Policy Networks Perceived as a Typology of Interest Intermediation - Essay Example

ESSAY: HISTORY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE By: Introduction It is important to highlight that this paper elves in the discussion of the concept and nature of policy communities and policy networks. This paper will at the same time give one real world example way of showing the validity of the discussion. It is worth mentioning that the concept f community policy and the policy networks have been in existence for a long time a keep evolving over and over. The progress in terms of the policy community and the policy networks have been seen in the diverse sections in the various states. According me, the factor that I would pay much attention on is the politics. The example that I chose to base my argument on was on European Union. I have chosen this as it is the widely known area that depicts the true example of the world in relation to the governance under the policy networks. It is worth mentioning that public networks show discrepancies depending on various fields (Howlette 2009). It is therefore quite important to define public network as a chain of almost strong linkage that is not hierarchical as well as mutually linking the various players in the union who have a common pool and interest that they share in the policy. The people who take part in the policy therefore exchange facilities to enable them realize the dreams, goals and ambitions that they have in the name of common interest. It is very needful and quite vital for the persons that are involved in the public policy networking and administration to study the various areas that the exercise interrelates with. The concepts were developed so that the attention of the state organizations could be drawn in a manner that was not done by the other organizations as well as state institutions (Johnston 2013). It is therefore important to review the various concepts in the policy making. It is very vivid that for an effective public policy making, the various stakeholders have to come together to develop the policies that are in the interest of all the members of the community. In the critical analysis of the policy networks, the various categories were put into different stages for the proper picture to be seen in the paper. By this, the first case that was clearly discussed was: Policy Networks perceived as a Typology of Interest Intermediation By this the policy network is taken as the stream lining factor between the parties that involved themselves in the linking and relating of the many who could find themselves in the liberal rulings in the power distribution in such areas. There are various factors that are considered to be ideal in the discussion of the typological nature of the policy network on factors key aspects such as the how far in terms of institutionalization, that is to say how stable or unstable, how far is the policy organization, planning an arrangements, that is to say the scope of the policy network. The policy should be cutting across various sectors with no element of biasness in the outcome. Another factor that is considered to be very vital in the policy making process is the number of the players in the process. The planning should be considered whether close or open (Joseph 2007). Policy Network as a Specific Form of Governance It is important to highlight that policy network is utilized as tool in the critical analysis and for the proper description and of the structural relationships and linkages. It is known that many participants in the policy network organization brings together and integrates all the interdependent but related organizations who in turn co-ordinate their moves and thereafter make the implementation quite easier. For the formulation of the various policies, some of the stakeholders in the team disseminate the resources that are both tangible and intangible. They thereby make decisions and therefore ensure that the policies are implemented to the latter by the expected persons. Other perceive policy networking as the common pool that has is relatively well established links which tend to decentralize and delocalize the resources and pool them so that a joint action can be applied in finding solution to the various policies (Michael 2006). It is also important to highlight that policy network can be used in the international relations. Under this, policy networks are just but facts and actions that simply epitomize the strong level links, ties as well as the relationships that kind of exist between the various key players in the process. The term in many cases has had so many kinds of definitions and they all come to the same point in drawing their conclusion and after the proper analysis of the definitions. They thus form a web-like thing from all the various kinds of definitions. This study focuses so much on the European Governance in the relation to the Public Administration and Public Policy. The term network therefore could mean that all the key players in a situation, like for this case we refer to the policy networking as the matter in hand therefore that the key persons form a constellation like relationship. This could be based on several considerations. So of the factors that are considered here include the social status, political climate and background of the various personnel, the religious background as well as the economic state of the area, region as well as the country (Howlette 2009). One factor that can be clearly seen is that the European Union policy is network takes after the sup rationality in the policy making that is similar to the ones in the other organizations. One of the organizations that is seen to be having such similarity with the European Union is the World Health Organization. The similarity like it was mentioned earlier is on the policy making and public networking. It is very vital to mention that the way that a government addresses its citizens is on the matters that concern the policy community in and the policy network therefore dictates the capacity for the effective judgment of the state. It is therefore quite evident that the policy networks are just but the political frameworks through which the ruling class executes their powers to the public and the people whom they rule and lead. The persons therefore quite clearly the people they rule, the ways that they execute their powers and the interests that they suit during the times that they are in authority and leadership (Johnston 2013). Whenever it comes to the putting the networks and the state ay a point of interaction where one kind of shows some dependency on the other and the link becomes quite evident, the other players in the society therefore have to come in so that the interest of all the members and the people is catered for in the process of the inception. Other scholars had their own way of referring to policy community as a set or unit