Public Policy Analysis Flashcards

Which model of policy-making describes decisions as small, incremental modifications to existing policies rather than wholesale change?

Answer: Incrementalism

Incrementalism, developed by Charles Lindblom, argues that policymakers make modest adjustments to existing policies rather than comprehensive rational redesigns, due to limited information and political constraints.

A 'policy window' in Kingdon's multiple streams model opens when:

Answer: A problem stream, policy stream, and political stream converge

Kingdon's multiple streams model says major policy change requires three streams — a recognized problem, a viable solution, and political will — to align simultaneously, opening a policy window.

Regulatory capture occurs when:

Answer: A regulatory agency begins serving the interests of the industry it regulates rather than the public

Regulatory capture happens when a regulatory agency prioritizes the interests of the industry it oversees — due to revolving door employment, lobbying, or informational dependence — over the public interest.

Which term describes the process by which policy innovations spread from one state or jurisdiction to others?

Answer: Policy diffusion

Policy diffusion refers to the process by which policy ideas, designs, or innovations spread across governments — often from pioneering states to others — through learning, competition, or imitation.

An 'externality' in public policy refers to:

Answer: Effects of an economic activity borne by parties not directly involved in the transaction

Externalities are costs or benefits that spill over to third parties outside a transaction, such as pollution from a factory harming nearby residents who are not party to the production decision.

The concept of 'policy evaluation' primarily involves:

Answer: Assessing whether a policy has achieved its intended goals

Policy evaluation systematically assesses the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of a policy after implementation to determine whether it achieved its objectives and at what cost.