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PERFORMANCE GAPS, POLICY RESEARCH, AND POLITICAL ENTREPRENEURS - TOWARD A THEORY OF AGENDA SETTING

NCJ Number
47220
Journal
Policy Studies Journal Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (AUTUMN 1974) Pages: 112-116
Author(s)
J L WALKER
Date Published
1974
Length
5 pages
Annotation
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE INITIAL ELEMENTS OF POLICYMAKING ARE IDENTIFIED AND ILLUSTRATED IN THE FORMULATION OF TRAFFIC SAFETY POLICY BY THE NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL (NSC).
Abstract
THE AGENDA OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM INCLUDES A SET OF PROBLEMS THAT POLICYMAKERS ARE TRYING TO SOLVE. THE FIRST STEP IN AGENDA-SETTING IS IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM AND A RECOGNITION OF THE PROBLEM AS A PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY. THE NEXT AND MORE DIFFICULT STEP IS ESTABLISHING AN AGREEMENT ON A PLAN TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS REQUIRES AN EVALUATION OF COMPETING SOLUTIONS ADVANCED BY GROUPS OR ORGANIZATIONS, MANY OF WHICH FULFILL THE GROUP'S MAINTENANCE NEEDS OR ESTABLISHED INTERESTS. IN FACT, MUCH OF WHAT PASSES AS POLICY RESEARCH IS RATHER AN ATTEMPT AT JUSTIFICATION FOR THE USE OF A SOLUTION BY PARTIES WITH A VESTED INTEREST IN THE PROPOSED SOLUTION. EACH POLICY AREA HAS ITS DISTINCTIVE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND INFORMATION SOURCES WHICH DIRECT THE POLICYMAKER'S ATTENTION TO CERTAIN CLASSES OF PROBLEMS AND TO SPECIFIC AND APPROPRIATE TYPES OF SOLUTIONS. IN THE FORMULATION OF TRAFFIC SAFETY POLICIES, ACCIDENT AND TRAFFIC FATALITY RATES WHICH RECEIVED MEDIA EXPOSURE SERVED AS SOCIAL INDICATORS AND A PERFORMANCE MEASURE OF THE PROBLEM (I.E. SHARP INCREASES IN THESE RATES OCCURRED BETWEEN 1960 AND 1966). ONCE SOLUTIONS WERE SOUGHT IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS LARGELY INTERESTED IN POLICIES DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE DRIVER. HOWEVER, TRAFFIC ENGINEERS BACKED BY EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ARGUED THE NEED FOR IMPROVING THE AUTOMOBILE ITSELF THUS REQUIRING THE IMPOSITION OF SAFETY STANDARDS BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE ENSUING POLITICAL CONTROVERSY LED TO THE ENACTMENT OF MAJOR LEGISLATION THAT ESTABLISHED SAFETY STANDARDS FOR THE DESIGN AND OPERATION OF AUTOMOBILES. THE LEADING ADVOCATE OF THIS LEGISLATION WAS RALPH NADER, A POLITICAL ENTREPRENEUR, WHO WAS AIDED IN HIS EFFORTS BY PREVIOUS RESEARCH, MEDIA SUPPORT, AND BY THE EFFORTS TO DISCREDIT HIM BY GENERAL MOTORS. THE KEY ELEMENTS ARE ALL APPARENT IN THIS CASE: A SOCIAL INDICATOR, CONSENSUS THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS, A BODY OF RESEARCH WITH CLEAR POLICY IMPLICATIONS, COMPETING AND OFTEN QUESTIONABLE MOTIVES ON THE PART OF PARTIES WITH VESTED INTERESTS IN A SPECIFIC SOLUTION, AND SKILLFUL ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE ABLE TO UNITE THESE ELEMENTS IN THE INITIATION OF A PROPOSAL FOR CHANGE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (JAP)

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