Assignment: Application: Public Policy Tools and Practices

In this week’s Discussion, you analyzed leadership as a tool for implementing public policy. For this Assignment, you are asked to review a case study that presents a general challenge to implementing public policy. As a student of public policy, you should weigh which tools and practices may be most useful in addressing challenges related to the implementation of public policy. Before you begin the Assignment, think about which tools of democracy you might use as a policy maker in the implementation of public policy in general.

Policy makers may use a variety of means to help them implement public policy. Regulations, tax incentives, grants, and public-private partnerships are a few examples of tools and practices of democratic governance. Ideally, the tools selected for policy implementation are well suited for the task, but this is not always the case. Unfortunately, many public endeavors fail not because of bad policy but because of poor choice and implementation of tools and practices. The success or failure of public policy may depend greatly on the tools selected for implementation. Tools and practices that may be well suited for implementation in one policy area may lead to failure in another. Therefore, it is important that tools and practices are wisely chosen and appropriate for the policy area at hand.

To prepare for this Assignment:

• Review the “Case Study: The Winds of Change” document (located in this week’s Learning Resources) and think about the challenges encountered in the scenario.
• Select the tools and/or practices that you think might be effective in implementing the policy change presented in the case study.
• Consider the strengths and limitations of the tools and practices you selected.
• Reflect on whether tools and practices of democracy are effective in implementing public policy.

The Assignment (2–3 pages):

• Briefly describe each of the tools and/or practices you selected for the Assignment.
• Explain why you think each might be effective in implementing the policy change presented in the case study.
• Evaluate the tools and/or practices you selected in terms of their strengths and limitations.
• Based on your evaluation, draw at least one conclusion about the effectiveness of tools and/or practices of democracy in implementing public policy.

Support your Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for those resources not included in the Learning Resources for this course.

Required Readings

Note: You are required to select and read two of the following articles or book excerpts (of your choice) to complete this week’s Discussion. Please review the Discussion area for more details.

Blair, R. (2001). Managing urban growth: Can the policy tools approach improve effectiveness? Public Works Management and Policy, 6(2), 102–113.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Boin, A., & Christensen, T. (2008). The development of public institutions: Reconsidering the role of leadership. Administration and Society, 40(3), 271–297.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Sandfort, J., Selden, S. C., & Sowa, J. E. (2008). Do government tools influence organizational performance? Examining their implementation in early childhood education. The American Review of Public Administration, 38(4), 412–438.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Schneider, A., & Ingram, H. (1990). Behavioral assumptions of policy tools. Journal of Politics, 52(2), 510–529.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Haberman, F. W. (Ed). (1972). Martin Luther King Jr.: Biography. In Nobel lectures. Amsterdam: Elsevier. Retrieved June 2, 2014, from http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laure…

The Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies. (2003). Policy tools and government performance. Retrieved from http://ccss.jhu.edu/publications-findings?did=242

May, P. (n.d.). Social regulation workbook. Retrieved from http://ccss.jhu.edu/publications-findings?did=61