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.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Chapter 1
- Theoretical links between rational choice theory and public administration
- Theoretical cornerstones regarding the public administration concept
- Reflections on rational choice theory
- Concepts' delineation on rational choice theory
- Architecture of rational choice theory - defining elements
- The concept of rationality
- Alternatives, preferences, actions
- Homo Economicus
- Methodological individualism
- Public Administration-Public Policies-Rational Choice Theory Relationship
- Classic researches on rational choice theory
- [...] in political sciences
- [...] in administrative sciences
- Chapter 2
- Contemporary perspectives on decision-making – public policy relationship
- Ideas and ideologies on decision and decision-making process
- Defining elements of the decision-making and the way to decision
- Decision-making from rational choice perspective - efficiency or deception?
- Theoretical considerations regarding the public policies
- Concepts' delineation of public policies
- Actors and institutions of public policy-making
- Public policy instruments
- Public decision versus public policy
- Chapter 3
- Public policy-making. Evolutions and perspectives
- General considerations on the public policy-making process
- Agenda setting
- Formulating the public policy
- Decision-making
- Implementing the public policy
- Assessing the public policy
- Public policy-making process from rational choice perspective
- Public policy-making in the context of comprehensive rationality
- Public policy-making from bounded rationality perspective
- Public policy-making from institutionalism perspective
- Chapter 4
- Prints of rational choice theory on European public policy-making
- The principal-agent model, framework for analyzing the European public policy-making
- European public policy-making process from rational choice perspective
- Setting the agenda of the European public policies
- Formulating the European public policy
- EU decision-making
- Implementing the European public policy
- Evaluating the European public policy
- Chapter 5
- Prints of rational choice theory on national public policy-making
- Qualitative perspective on national public policy-making process
- Romanian public policy-making in 1989-2010 period
- Reform elements regarding the structural dimension
- Reform elements regarding the procedural dimension
- Instruments for rational policy-making process
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Impact Assessment
- Quantitative perspective on national public policy-making
- Correlations between education and employment policy
- The relationship between educational and employment policy from strategic documents perspective
- The relationship between educational and employment policy from statistics evidence
- Outcomes of employment policy
- Outcomes of educational policy
- The regression and correlation for employment policy and education policy
- Brief conclusions
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This work explores the relationship between rational choice theory and public administration, specifically within the context of public policy making. The authors seek to analyze the theoretical and practical implications of applying rational choice principles to the decision-making processes and outcomes of public policies.
- The theoretical foundations and evolution of rational choice theory in relation to public administration
- The application of rational choice theory to contemporary decision-making and public policy processes
- The impact of rational choice theory on the analysis and evaluation of public policies
- Case studies examining national and European public policy-making through the lens of rational choice
- The role of rationality and its limitations in shaping efficient and effective public policies
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Chapter 1 sets the theoretical stage by examining the intersection of rational choice theory and public administration. It delves into key concepts of rational choice theory, exploring its assumptions about individual behavior and decision-making. The chapter further analyzes the relationship between rational choice principles and various aspects of public administration, including policy formulation and implementation.
Chapter 2 examines contemporary perspectives on decision-making within the context of public policy. It analyzes different approaches to understanding decision processes, contrasting rational choice models with alternative frameworks. The chapter also explores key elements of public policy-making, including actors, institutions, and instruments involved in policy processes.
Chapter 3 dives into the public policy-making process, analyzing its various stages from agenda setting to implementation and assessment. It examines how rational choice theory can be applied to different stages of the process, exploring both comprehensive and bounded rationality perspectives. The chapter also discusses the role of institutionalism in shaping public policy outcomes.
Chapter 4 focuses on the application of rational choice theory to European public policy-making. It introduces the principal-agent model as a framework for analyzing this specific policy context. The chapter examines how rational choice principles influence the agenda-setting, formulation, decision-making, implementation, and evaluation of European public policies.
Chapter 5 examines the impact of rational choice theory on national public policy-making, focusing specifically on the Romanian case. It analyzes the process of public policy-making in Romania during the 1989-2010 period, examining both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The chapter explores the use of instruments like cost-benefit analysis and impact assessment in fostering rational policy-making within a national context.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This work explores the intersection of rational choice theory, public administration, and public policy-making. Key concepts include rationality, decision-making, public policy instruments, policy evaluation, agenda setting, implementation, cost-benefit analysis, and impact assessment. The analysis incorporates case studies examining European and national (Romanian) policy-making processes.
- Quote paper
- Ani Matei (Author), Tatiana Camelia Dogaru (Author), 2012, The rationality of public policies, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/189505
