Similarities and Differences between Analysis for Policy and Analysis of Policy - Assignment Example

Policy Analysis Name Institution Policy Analysis 1. Using examples, discuss the similarities and differences between analysis for policy and analysis of policy There are a number of similarities as well as differences between analysis for policy and analysis of policy. One of the similarities is that the two fields of analysis look at the issue of policy, how policies are formulated and their implementation. Another similarity between analysis for policy and analysis of policy is that both involve the processes involved in analyzing policies (Knoepfel, 2011). For instance, both fields of policy analysis employ the steps involved in policy development, from identification or definition of policy issue or problem, identification of the objectives and goals, selection of the method of solution, selection of the evaluation criteria, specification of alternatives, assessment of alternatives and then presentation or recommendation of solution. However, there are also differences. The first difference between analysis of policy and analysis for policy is that analysis of descriptive and analytical while analysis for policy is prescriptive. Analysis of policy tries to explain policies and how they are developed (Althaus, Bridgman & Davis, 2013). On the other hand, analysis for policy is involved with formulation of policies and proposals. Another difference between the two fields of policy analysis is that analysis of policy looks at policies, explains why some policies work while others fail and evaluates various policies to determine their strengths and weaknesses (Knoepfel, 2011). For instance, policy of analysis can be used to analyze social welfare policies and determine whether they are the right policies or not. On the other hand, analysis for policy looks at issues that require formulation of policies, looks at various plausible solutions, and proposes the policies that can be used to solve the problems. In other words, policy of analysis looks at how effective policies are in solving social problems while analysis for policy looks at effective policies that can be used to solve issues. 2. Discuss the possible effects of globalization on the decision- making processes and hence health policies of national governments Globalization has a number of effects on the decision-making processes and health policies of national governments. The first possible effect of globalization on decision-making process is the global-related restrictions. Global-related restrictions limit on the policy space enjoyed by national governments in terms of making decisions and formulating policies (Cooper & Vargas, 2003). National governments are therefore compelled to consider these restrictions when making their decisions and formulating policies. Another possible effect of globalization on the decision-making processes and health policies formulated by national governments is the existence of international health policies which directly affect the national policies. Althaus, Bridgman & Davis (2013) reveals that international laws require nations to exist in harmony and in compliance to certain international treaties. The existences of international laws that govern certain functions of government compel national governments to make decisions and formulate policies with reference to these international laws so that the policies cannot violate them. The increasing interdependence of economies in the globalized world is also another possible effect of globalization on the decision-making processes and hence health policies of national governments (Cooper & Vargas, 2003). Health policies formulated by national governments have to be sensitive to the laws and policies of other nations which are normally economic partners. Since health is one of the sectors through which nations do business and engage each other in terms of policies, national governments are normally compelled to make decisions which also reflect the needs of other and which show a level of global inclusiveness. For instance, globalization has forced governments to formulate policies that favor foreign health companies despite this being detrimental to the domestic health industry. This is because of existence of international laws that require nations to remove restrictions on trade. 3. Use examples to explain Colebatch’s (2002) vertical and horizontal dimensions of policy. The vertical dimension of policy sees policies as rules. It is concerned with transmission of authorized decisions downwards in the hierarchy of power. The authorized decision-makers decide on the courses of action that will achieve the set goals and objectives and maximize their values, and pass these decisions on to the subordinate officials so that they can implement them (Colebatch, 2006). Although in some cases the subordinate officials may send some suggestions on the courses of actions to be taken in solving problems facing an organization so that the authorized decision makers can decide on them or endorse them. However, the final decision or course of action is still made by the authorized decision makers. This is the dimension that stresses rational choice, instrumental action and the force of rightful authority. For instance, in a company, the management makes decisions and the subordinate staff implements those ideas. The horizontal dimension, on the other hand, sees policies in terms of structuring of action. This dimension is concerned with liaison among policy participants in various organizations which are outside the hierarchical authority. It recognizes the work of a policy takes place across organizational boundaries and even within them. It also consists of the structure of commitment and understandings among participants in a variety of organizations (Colebatch, 2006). The horizontal dimension is concerned with the nature of associations across organizations and how these associations are formed and sustained. Horizontal dimension looks at the interpretive frameworks through which participants understand policies. It involves many participants in the policy formulation process, which also involves negotiations and reaching of consensus. For instance, managers of different organizations can be involved in policy decision-making and policy formulation. 