand engagement. Next, it identifies several key mechanisms of policy development that public health advocates could influence. Finally, it suggests some methods of applying the tax rules to increase participation in these arenas.

Humanism and Public Policy in Germany

Prof. Dr. Frieder Otto Wolf, President of the Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands (HVD), provides an overview of the main currents of modern humanism in Germany. He describes the central stream of German humanism as practical, in that it combines the principled imperative to overcome all structures and situations in which people are not treated as human beings with seeking to widen the horizons of humane existence in the arts and sciences and in capabilities of leading a fulfilling life. This humanism compels resort to other criteria than nature, such as those logical, emotive, cultural, in order to gauge the acceptability of value claims. The practical efforts to humanize society and widen human horizons requires engagement in public policy debates and social organizing and programming on consensus issues. Accordingly, the HVD works on such diverse issues as strengthening the rights to bodily integrity and sexual autonomy, preventing economic collapse, accommodating immigrants, protecting personal privacy, limiting the use of military force, building intra- and international peace, and exposing anti-humanist prejudice.