tDVA3703
INSTITUTIONAL POLICY
MANAGEMENT
Additional help THE FRAMEWORK FOR INSTITUTIONAL
POLICY MANAGEMENT
• Consult the Dobson (2002) article:
– The assignment question asks you to consider the rationale (consider the reasons for why something is regarded as important or imperative to adopt) for institutionalising policy management.
– See that throughout the article, Dobson links institutionalising policy management to policy effectiveness. The counterargument is also given – namely that in the absence of sound institutional management of a policy, it is likely to fail (see Dobson 2002:250).
– Institutionalising in essence means that the management of the policy is given over to government institutions
– State institutions usually have:
• internal organisational structures,
• goals,
• structured and enduring activities,
• defined roles,
• responsibilities and accountabilities and
• Meaningful organisational boundaries.

INSTITUTIONALISM IN PUBLIC POLICY
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Public policy is regarded as institutional output. It notes:
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Who is responsible for policy implementation?
How is policy determined, implemented, and enforced by these institutions?

Three factors that play a role:
– Legitimacy (the policy has authorised power)
• Perceptions of how legitimate a public policy is will be influenced by the procedural steps taken by decision makers during the policy cycle.
• Consultation, participation and stakeholder engagement shape the legitimacy of public policies and the governments who promote them.

– Universality (the policy is uniformly applicable)
• Tries to address basic rights applicable to all (as opposed to selectivity and particularism). • Think here of the importance of universal utilities (roads, water pipes) and public services (physical protection of human beings, their health status and the environment).