Beyond Policy Analysis: Public Issue Management in Turbulent Times

Although this particular edition of the book (1997) is becoming a little dated, it is still a rather decent run-down of all the problems and challenges that are facing public policy issues today.I think one of the main things that I got out of this book was that governments have had to become much more creative in formulating their policies than they were a decade ago. This is due in large part to the fiscal constraints that the large debt and deficits of the 1970s, 80s, and early 90s left on government manouverability. In the past, it would seem that all government would do when devising policy would be to throw money at the iniative to ensure its success. A lack of money in the current context has forced government to reappraise its role in society (hence the section stating that the current mantra in many civil services is that government should "steer not row"). Policy makers have to be much more creative and this is what has led to partnerships with corporations and other interest groups.All in all the book is an okay read, however, it can begin to drag after a while. I think it was intended as a univeristy textbook for introductory courses on policy analysis.

Although this particular edition of the book (1997) is becoming a little dated, it is still a rather decent run-down of all the problems and challenges that are facing public policy issues today.I think one of the main things that I got out of this book was that governments have had to become much more creative in formulating their policies than they were a decade ago. This is due in large part to the fiscal constraints that the large debt and deficits of the 1970s, 80s, and early 90s left on government manouverability. In the past, it would seem that all government woudl do when devising policy would be to throw money at the iniative to ensure its success. A lack of money in the current context has forced government to reappraise its role in society (hence the section stating that the current mantra in many civil services is that government should "steer not row"). Policy makers have to be much more creative and this is what has led to partnerships with corporations and other interest groups.All in all the book is an okay read, however, it can begin to drag after a while. I think it was intended as a univeristy textbook for introductory courses on policy analysis.