Nowadays, public policies represent the most adequate instrument of action in view to achieve the public interest, no matter we talk about European, national or local level. The rational approach of public policies, representing the topic of the current publication, is or should be a steady feature of public policy making and implementing. We find the origins of this approach both in key papers of political and administrative sciences, as well as in those concerning the theory of rational choice.
In the current book, a direct, causal relationship is established between public administration, public policies and the theory of rational choice. The context of that relationship holds a great structural and functional complexity, demonstrating that the juxtaposition of the three mentioned fields is not enough.
The mechanisms for their connection highlight links of various, non-linear intensities, in view of a finality which should be related every time to the public interest. The public interest is also defined further a process of public choice, more or less a rational one. It is quantified in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, thus supporting the need to introduce the cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness analyses as instruments for assessing the impact of public policies in our research.
The book is structured in five chapters, attempting to analyse, in an integrating vision, a joint, interdisciplinary issue, which is boosted by public policies process on public administration in the context of incorporating the theory of rational choice. The first three chapters have a theoretical character, generally a descriptive one, the fourth and fifth chapters aim to identify the influences or “prints” of the theory of rational choice on public policy making at European and national level.
The publication represents the outcome of researches achieved by authors in the framework of the Doctoral School in Administrative Sciences of the Faculty of Public Administration, National School of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucharest.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1
Theoretical links between rational choice theory and public administration
1.1. Theoretical cornerstones regarding the public administration concept
1.2. Reflections on rational choice theory
1.2.1. Concepts’ delineation on rational choice theory
1.2.2. Architecture of rational choice theory – defining elements
1.2.2.1. The concept of rationality
1.2.2.2. Alternatives, preferences, actions
1.2.2.3. Homo Economicus
1.2.2.4. Methodological individualism
1.3. Public Administration-Public Policies-Rational Choice Theory Relationship
1.3.1. Classic researches on rational choice theory
1.3.1.1. [...] in political sciences
1.3.1.2. [...] in administrative sciences
Chapter 2
Contemporary perspectives on decision-making – public policy relationship
2.1. Ideas and ideologies on decision and decision-making process
2.1.1. Defining elements of the decision-making and the way to decision
2.1.2. Decision-making from rational choice perspective - efficiency or deception?
2.2. Theoretical considerations regarding the public policies
2.2.1. Concepts’ delineation of public policies
2.2.2. Actors and institutions of public policy-making
2.2.3. Public policy instruments
2.3. Public decision versus public policy
Chapter 3
Public policy-making. Evolutions and perspectives
3.1. General considerations on the public policy-making process
3.1.1. Agenda setting
3.1.2. Formulating the public policy
3.1.3. Decision-making
3.1.4. Implementing the public policy
3.1.5. Assessing the public policy
3.2. Public policy-making process from rational choice perspective
3.2.1. Public policy-making in the context of comprehensive rationality
3.2.2. Public policy-making from bounded rationality perspective
3.2.3. Public policy-making from institutionalism perspective
Chapter 4
Prints of rational choice theory on European public policy-making
4.1. The principal-agent model, framework for analyzing the European public policy-making
4.2. European public policy-making process from rational choice perspective
4.2.1. Setting the agenda of the European public policies
4.2.2. Formulating the European public policy
4.2.3. EU decision-making
4.2.4. Implementing the European public policy
4.2.5. Evaluating the European public policy
Chapter 5
Prints of rational choice theory on national public policy-making
5.1. Qualitative perspective on national public policy-making process
5.1.1. Romanian public policy-making in 1989-2010 period
5.1.1.1. Reform elements regarding the structural dimension
5.1.1.2. Reform elements regarding the procedural dimension
5.1.2. Instruments for rational policy-making process
5.1.2.1. Cost-benefit analysis
5.1.2.2. Impact Assessment
5.2. Quantitative perspective on national public policy-making
5.2.1. Correlations between education and employment policy
5.2.1.1. The relationship between educational and employment policy from strategic documents perspective
5.2.1.2. The relationship between educational and employment policy from statistics evidence
5.2.1.2.1. Outcomes of employment policy
5.2.1.2.2. Outcomes of educational policy
5.2.1.2.3. The regression and correlation for employment policy and education policy
5.3. Brief conclusions
Research Objectives and Key Topics
The primary objective of this work is to analyze the role and influence of rational choice theory within the public administration, with a specific focus on the public policy-making process. The study explores how rational choice assumptions inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of public policies at both European and national levels, addressing the complexity of administrative decision-making in contemporary governance.
- Theoretical foundations of rational choice theory and its application to public administration.