4. Discuss factors that may influence the selection of policy instruments There are a number of factors that may influence the selection of policy instruments. One of them is availability of the instruments. A company or any other organization can only choose a policy instrument from the available policy instruments. For instance, a healthcare facility can come up with policies to reduce the fees charged on medical services if the government provides incentives and subsidies on some medical equipment (Lim, 2011). The unavailability of these instruments limits the selection options available to organizations. Another factor is the efficiency and effectiveness of policy instruments. An organization will be influenced to select a policy instrument depending on its effectiveness and efficiency in helping the organization achieve the goals set out in the policies formulated. For instance, a government can use incentives, taxes or even laws and rules to curb environmental pollution depending on which tool is the most effective in solving the environmental pollution problem. Another factor that influences selection of policy instruments is acceptability. An organization can only choose a policy instrument if that particular instrument is acceptable by the law, to the government and to the people it directly affects. For instance, a company can only resort to using subsidies in promoting its sales if such an instrument is acceptable to the government of a country. Sometimes governments put regulations on the amount of subsidized goods allowed into the country in order to protect local or budding companies (Lim, 2011). This means that it can be unacceptable for an established company to resort to incentives to promote its sales. Another factor is government intervention. Government intervention through regulations and laws can limit or provide an array of policy instruments to choose from. 5. Discuss the benefits and limitations of viewing policy as a cycle. Outline alternatives to the policy cycle approach There are a number of benefits of viewing policy as a cycle. One of them is that viewing policy as a cycle makes the policy process more understandable. Policy formulation involves many processes which start with problem identification, identifying the causes of the problems, identifying the possible solutions, evaluation of the solutions and formulating the policy depending on the solutions selected. Viewing policy as a cycle therefore helps to policy makers and other concerned stakeholders to understand these processes better and how the processes are related to each other (Colebatch, 2006). Viewing policy as a cycle also makes it easier to delineate research stages. Each phase of a research can be assessed separately. It also makes it possible to compare the different phases. However, there are also a number of limitations in viewing policy as a cycle. One of them is that such a view creates an artificial unrealistic view of policy. In reality, the course of policy is normally unpredictable and not always a rational and goal-oriented process. This therefore makes the cyclic view unrealistic. Many decisions made using this view are irrational and ad hoc. There are a number of approaches that can be used as alternatives to the view of policy as a cycle. One of them is forward looking approach. This involves formulating policies use social, economic, political and cultural trends in predicting future events and then formulating policies that will combat future problems (Colebatch, 2006). Another alternative is the outward looking view of policy which takes into account the influencing factors in other nations. This view draws on experience in other countries and provinces. The experiences from other regions are then used to inform the policy formulation. 6. Compare approaches to the issue of equity in health policy There are a number of approaches to the issue of equity in health policy. One of the approaches is targeting investments in health care services in various identified areas in order to address health service inequalities. Another approach is to improve access to primary health care in various areas of diseases. This can be done through sensitization of people. The two approaches are similar in a number of ways (WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health., & World Health Organization, 2008). One of them is that both approaches aim at enhancing equity in the health sector. Investing in areas that have inequality in terms of health service distribution makes it possible for people in such regions to enjoy equal service distribution as other areas that have better health infrastructure. Another similarity between the two approaches is that they ensure that all people irrespective of color or ethnical background are accessible to medical services. In addition, the two approaches make it possible for the existence of healthy populations. However, the two approaches are different in a number of ways. One of the ways is that while one involves lack of services in a region, another involves lack of awareness about the existence of healthcare services in a region. Investments in the healthcare sector in a region involves introduction of healthcare services in a region that such services did not exist before or were inadequate (WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health., & World Health Organization, 2008). Equality in such a region is therefore made possible only through introduction of the services. On the other hand, improvement of access to the primary health care services involves creating awareness among the masses about the availability of such services in the health care services. Another difference is in terms of investments. Setting up health facilities requires huge investment while creating awareness requires a relatively small investment. 