Policy Analysis in the Twenty-First Century

by Beryl A. Radin

The field called policy analysis focused originally on the formulation of new policies and was structured to give advice to those in the top reaches of government agencies. Within several decades the field moved beyond the formulation stage of the policy process (creating new policies) to agenda setting, implementation, and evaluation of existing policies. New skill sets emerged and staff were found in many parts of the policy world. Despite these changes, there has been little attention paid to the possible shifts in the relationship between analysts and clients, and students of policy analysis often enter the world of work with little exposure to the situations they might face. Policy Analysis in the Twenty-First Century is designed to familiarize students with the diversity of experiences that they can expect to face in their practitioner role. Author Beryl Radin bases the discussion on case studies that illustrate realities in the current policy analysis environment. Set in very different environments (including both US and international settings), the players in the cases illustrate three different stages of a career (beginning the career, mid-career, and people at the end of their career). The cases are based on realistic situations and demonstrate the volatility and complexity of the decision environments. At the same time, they provide attention to the analysts’ personal values and career goals. This book will be required reading for faculty and masters level students in both public management and policy analysis classes. It may also be used in executive programs.

180 pages, Hardcover

Published June 4, 2019

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a useful professional read for me as a young policy officer. I felt that Radin captured well the various difficulties and complexities involved in policy analysis and making: “Clients are not only individuals but also networks and other collectivities of decisionmakers who cross organizational lines. Analysts are not only individuals who can apply quantitative methods to issues but people who seek to create approaches that seem to respond to the complexity they face. Environments are not simply expressed in traditional bureaucratic hierarchical structures but in relationships that transcend national boundaries and almost always involve political pressures. Issues can be defined with some clarity but are also expressed in competing ways that make it difficult to frame the policy problem. Information can be found in neat data systems but also discovered in a wide range of both formal and informal sources. And values and criteria can be identified but frequently represent conflicting views and perspectives that make a preferred state more difficult to define.”

Overall, a helpful book to think about how to approach policy analysis which I think could help policy officers like myself rethink the way we perform our work.

[Kirsten O · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s good for what it is. Super easy to read and the checklist is phenomenal.