Lecture No 29

Lecture No 29

Public Policy & Environmental Management System

Public Policy: Leadership for Analysis and Change

Policy Defined:

• “Public policy is the dynamic and value laden process through which a political system handles a public problem. It includes a government’s expressed intentions and official enactments as well as its consistent patterns of activity and inactivity.” (Fowler, 2000)

Organizational Influences

• Change• Leadership• Decision Making• The Role of Politics• Finances• Media• Technology• Other Variables

Historical Viewpoints

• 1. Policy information• 2. Policy deliberation• 3. Organization of policy support• 4. Authoritative consideration• 5. Policy promulgation• 6. Policy effectuation

– Agger, Goldrich & Swanson (1964)

Historical Viewpoints

• An educational system is administered within a complex power structure. The typical governing board does not exercise final authority over educational policies. In reality it exercises power only to the extent that it can legitimize its decisions (make them acceptable) in the political system.” -Kimbrough (1964)

Contemporary Views

• Case for Change (what is the cost of not changing?)

• Vision Clarity (is there a common image and understanding?)

• Change Leaders (those with power and authority to legitimize the change)

• Individual Commitment (how will the natural resistance to change in developing/implementing new policies be overcome?)

• Change Guides (who are the individuals with the responsibilities for guiding the planning and implementation of the change?)

Contemporary Views

• Cultural Alignment (to what extent is there a fit between the school or organization’s culture and the values inherent in the change?)

• Infrastructure Support (to what extent do the system’s policies, procedures, functions, and structures support the proposed change?)

• Environmental Awareness (what factors outside the realm of the proposed change can negatively affect the initiative?)

• Implementation Plan (what are the specifics of moving toward the vision: goals and objectives, timelines, personnel assignments, communications procedures, accountability system, etc.?)

Policy Challenges

• “A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works. There are no prima donnas in engineering.”

– -Freeman Dyson

• “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

– -Albert Einstein

Policy Implementation = Change

• “I’m increasingly persuaded that schools that go slow and do a little at a time end up doing so little that they succeed only in upsetting everything without accruing the benefits of change.”

– (Sizer, 1992)


• “It is not the pace of change that is the culprit, it is the piecemealness and fragmentation that wears us down.”

–(Fullan, 2003)


• “The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.”– Albert Einstein

Due process does not, unfortunately, put more bread on the table; government can set benefits at whatever level it wants.

What due process puts on the table is a thick manual of rules designed to ensure uniformity and procedural regularity. Paternalism is replaced with bloodless formalism. People in need get lists of law.

--Howard, 1994

Collaboration

An unnatural act committed by unconsenting and unwilling adults despite their mutually benefiting goals.

Policy and School Reform

• Market-based School Reform• Choice and Competition• Investment Opportunities• Education Management Organizations• Contracting versus Privatization

• Standards-based School Reform• State Adopted & Mandated Standards• Implementation and Accountability from Local Districts• Unintended Consequences on Students, Curriculum, Instruction,

Organizations


• Market-based School Reform• Choice and Competition• Investment Opportunities• Education Management Organizations• Contracting versus Privatization

• Standards-based School Reform• State Adopted & Mandated Standards• Implementation and Accountability from Local Districts• Unintended Consequences on Students, Curriculum, Instruction,

Organizations


• Whole-school Reform• Increasing School Autonomy• Support for School Leaders• National Models (www.aasa.org/Reform/index.htm)

• Teacher Education and School Reform• National Network for Educational Renewal• American Council on Education

Strategic Perspectives

• “I would have finished this by now, but I had help.”

– (H. Rude, 1992)

• Single parent of four children ages 8, 3, 3, and 3.

“Sometimes we go slow to go fast.”

Policy is not based on research.

Policy is based on values.

Research challenges us to question; tests us to change.

