POSC 315 (Adams) - Exam #3

Describe and discuss at least four explanations individuals often give for policy failure.

- dependent on a person's opinion; what might be failure to someone is the step in the right direction for someone else - the boundary question: political boundaries will influence policy success - excessive policy demand: we expect too much from polices - accurate theory of causation: policy will fail if it is not based on sound causal theory - realizable policy expectations: failure when they go beyond what is realistic to achieve now

Is "good policy" possible? What are the reasons for which we may never have a truly "good" policy?

- the social construction of problems and solutions - the difficulties with decision making - the incremental nature of the policy process - intertwined and interconnected nature of policy domains

Bottom-up approaches to implementation often begin with the target and work their way up the chain of the most effective implementers and policy tools. This idea is represented by the concept known as: A. backward mapping B. upward thinking C. bottom-up mapping D. target advancement

A. backward mapping

in scholarly and applied research, a good theory should: A. generate hypotheses that can be tested or tried B. solve pressing societal problems C. be easy to understand D. conform to what people know about how the world works

A. generate hypotheses that can be tested or tried

Political learning entails: A. learning about better strategies for making political arguments B. learning about social causes of problems C. an analysis of attitudes toward program goals D. learning about how to use computer technology to improve implementation

A. learning about better strategies for making political arguments

Punctuated equilibrium is the term used by Baumgartner and Jones to describe policy making and change in terms of: A. long-term periods of stability in policy with short bursts of policy change B. the joining of problems, policies and politics in windows of opportunity for change C. how groups join larger alliances to promote shared interests D. the idea that boundedly rational people come together in institutions to pursue policy goals

A. long-term periods of stability in policy with short bursts of policy change

successive limited comparisons allow for which of the following actions to occur: A. policies can be tested and adjusted B. political actors make value-free decisions C. policies are crafted and remain the same over time D. focusing events allow for policy change

A. policies can be tested and adjusted

Which of the following is not an assumption of top-down approaches to policy implementation? A. the emphasis is place on where the government meets the people B. the policy contained in a single policy statement or statute C. there is a clear hierarchy of authority D. the ability to approach decision making in a ration-comprehensive manner

A. the emphasis is placed on where the government meets the people

when we discuss the outcomes of policies, we are concerned with: A. the substantive accomplishments of the policies B. the amount of money the government spends to implement a policy C. the number of people employed in enacting the policy D. the influence of the policy on congressional elections

A. the substantive accomplishments of the policies

According to the punctuated equilibrium theory of policy change, incrementalism is representative of equilibrium. A. true B. false

A. true

In the philosophy of science, standpoint theory is most closely associated with the idea of social construction. A. true B. false

A. true

There is usually a strong relationship between a casual theory and the policy devised to address the problem. A. true B. false

A. true

if we engaged in double-loop learning, we learn about single-loop learning. A. true B. false

A. true

a policy tool is: A. the law that compels action on part of implementers B. a method through which government seeks to achieve a policy objective C. the equipment government uses to address problems, such as computers, police care, or medicines D. An agent of the government whose job it is to implement policy

B. a method through which government seeks to achieve a policy objective

Insufficient policy demand is one explanation for policy failure. A. true B. false

B. false

Policy failure is easy to detect and is clear to all participants in the policy process. A. true B. false

B. false

When assessing the nature of a policy failure, programatic failure is often associated with a poor casual theory. A. true B. false

B. false

instrumental policy learning entails: A. learning about better strategies for making political arguments B. learning about the effectiveness of policy tools C. an analysis of attitudes toward program goals D. learning about how to use computer technology to improve implementation

B. learning about the effectiveness of policy tools

Out system of multiple levels of government (I.e. federalism): A. makes implementation easier because there are many participants in delivering government services B. makes implementation more difficult because policy designers cannot always count on state and local cooperation C. makes implementation more difficult because there are too many state and local governments D. makes implementation easier because state and local governments prefer to fund national or state programs

B. makes implementation more difficult because policy designers cannot always count on state and local cooperation

Street-level bureaucrats are: A. people with near total discretion to implement the law as they see fit B. people with positions where they directly implement policies by interacting with people with minimal immediate supervision C. the lowest-level people in an organization D. government officials whose work tends to be solely outdoors

B. people in positions where they directly implement policies by interacting with people with minimal immediate supervision

policy tools are constrained by which of the following? A. file folders of problems B. resources C. elections D. lack of intelligence

B. resources

In the mid-1960s, David Easton first pioneered a model that states that the public policy process is a product of a system. The public policy process is influenced by and influences the environment in which it operates. This model is known as the: A. bi-linear model B. systems model C. Dave's model D. linear model

B. systems model

of the following forms of political participation in the United States, in which form do Americans most often engage? A. joining an interest group B. voting C. writing to legislators D. mass protests and rallies

B. voting

When considering the epistemological approaches to the philosophy of science discussed in class, post-positivism is associated with A. paradigm shifts due to anomalies in current understanding B. peer-review for scientific advancement C. a completely unbiased view of the world through science D. both A and B E. both A and C

Both A and B

What is the "big question" we ask when evaluating policy? A. Was it efficient? B. Did it make America great again? C. Was there significant and positive impact to the target group(s) that would have not otherwise occurred without the policy or program? D. Did it save lives?

