This instructions in this template rely upon the model introduced in Chapter 9, “Policy Analysis” from Teaching Research Methods in Public Administration by Richard Schwester.
This instructions in this template rely upon the model introduced in Chapter 9, “Policy Analysis” from Teaching Research Methods in Public Administration by Richard Schwester. Before you start, review this reading and the instructions below, so you can choose a global challenge that fits the requirements of the assignment.
Requirements
After the numbered instructions below, complete your paper starting on the page with the title Global Issue Policy Analysis centered at the top. Use the labels included there.
The content portion of the paper should be at least four pages.
The page count does not include a reference page, which is required.
This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards. For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:
Evaluate national and international policy proposals that address global challenges.
Instructions
1. Policy Analysis Question. Start with the policy analysis question. The Policy Analysis Question “conveys the problem and… convey(s) that the focus of the analysis is to find a potential solution” (Schwester, p. 133). Omit parts A–D of the introduction outlined in Schwester, unless there is a recent “action forcing event,” in which case you can include it.
2. Historical Background. Provide background information about the context for the problem and the extent of the problem. Also, report past or current policies and their impacts.
3. Literature Review. Provide at least four sources to support your writing. Choose sources that are credible, relevant, and appropriate. Cite each source listed on your source page and within your literature review. For help with research, writing, and citation, access the library or review library guides.
a. Causes of the problem: Synthesize the research on causes of the problem. Include references to the resources you use.
b. Policies applied in similar situations. Synthesize information about how a related or similar problem has been solved at other times or in other places. This information about solutions can lay groundwork for policies to solve the current problem. Include references to the resources you use.
4. Stakeholder Assessment.
a. Identify at least four key stakeholders. These must include members of the public affected by the problem, the local and/or national government in the country where the problem is taking place, and international organizations and/or non-governmental organizations with a role in addressing the problem.
b. Define the decision characteristics that will be important to each stakeholder when considering the problem. The decision characteristics are the factors influencing how the stakeholder views the problem or issue. List these decision characteristics along with a brief explanation of what each one means. For each stakeholder, include at least Cause, Crisis, Proximity, Means, Ends, Level, Sector, Urgency, and Dealbreaker as explained in Teaching Research Methods in Public Administration.
c. Analyze each stakeholder against these decision characteristics. This analysis helps you see what is important to the stakeholders in approaching a solution to the problem. You may complete this analysis in paragraph form or in a table such as the example provided in the reading (Table 1, p. 137).
5. Policy Options and Assessment.
a. Description of Policy Options. Briefly describe three to five policy options. For each policy, add what the policy option does, how it will help to solve the problem, who will implement or oversee it, the legal ramifications (will it require a legislative decision at the local, national, or international level?), the costs of implementation, and the stakeholder opinions of it.
b. Policy Assessment Criteria. Select the options assessment criteria you will use to evaluate the policy options, including the five basic lenses from Teaching Research Methods in Public Administration (Effectiveness, Political Feasibility, Administrative Feasibility, Financial Feasibility, Legal Feasibility, Equity Feasibility). Rely upon the guidance presented in Teaching Research Methods in Public Administration for definitions of the assessment criteria (pp. 138–139). If you wish to use other lenses, define them in this section of your paper.
c. Options Assessment. Based on the criteria, analyze the policy options. Rely upon the guidance in Teaching Research Methods in Public Administration for how to apply the criteria (pp. 139–141). Complete the assessment of each option. You may complete the assessment in a matrix such as Table 2, but your assessment must be in complete sentences. Do not use the qualitative or quantitative examples provided in Tables 3 and 4 (page 142).
6. Recommendation. Make a case for the policy option you believe is best based on the evidence and options analysis. You may recommend that no policy action be taken, as long as you make a case for that option.
Open the rubric to review the grading criteria for this assignment.
Global Issue Policy Analysis
Complete your paper in the labelled sections below.
Policy Analysis Question
Historical Background
Literature Review
Stakeholder Assessment
List of Stakeholders
Stakeholder Decision Characteristics
Stakeholder Analysis
[You may add a table to cover the two items above; see Schwester, Table 1, p. 137.]
Policy Options and Assessment
Description of Policy Options
Assessment Criteria
Options Assessment
[You may add a table to cover the two items above; see Schwester, Table 1, p. 142.]
Recommendation
A policy analysis model is an essential tool for all researchers who want to understand the effects of policies on various outcomes. In this blog post, we will show you how to use a policy analysis model for your own research. We will rely upon the model introduced in Chapter 9, “Policy Analysis” from Teaching Research Methods in Public Administration by Richard Schwester. This template can be used for any type of research project, so don’t hesitate to download it and get started!
The policy analysis model has five different steps:
Step One: Define the Policy Problem
The first step is to clearly define the policy problem that you are trying to address. What are the goals of the policy? What are the potential outcomes of the policy? Step Two: Gather Data
Next, you will need to gather data about the problem. This can include data about the current situation, data about similar situations in other places, and data about how people feel about the problem. Step Three: Analyze The Data
After you have gathered all of your data, it is time to start analyzing it. This step will help you understand what is causing the problem and what might happen if different policies are enacted. Step Four: Develop Potential Solutions
Once you have analyzed the data, you can start developing potential solutions to the problem. This step will help you identify which policies are most likely to be effective in addressing the issue. Step Five: Evaluate The Potential Solutions
The last step is to evaluate the potential solutions that you have developed. This evaluation will help you choose the best policy for your research project.
We hope that this blog post has been helpful in showing you how to use a policy analysis model for your research. If you have any questions about using this template, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help! Download the template now and get started on your research project! Thank You!