7. Identify the main actors in health policy. Discuss how civil society groups may influence health policy. The main actors in health policy include economic institutions such as World Trade Organization, IMF and World Bank, private global foundations and international health organizations such the World Health Organization. Civil society groups may influence health policy in a number of ways. One of the ways is intervening in health policy. Some of the interventions by civil society groups include interventions to legitimize policies and mobilization of resources, constituencies and actions around health policies (Lee, Buse & Fustukian, 2002). Another way civil society groups influence health policy is monitoring the implementation of such policies. Health policies can only be useful if they are implemented and civil society groups make sure that the people who are responsible for the implementation play their role. They do this by compelling such people to act on these people. Civil society groups also influence health policies by addressing the health issues that affect people (Althaus, Bridgman & Davis, 2013). For instance, civil society groups may hold campaigns against cigarette smoking or selling of cigarettes to people and this can compel the government to formulate policies that guard people against the exploitation of cigarette companies. The civil society groups can also influence health policies by providing technical information to the government. This information can then inform the policies formulated by the government on health issues (Lee, Buse & Fustukian, 2002). The civil society groups also influence health policies by mobilizing people to demonstrate against bad health policies, they do this by sensitizing people about health issues, their right to health and the obligation of the government towards provision of health services. Such sensitization makes people to demand for their rights from the government and demand that the government review the bad health policies. This might make the government to formulate policies that will fulfill the demands of the people. 8. Outline difficulties in attaining a universal definition of health. Discuss possible consequences of these difficulties for health policy. There are a number of difficulties in attaining a universal definition. One of the difficulties is that definition of health is normally subject to the environment. This means that definition of health in one region, surrounding or situation can mean a different thing in another environment (Kronenfeld, 2002). There is also the issue of practitioners using the definition of health by focusing on different aspects of wellbeing or human anatomy and this therefore means that one definition cannot be used to address all these areas. For instance, practitioners can use the term health to refer to the physical, mental or even psychological well-being. Another difficulty that is experienced in attaining universal definition of health is that different people who come from different cultures define health differently. This means to these people, the word health has different meanings. This makes it difficult to attain a universal definition of health. There a number of possible consequences for these difficulties for health policy. One of the possible consequences is that it makes hard for the development of universal health policy that could be used in all regions in the world. Another possible consequence for health policy is that such difficulties make it hard for countries to collaborate in terms of formulation of health policies that could be applied between them (Kronenfeld, 2002). It also means that countries cannot have exchange programs in the health sector because of the conflicts that could arise due to the differences in the definition of health in different regions, among different people and even in different departments of the health sector. The difficulties also make it hard to develop health policies that could be applied to people with different health conditions. References Althaus, C., Bridgman, P. & Davis, G., 2013. The Australian policy handbook (5th Ed), Allen and Unwin, Sydney. Colebatch, H. K. (2006). Beyond the policy cycle: The policy process in Australia. Crows Nest, N.S.W: Allen and Unwin. Colebatch, H. K. (2006). The work of policy: An international survey. Lanham, Md: Lexington Books. Cooper, P. J., & Vargas, C. M. (2003). Implementing sustainable development: From global policy to local action. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Knoepfel, P. (2011). Public policy analysis. Bristol: Policy Press Kronenfeld, J. J. (2002). Health care policy: Issues and trends. Westport, Ct: Praeger. Lee, K., Buse, K., & Fustukian, S. (2002). Health policy in a globalising world. New York: Cambridge University Press. Lim, C.H. (2011). Macroprudential policy: What instruments and how to use them? Lessons from country experiences. Washington: International Monetary Fund WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health., & World Health Organization. (2008). Closing the gap in a generation: Health equity through action on the social determinants of health: Commission on Social Determinants of Health final report. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, Commission on Social Determinants of Health. Read More