Systematically Pinching Ideas: A Comparative Approach to Policy Design
Abstract
Policy design,, whether conceptualized as a verb referring to the process of
formulating policy ideas,, or as a noun describing the logic through which
policy intends to achieve its objectives,, remains relatively uncharted
territory.. This paper reviews what we know about how policy designs
emerge,, and identifies the kinds of biases and weaknesses that are
introduced into designs by the decision heuristics employed.. Theories of
policy invention and expert decision--mmaking suggest that individuals
search through large amounts of relevant information stored in memory,,
reason by analogies,, make comparisons,, and either copy or simulate
patterns of information.. Policy scholars may contribute to improved
policy design by making more explicit the biases introduced through
reliance on decision heuristics,, and by suggesting a more formal,, self
conscious search and selection process that enables designers to be more
discriminating when they pinch policy ideas from other contexts.. To
perform this task,, comparative policy analysis is needed in which common
elements that exist in virtually all policies are identified and the
underlying structural logic of the policies is made explicit.. In this paperwe
set forth generic elements found in policies,, describe and compare some of
the more common design patterns,, and discuss the circumstances where
these may be inappropriately copied or borrowed,, thereby thwarting the
effectiveness of the policy.
Keywords
policy learning, policy design, policy transfer