- Methodological frameworks for analyzing the public policy-making process.
- Evaluation of rational choice principles in European and Romanian public policy-making.
- Integration of quantitative methods, such as correlation and regression, to test policy coherence.
- Institutional and procedural reforms in public administration within the context of Europeanization.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2.2.1. The concept of rationality
The query what means the “rationality” is a simple one, but the answer is not so simple. Like many other words used “rationality” can means many things. Therefore, a foray into understanding the nature and significance of the concept requires a brief overview on different approaches and perspectives found in the broad literature. The idea according to that the rationality has a history, a present and a future evolved over time. The “rationality” can be considered the most contested concept of all other concepts of behaviour and social sciences.
A first step to understand the meaning of rationality is the understanding of the meaning of “rational. The various meanings that the term can take are grouped into three categories; “the rationality as the ability of human agents, is in the same time the property of actions and language because they meet certain criteria”. So, a first category takes into account the meanings that refers to knowledge, a second one examines the connotations related to human action, and the third category takes into account the linguistic communication.
Regarding the second category, the concept of “rational” is referring to action, to the way in which people behave and not how they make judgments. In this sense to be rational means to act in order to achieve the best goals, objectives or the interests of the agent; the rationality means choosing goals, respectively values, so not choosing the means in order to achieve other goals.
The last meaning of rationality does not relate to the action or decision, but concerns the linguistic communication to which in cognitive science can be identified two major contributions. In this respect we refer to Paul Grice’s work which emphasizes the principle of cooperation, which should obey the speakers, in that each person should provide to the his discussant the necessary elements for understanding his assertion and to Sperber and Wilson’s research on the principle of relevance according to any assertion requires an optimal relevance.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter 1: Theoretical links between rational choice theory and public administration: This chapter establishes the foundational theoretical connections between the rational choice paradigm and public administration, including a detailed examination of rationality, preferences, and methodological individualism.
Chapter 2: Contemporary perspectives on decision-making – public policy relationship: This section investigates the decision-making process within public policy, contrasting rational models with broader institutional and sociological perspectives.
Chapter 3: Public policy-making. Evolutions and perspectives: This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the policy cycle, focusing on agenda setting, formulation, implementation, and evaluation, while grounding these stages in rational choice and institutionalist theories.
Chapter 4: Prints of rational choice theory on European public policy-making: The chapter explores the impact of rational choice theory on EU institutions, particularly focusing on the principal-agent model in delegation and policy-making.
Chapter 5: Prints of rational choice theory on national public policy-making: This final chapter applies the theoretical framework to the Romanian context, using both qualitative and quantitative analysis to assess the impact of rational choice on national educational and employment policies.
Keywords
Rational choice theory, public administration, public policy-making, bounded rationality, methodological individualism, decision-making, Europeanization, principal-agent model, policy instruments, cost-benefit analysis, administrative reform, institutionalism, public interest, Romania, employment policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work primarily examines the relationship between public administration, public policies, and the theory of rational choice, exploring how these theoretical frameworks inform modern governance.
What are the central thematic areas of the book?
Key areas include the evolution of public policy-making, the theoretical architecture of rational choice, institutional impacts on decision-making, and the empirical application of policy analysis in the European and Romanian contexts.
What is the primary goal of this publication?
The goal is to analyze how rational models can contribute to more coherent and efficient public policy-making processes, bridging the gap between theoretical assumptions and administrative practice.
Which scientific methods are employed in this work?
The research utilizes a continuous review of specialized literature, case study strategies, and quantitative methods, specifically correlation and regression analysis, to test the coherence between educational and employment policies in Romania.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical foundations of rationality, the stages of the public policy cycle (agenda setting, formulation, implementation, assessment), and specialized applications such as the principal-agent model within the EU and the reform of national policy-making in Romania.
How is the work characterized in terms of its keywords?
The work is defined by themes such as rational choice, public policy instruments, bounded rationality, administrative reform, and the quantitative analysis of socioeconomic indicators.
How does this work explain the difference between formal and informal agendas?
The book distinguishes between the formal agenda, which involves procedural rules for legislation, and the informal agenda, driven by policy entrepreneurs who frame issues and build consensus to place topics on the institutional agenda.
What is the significance of the "principal-agent model" as presented in the text?
It is used as a framework for understanding the delegation of authority from Member States (principals) to supranational institutions (agents) in the EU, highlighting issues of monitoring, incomplete contracting, and credibility in policy implementation.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Ani Matei (Autor:in), Tatiana Camelia Dogaru (Autor:in), 2012, The rationality of public policies, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/189505
