Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Subject: search.filters.subject.Public policy

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Unfinished business : institutional racism and the role of the state in building culturally-inclusive societies : a research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Policy, Massey University
    (Massey University, 2003) Radford, Brenda Margaret
    This Research Report represents the findings from an exploratory, literature-based, comparative foundation study of institutional racism and its influence on the public policy process. The research identifies the causal links between colonisation, constitutional frameworks, present-day government policy and institutional racism. In this Report I argue that institutional racism, as a case study of public policy failure, is caused by a lack of appreciation of the macro policy environment, by consequent deficiencies in policy problem analysis and specification and by a paucity of impact evaluation at all stages of the policy process. Institutional racism is a product of the processes of colonisation and of organisational inability to respond to increasing cultural and ethnic diversity because of the controls and rigidity inherent in today's monocultural decision-making paradigms. It causes public policy and service delivery to have discriminatory impacts on some ethnic or cultural groups in the community, so that their achievements and aspirations are impeded and they suffer social and economic disadvantage relative to the majority cultural group. Its corrosive effects on social well-being and cohesion demand attention from public policy decision-makers, but it is not a priority on political agendas. It should be. It is 'unfinished business' in all three nations studied in this research, namely New Zealand, Australia and Britain. Practical illustrations augment the two main themes of the research - namely the impact of colonisation and land alienation on indigenous societies, and the effects of immigration, settlement and integration policies and inadequate social services on new migrants. The research indicates that institutional racism affects most social service domains in New Zealand, Australia and Britain. Several recurrent policy dilemmas are noted, the resolution of which is critical if institutional racism is to be tackled effectively. The long-term solution involves constitutional change.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Shaping the bureau or maximising the budget? : Rational choice, historical institutionalism and bureaucratic reform in New Zealand : a dissertation presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Politics, Massey University, Turitea campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2001) Alter-Shaw, Richard Hugh
    In early 1997, the recently formed National/New Zealand First coalition government embarked upon an Employment Strategy which was to generate extensive structural upheaval in the New Zealand public service. In short order, the largest government department was dismantled, a second was much reduced, and three new bureaucracies were created. This dissertation searches for the causes of the trajectory and outcomes of those institutional reforms. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data, the thesis explores the motives of the senior politicians and officials involved in the Employment Strategy, tests the relative influence of those actors over decision-making, and examines the bearing which institutional arrangements within the political executive had on the course and consequences of the Employment Strategy. Two theoretical approaches are used to make sense of the data. The rational choice case for bureaucratic change proposes that the institutional shape of the public sector is a function of instrumental bureaucratic conduct. Specifically, budget-maximisation is assumed to result in an increasing number of government departments, each consuming an expanding budget and producing excess output. The orthodox economic model provides a poor explanation of the Employment Strategy. The bureau-shaping model (Dunleavy, 1991), on the other hand, which employs a revised rational choice maximand to explain the influence of officials on bureaucratic reform, has more explanatory potential. The assumption that senior officials are motivated to shape the institutional parameters of their departments, rather than to maximise budgets, generates valuable insights regarding the structural revisions in question. Nonetheless, a bureau-shaping analysis cannot explain the variation in officials' preferences which marked the Employment Strategy, or the influence which Cabinet ministers had on the resolution of key policy debates. Those limitations point to the value of the second theoretical tradition used in the study. Historical institutionalism combines human agency and institutional context in a single account of political outcomes. The analysis in this thesis accommodates optimising behaviour, but explains it in the context of the institutions of the political executive which mediated decision-making during the Employment Strategy. However, neither rational choice nor historical institutionalism can fully account for the process and institutional results of the Employment Strategy. The thesis advocates a rapprochement between the proponents of individual agency and those who emphasise structural context and historical particularity. For the first time, this dissertation extends the existing new institutionalist literature and articulates a theoretical pathway to that end.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Are we doing good? : Catholic Social Teaching and the ethics of public policy outcomes in New Zealand : a thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy, Massey University, Albany
    (Massey University, 2010) Radford, Brenda Margaret