C. Was there significant and positive impact to the target group(s) that. would have not otherwise occurred without the policy or program?

Simon and March's conception of bounded rationality begins with a person referred to as a: A. party man B. duff man C. administrative or satisficing man D. satisfactory man

C. administrative or satisficing man

the idea that interest groups are organized in policy communities within a policy domain is associated with: A. punctuated equilibrium B. systems model C. Advocacy Coalition Framework D. streams metaphor

C. advocacy coalition framework

Which of the following would not be considered a theory of decision making: A. incremental theory B. rational comprehensive theory C. agenda-setting theory D. All of the above are decision-making theories

C. agenda-setting theory

in government, the ability to make decisions that approximate a rational-comprehensive approach is facilitated by: A. the best people B. the news media C. bureaucratic features D. unitary decision makers

C. bureaucratic features

which of the following is probably the most critical stage of the policy process? A. agenda setting B. alternative selection C. implementation D. evaluation

C. implementation

The Garbage Can model of decision making is distinct from other decision making theories. Which of the following is not a difference from the other theories? A. it is used when preferences are problematic B. it is used when technology is unclear C. it is used when participation in the decision making process is static D. It is used when participation in the decision making process is fluid

C. it is used when participation in the decision making process is static.

Policies without publics are: A. policies that no one wants to see passed B. policies that don't get a lot of news media attention C. policies developed with relatively little public input or attention D. secret policies that governments hide from their people

C. policies developed with relatively little public input or attention

The textbook for and the approach of the course is closely associated with which tradition in policy studies? A. case studies B. policy analysis C. policy process studies D. all of the above

C. policy process studies

Policy outcomes are: A. plans, projects and tangible items B. laws, regulations and rules C. substantive results of policy implementation D. measured agency performance

C. substantive results of policy implementation

When thinking about policy evaluation from a systems perspective, inputs are: A. the services delivered or the new products produced by the program B. the impact of the program process or program productions C. the resources, raw materials, clients and staff that go into program D. information about service delivery system outputs, outcomes or operations

C. the resources, raw materials, clients, and staff that go into a program

Evidence gathered using the scientific method is superior to anecdotal evidence because: A. scientists are smarter than other people B. it's easier to gather evidence using the scientific method C. the scientific method generally yields better knowledge than do anecdotes D. there is only one scientific method that all scientists use consistently

C. the scientific method generally yields better knowledge than do anecdotes

When considering a policy tool, a policy maker must think about: A. the extent to which government will expend its resources to achieve a particular outcome B. the degree of coerciveness C. a good casual theory D. all of the above

D. all of the above

a poor casual theory results in: A. Policy failing to meet its goals or desired outcomes B. A focus on measuring outputs, rather than outcomes C. Difficulty in linking outputs to outcomes D. all of the above

D. all of the above

organizational dilemmas complicate implementation because organizations have: A. incompatibility with other organizational goals B. preferences for other programs C. simultaneous commitments to other projects D. all of the above

D. all of the above

The following provide examples of goal conflicts in policy except: A. wildfire suppression policies versus controlled burning policies B. illegal immigration policy versus relations with Mexico C. aviation safety policy versus oil companies' proprietary information D. all of these are examples of goal conflicts in policies

D. all of these are examples of goal conflicts in policies

Which of the following is not one of the three main approaches used to study implementation? A. bottom-up B. top-down C. synthesis of top-down and bottom-up D. alternative selection

D. alternative selection

which of the following is not associated with top-down policy implementation design? A. clear goals B. clear hierarchy C. clear policy statement D. clear problem definition

D. clear problem definition

Bounded rationality states which of the following about people and information processing? A. People are skilled at multitasking B. People like information C. People do not know how to process information D. People cannot process all information

D. people cannot process all information

regarding the vagaries of implementation, joint action is not made more complex by which of the following? A. different perspectives B. inter-organizational relationships C. diverse implementers D. similar measures of success

D. similar measures of success

what type of policy tool aims to alter behavior by making some activities more or less economically desirable? A. hortatory tools B. loans C. sanctions D. taxes

D. taxes

According to Lindblom, we engage in small, incremental changes to policy because: A. our constitution is biased against big change B. American political culture works against major policy change C. incrementalism usually leads to the best policy D. the information costs of small steps is small, because we have a lot of accumulated experience

D. the information costs of small steps is small, because we have a lot of accumulated experience

the rational actor model includes all of the following assumptions except that: A. decision makers clearly understand the problems and make goals before them B. decision-makers are set to solve the problems C. decision makers consider multiple options, including not acting at all D. decision makers take their own personal values and goals into account when making policy

E. decision makers take their own personal values and goals into account when making policy

implementation is possibly one fo the most critical stages in the policy making process. How is it affected by the complexity of joint action?

Joint action makes implementation difficult as it includes many different actors, who have different preferences and opinions on leadership, programs and decisions, leading to the failure of implementation