Case Study PROGRAMME Master of Public Administration MODULE Public Policy Development Analysis YEAR 1 INTAKE January 2023 TOTAL MARKS 100 FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT 1 [100 Marks] Answer ALL the questions in this section The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) has decided that the World Health Report 2004, Health Research: Knowledge for Better Health, should involve a careful reflection of how advances in health research lead to improved health and health equity. The WHO has launched a broad Health Research Systems Analysis (HRSA) Initiative that will inform the 2004 report. One component of this initiative is a project focusing on the assessment of health research utilisation. The utilisation project itself consists of various elements. This paper was commissioned by the Research Policy and Co-operation Department of WHO, Geneva, to review the issues related to the utilisation of health research in policy-making, and, based on that review, make recommendations about appropriate methods for assessment of such utilisation. The existence of relevant research, though necessary, is not sufficient. Evidence-based policy is difficult to achieve and it is widely agreed that health policies do not reflect research evidence to the extent that in theory they could . Examination of the policy-making process confirms it to be extremely complex, with many genuine obstacles to evidence-based policy-making at the same time as there are factors that could increase research utilisation. A full review of the many possible meanings of research impact reveals that there may be more utilisation in policymaking than is sometimes recognised. Such a review also enhances understanding of the issues, including the differential scope for utilisation associated with different types of research and policy environments. Developing a conceptual framework of the processes of utilisation should assist with the formulation of assessment tools that reveal the full picture of the way research is used in policy-making. Furthermore, it should allow the growing demands for accountability for research expenditure to be addressed appropriately, which could also be of benefit to the research community. There is a rich background of material for each of these areas, including key contributions from Weiss identifying the multiple meanings that can be attached to research utilisation in policy-making . Their importance lies in the fact that some of these meanings, or models, point to less obvious patterns of use than those suggested by instrumental research exploitation which involves research findings being directly used in policy formulation. About twenty years ago there was recognition of the need for analysis to combine a range of factors such as the nature of different types of health research knowledge and the diverse institutional arrangements for policy-making. In their assessment of the attempt in the 1970s to increase utilisation of research funded by the UK's Department of Health, Kogan and Henkel found, 'the interconnections between epistemologies and institutional relationships were a recurring theme' .The importance of interactions across the interfaces between researchers and policy-makers was identified. The role of policy-makers as the receivers, or receptors, of research and the need for careful priority setting were highlighted. Various elements of this analysis were recently reported also to be relevant for health research in Mexico . The context of the current move to attempt to increase research utilisation is important. There is now a broad coalition pressing for improvements. Various organisations came together in 2000 to support the formation of the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research with its 300 partner institutions. It aims to promote capacity building for, and the dissemination and impact of, research both on and for policy .At the level of specific programmes within international bodies, there is a growing stress on the role of policy-making: 'Research on implementation, on policy-making or programme development is as important as basic clinical research for improving child health' .Recent weeks have seen publication of the first systematic review to address research utilisation in policy-making .Furthermore, the developing interest in research informed policy-making coincides with the extensive efforts being made to increase the implementation of health research findings more generally. Indeed, the emphasis on evidence-based medicine is itself generating extra pressure from practitioners that policy-makers, too, should have a duty to consider research evidence .The role of research utilisation in policy-making is seen as a key element in the growing interest within WHO on research utilisation and its assessment. Source: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/42891/924156265X.pdf QUESTION 1 (20 Marks) In the narrative it is alluded that policy-making can be viewed as involving the 'authoritative allocation of values, and when interpreted broadly can include people making the policy as government ministers and officials, as local health service managers, or as representatives of a professional body. Policy-making involves those in positions of authority making choices that have a special status within the group to which they will apply. It is however argued that developmental states have their own unique challenges in policy formulation and that certain restraints may hamper their efforts in this regard. Analyse the nature of policy formulation in developmental states and relate how these restraints may hamper development issues. Use climate change-related examples to support your answer. QUESTION 2 (20 Marks) Government policy, whether National, Provincial or Local, has important implications. The South African Government will have to introduce legislation to provide policy guidelines on how they intend addressing developmental problems. Policies may result as government attempt to deal with identified problems. Normally, such problems are often indicated by/through certain sources (entities), often referred to as the origins of policy. By using appropriate examples to illustrate your understanding, and critically discuss the role of the -Political-executive and -Commissions/committees of enquiry. (Including the advantages and disadvantages) as origins of policy. QUESTION 3 (20 Marks) From the definitions on policy it should be obvious that a policy does not simply come into being without any effort. Before a policy can be formulated numerous decisions have to be taken. Such decisions can involve sub decisions as well. Critically discuss decision making as part of the policy formulation process. QUESTION 4 (20 Marks) Different models can be identified to determine alternative processes to formulate policies. Critically discuss the elite, group, institutional and systems models and explain how they can be used to determine alternative processes to formulate policies. QUESTION 5 (20 Marks) A number of guiding principles have been identified that should to ensure the success of policy implementation. Elaborate on these principles and provide practical examples to support your discussion.