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Advocacy Coalition Learning – Biases and Heuristics in Policy Implementation

Knutsson, Hans LU (2017) In Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift 119(1). p.163-183
Abstract
Policy implementation is a complex process and the theoretical problem has been approached in different ways for a long time. Perspectives have converged around governance, negotiation and adaptation and the learning perspective is increasingly acknowledged. This paper explores how policy implementation may be understood from a learning perspective, affected by universal tendencies for humans to draw biased conclusions from specific events. The Advocacy Coalition Framework is used as a point of reference when applying concepts of learning and decision-making biases and heuristics. From a set of three separate events of a continuous implementation of the 1994 LSS Act (The Act Concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain... (More)
Policy implementation is a complex process and the theoretical problem has been approached in different ways for a long time. Perspectives have converged around governance, negotiation and adaptation and the learning perspective is increasingly acknowledged. This paper explores how policy implementation may be understood from a learning perspective, affected by universal tendencies for humans to draw biased conclusions from specific events. The Advocacy Coalition Framework is used as a point of reference when applying concepts of learning and decision-making biases and heuristics. From a set of three separate events of a continuous implementation of the 1994 LSS Act (The Act Concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments), empirical illustrations are forwarded based on both primary and secondary data sources. The paper contributes to the field of policy implementation, first of all, with authentic empirical representations of policy implementation as a learning process. Second, the paper supports the ACF learning tenets about the importance of actors, forums, conflicts, and stimuli. Thirdly, it indicates that ignoring the inherent human tendencies of biased decision- making may leave explanations and understanding of policy implementation incomplete (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Government Policy, Advocacy coalition framework, Decision making
in
Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift
volume
119
issue
1
pages
21 pages
publisher
Fahlbeckska stiftelsen
ISSN
0039-0747
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d7c0df16-d27f-4769-83d1-123483b9b263
date added to LUP
2017-08-21 10:14:00
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:33:57
@article{d7c0df16-d27f-4769-83d1-123483b9b263,
  abstract     = {{Policy implementation is a complex process and the theoretical problem has been approached in different ways for a long time. Perspectives have converged around governance, negotiation and adaptation and the learning perspective is increasingly acknowledged. This paper explores how policy implementation may be understood from a learning perspective, affected by universal tendencies for humans to draw biased conclusions from specific events. The Advocacy Coalition Framework is used as a point of reference when applying concepts of learning and decision-making biases and heuristics. From a set of three separate events of a continuous implementation of the 1994 LSS Act (The Act Concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments), empirical illustrations are forwarded based on both primary and secondary data sources. The paper contributes to the field of policy implementation, first of all, with authentic empirical representations of policy implementation as a learning process. Second, the paper supports the ACF learning tenets about the importance of actors, forums, conflicts, and stimuli. Thirdly, it indicates that ignoring the inherent human tendencies of biased decision- making may leave explanations and understanding of policy implementation incomplete}},
  author       = {{Knutsson, Hans}},
  issn         = {{0039-0747}},
  keywords     = {{Government Policy; Advocacy coalition framework; Decision making}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{163--183}},
  publisher    = {{Fahlbeckska stiftelsen}},
  series       = {{Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift}},
  title        = {{Advocacy Coalition Learning – Biases and Heuristics in Policy Implementation}},
  volume       = {{119}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}