Chapter 6: Assessing Policy Alternatives
Study
Chapter 6 rounds out the focus on the approaches and
methods of policy analysis. It introduces a range of evaluative criteria
commonly used in the conduct of policy analysis, such as effectiveness, equity,
personal freedom, political feasibility, and technical feasibility. These lie
at the heart of the policy analysis process and policymaking.
Such criteria refer to the dimensions of policy
objectives (what policymakers are trying to achieve), but they also can be used
to weigh policy options and judge the merits of existing government programs,
from affirmative action to health care delivery. This text summarizes them,
highlighting their meanings and some of the complications that can arise from
their use, while offering many examples to clarify how such criteria can be
applied when evaluating policy action.
The chapter goes on to review each of the major
methods of policy analysis (categorized by different approaches, such as
economic impact), from cost-benefit analysis and risk assessment to
forecasting, impact analysis, and ethical analysis. The purpose is twofold--to
convey basic information about these methods (including their strengths and
limitations), as well as to show how they can be used in the study of public
policy. Again, many examples of contemporary policy issues are included.
As students come to understand how these methods are used and sometimes misused, they must be alert to the assumptions and choices made in policy studies. This will allow them to become better judges of the validity and value of the conclusions policymakers reach. They also need to appreciate how politics and values affect the conduct of policy analysis, and how analysis can be used to empower citizens and motivate them to participate in the policy process.