    From the perspective that avoidable social and environmental injustices exist in New Zealand, this research examines the ethics of public policy. It suggests that our society would be more justly sustainable if the ethics of policy outcomes were to supersede political expediency as the dominant influence in government’s decision-making. An Appreciative Inquiry with expert interviewees is applied to the two-part proposition that: (a) a greater focus on ethics and social morality is required for effective policy-making; and (b) the application of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching would enhance the ethical coherence of government policy, programme and service development. The research has found that the public policy system in New Zealand enables its workers to ‘do well,’ but often prevents them from ‘doing good,’ in policy domains such as housing and employment. Erroneous assumptions by policy actors that their work is morally neutral limit their appreciation of the effects that government decisions have on society and the natural environment. The research suggests that government should insist on ethical analysis of policy proposals and impacts as a pre-requisite for its decisions. Since Catholic Social Teaching is congruent with our accepted standards of social morality, it could helpfully be applied to policy design and implementation in this country. The best way to position CST as a moral signpost for policy-making would be to apply it to specific policies and services. This project has been oriented from the outset towards applicability in the public policy environment. Accordingly, the research includes three new policy-making frameworks which combine the principles of Catholic Social Teaching with the methodology of Appreciative Inquiry. Use of these analytical frameworks would enable all policy actors to assess the ethics of recommendations and decisions in terms of their impacts on people and the earth.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Alcohol policy process in Thailand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2008) Thaksaphon, Thamarangsi
    The thesis describes and analyses the Thai alcohol policy process in the period 1997 - 2006, in order to investigate the characteristics and areas for potential improvement of the Thai alcohol policy process. The analysis used several extant public policy models. The models covered three aspects of the process at the macro leve l : stages of development, the characteristics and behaviours of maj or policy players, and the policy context. At the micro level the analysis employs concepts of agenda setting, policy formulation, policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation, stakeholder relationships and policy context. Information on Thai alcohol policy was collected from two sources: secondary data included official documents, literature, technical publications and mass media; pnmary data was collected through stakeholder interviews. Thai alcohol policy, during this period became more comprehensive and more oriented to public health. Problem-reduction values gained momentum while economic values remained significant. Thai policy stakeholders focused on the formulation process, while implementation, monitoring and evaluation were neglected. Limited resources, human capacity and ineffective management exacerbated this situation. Incrementalism characterised Thai alcohol policy formulation; existing policy or the policy precursor was very important to the decisions made. Limitations in the availability, accuracy and utilisation of knowledge about alcohol consumption, related problems and alcohol policy also affected the process. The Thai alcohol policy process became a more open public policy sphere for stakeholders. Many new players made major contributions to the process. The mechanisms stakeholders use to influence policy have become more complex and included: technical knowledge, the use of mass media and civil movements, and coordination among stakeholders. A centralised bureaucratic administration and personal and institutional interests are critical features for official stakeholders, while connection to high ranking officials and representation in the process are significant for interest groups. The Thai cultural context had a crucial impact on the alcohol policy process; cultural features which are not explicitly covered in the Western policy models utilised include cronyism, relationships, representation, commitment, negligence, and compromise. These characteristics make the Thai alcohol policy process difficult to fully explain in terms of the available public policy theories.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Barriers to affordable housing for mental health service users : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Public Policy at Massey University, Albany Campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2009) Andrew, Colwell
    Housing is both a social issue and a determinant for well being and is an integral component of social policy. The research specifically looked at the barriers for mental health service users to accessing affordable housing. Previous studies have identified affordability, lack of choice and discrimination as specific issues in relation to people with mental illness and housing. While previous studies focussed on housing affordability in relation to the individual, this research considered the barriers to affordable housing for mental health service users in relation to the capitalist structure of society. The research utilised a Marxist theoretical perspective that views housing in terms of the social structures of society and the relationship to class. This approach was supported by the social model of disability, a social construct where those with disabilities are oppressed by the social structures of society. Another element of the research provided a history of government housing policy in New Zealand. A quantitative and qualitative approach was used to collect data which consisted of statistical information and information gained from interviews with the relevant participants. Analysis from a Marxist perspective explained, from the findings, that there are systemic barriers in accessing affordable housing for mental health service users within a capitalist system. From the findings, the social model of disability explained that there are structural disadvantages for mental health service users that result in barriers to accessing affordable housing. An analysis of the history of government housing policy in New Zealand, which has continually promoted the commodification of housing, also explained from the findings that there are systemic barriers to accessing affordable housing for mental health service users within a capitalist system.