of players or actor, theses could be both in the private as well as the private sectors and other establishments who have a common goal, interest as well as ambition that brings them together in the alignment of the development. According to these earlier definitions, the policy community was kind of categorized into two units. The first category was the one that is termed as: The attentive public It is important to highlight that for the efficiency in every development project or the effective management to be realized in any mission, it is therefore considered to be ideal in having this category of people included in the team of development. This group is therefore responsible for the keeping of the coordinators on track to ensure that the planned targets, missions, goals as well the objectives are achieved. It is therefore quite right when the term policy network is use in this case as the people involved are from various categories. The formulated policies are therefore properly implemented as they watch all the moves that are made by the lower governmental groups as well as the organizations (Michael 2006). Therefore the parties that were not put into the government policy agencies and the policy networks were therefore catered for through this kind of approach. Policy networks have as well been seen as very vital weapons that can be used and have in the past been use in the shaping and aligning the conducts of the players in the policy making exercises. The conduct of these participants is very essential and commendable in the policy making role. The many rules that govern and manage the networks are therefore of so much help as the people who take part in the policy making exercise are therefore determined by these rules (Joseph 2007). It is important to note that during the analysis process of the public policy, there are certain factors that are always highlighted by various policy analysts. In their analysis, the following are not always forgotten or left out: coming up with the agenda, the formulation of the policy that will manage the main policy operations, policy inception and adoption, policy practice and implementation and policy checking as well as assessment (Johnston 2013). Policy networks can be employed as tools for integration. This can be clearly and well understood by the acknowledgement and the acceptance of the fact that the policy networks whether in European Union or any other place in the world does not incorporate neither political nor economic integration. In the European Union policy networks, how the networks are well organized, coordinated and integrated are the major determinants of the outcomes of such policy networks. This is therefore a crucial importance of the proper organization during the policy networks alignment. The results are therefore kind of showing a direct proportionality with the policy network factor inputs (Howlette 2009). In the evaluation of the policy network concepts, it is said that this concept has for a very long time been kept under and has hardly been used in the studying of the European form of governance. This concept brings some difference as some use it as a theoretical approach while others use it as an analytical tool. Below are some of the perceptions that have been seen in this concept: Intergovernmental vs. Supranational/Transitional Policy-Making It is important to highlight that in most of the roles that are executed in the European governance, policy networks are perceived and implied as analytical mediums. The bringing into terms the different economic sectors in the European union through mediation into the same level was therefore one of the ways that was employed in the policy networking in the European union to develop a common platform for the interest of all the people to be realize in the mediation (Joseph 2007). Strengthening vs. Weakening of the State Under this kind of comparison, the factor of concern is on whether the public policy is either constructive or destructive. This is the point of concern in the discussion here. This therefore focused so much on the economic and structural effects and other repercussions of the European Union on the states that were at her proximity. Policy networks are seen to possess the greatest role that makes the roles that should be executed by the central governments. The central governments are therefore at a risk of being reflected by the public as they keep them on track and are therefore considered and perceived to be gatekeepers to the state governments. This is a constructive function of the policy communities as well as the public policy networking in the various states where they are given room for their various duties and functions to be executed (Howlette 2009). The coming together or rather the mass integration of the European state to make up the European Union was therefore seen and is still perceived as a way of strengthening the younger states in the Europe continent. Many scholars, as well as some of the most intelligent , have expressed themselves and suggested that the European policy can change the over reliance on the local or domestic resources and facilities for the benefit of the national governments. This can be a strong move past the national governments such that the key payers are given the lucrative an lump some benefits for the regions as well as the local governments (Joseph 2007). The European Union as a New System of Governance Under this study, it can be stated that upon the reviewing of the published records of the European union, several diplomats, authors an d the scholars have echoed their opinions that the European union can no longer be seen in terms of a simple ideology through the basis of the foreign organizations (Johnston 2013). The Transformation of the State Policy network and public policy is a better way of making a state to progress and this is for the better of the state as well as the citizens of the particular state too. Under this approach, the major factor that was stressed was the Europeanization of the European states. It is therefore quite evident that through Europeanization, the main concept that comes out clearly I that there is the adoption and modification of a new system of ruling and governance. There is therefore diversity in many operations based on the mode of operation as the concept so explains. This means that both the private as well as the public actors will all enjoy the fruits of the governance (Howlette 2009). References Howlett, M., Ramesh, M. and Perl, A. (2009) Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystems, page 71. Johnston M. (2013), Making and Managing Public Policy, Routledge. Hill, M. (2009) The Public Policy Process, 5th edition, page 63. Joseph S., (2007), Public Policy: An Evolutionary Approach, UK, Cengage Learning, page 41. Michael, M. (2006), The Oxford Handbook of Public Policy, London, Oxford Handbooks Online, Page 54. Read More