Barbara Keogh, 1992

Some lessons we’ve learned

• 1. Give up the idea that the pace of change will slow down

• 2. Coherence making is a never-ending proposition and is everyone’s responsibility

• 3. Changing context is the focus• 4. Premature clarity is a dangerous thing

Some lessons we’ve learned

• 5. The public’s thirst for transparency is irreversible

• 6. You can’t get large-scale reform through bottom-up strategies—beware of the trap

• 7. Mobilize the social attractors—moral purpose, quality relationships, quality knowledge

• 8. Charismatic leadership is negatively associated with sustainability (Fullan, 2003)

“If you’re not hopelessly confused, you’re out of touch! If you are

hopelessly confused, then you have one choice—try stuff.”

– Embracing Chaos, 1993

What Is an Environmental Management System (EMS)?

• EMS is the combination of people, laws, legislations, policies, procedures, reviews, and plans to help address environmental issues.

• EMS is that part of an overall management system which includes: – Organizational structure and responsibilities, – Policies and legislations– practices,– Procedures,– Resources, – Planning activities, – Awareness

Purpose of EMS

EMS brings together people, laws, policies, plans, review mechanisms, and procedures in order to improve and protect the environment.

Benefits of an EMS

• Helps maintain compliance• Integrate environmental programs• Reduce environmental impacts

The EMS Plan, Do, Check, Act Cycle

Checking/Corrective Actions

• Measurement and Monitoring• EMS Nonconformance and

Corrective Actions• Records

• EMS Audits

Continuous Improvement

Implementation

• Roles and Responsibilities• Training and Communication

• EMS Document Control• Emergency Preparedness

and Response

Planning

• Environmental Aspects• Compliance

• Objectives and Targets• Environmental Mgmt.

Programs

Environmental Legal and Institutional

FrameworkManagement

Review

Environmental Legal and Institutional Framework

• Legal Aspects• Laws• Bylaws • Policies

• Institutional Aspects • Institutional Structure • Responsibilities • Institutional Interface

Types of law• The Constitution• Specialized Laws

– Principles and regulations established in a community by some authority and applicable to its people, whether in the form of legislation or of custom and policies recognized and enforced by judicial decision.

• Bylaws– The rules and regulations enacted by an association

to provide a framework for its operation and management.

The law making process

– Drafting the law from the relevant ministry• e.g. Ministry of Environment, Water Authority

– First reading at the legislative council• Introducing a bill

– Second reading (general debate)– Committee Stage (detailed discussions)– Report Stage (Report of committee, amendment)– Third reading (vote on amendments)– Legislative council approval – Presidential Decree

The objectives of the Environmental law

1. Protection of the environment against all forms and types of pollution;

2. Protection of Public health and welfare;3. Insertion of the bases of environmental protection in social

and economic development plans; and encouragement of sustainable development of vital resources in a manner that preserves the rights of future generations;

4. Protection of bio-diversity and environmentally sensitive areas, as well as improvement of environmentally harmed areas;

5. Encouragement of collection and publication of environment-related information to raise public awareness of environmental problems.

Environmental Policies

• Environmental policies are rules or guidelines developed by governments to regulate behavior of individuals, corporations, and government agencies.

Six steps to making environmental policy

Identify Problems

• Requires curiosity, observation, awareness• Requires curiosity, observation, awareness

1


Identify Specific causes of the Problems

2

•Involves scientific research and•Risk assessment = judging risks a problem poses

to health or the environment

•Involves scientific research and•Risk assessment = judging risks a problem poses

to health or the environment


Get Organized3

• Organizations are more effective than individuals• But a motivated, informed individual can also

succeed

• Organizations are more effective than individuals• But a motivated, informed individual can also

succeed


Set Goals 4

• Risk management = developing strategies to minimize risk• Involves social or political action

• Risk management = developing strategies to minimize risk• Involves social or political action


Cultivate access and influence 5

• Lobbying • Political Support• Public acceptance

• Lobbying • Political Support• Public acceptance


Manage Development policy 6

• Prepare a draft policy, containing solutions• Following a law’s endorsement

• Administrative agencies implement regulations• Policymakers evaluate the policy’s successes or failures• The judicial branch interprets the law

• Prepare a draft policy, containing solutions• Following a law’s endorsement

• Administrative agencies implement regulations• Policymakers evaluate the policy’s successes or failures• The judicial branch interprets the law

Policy, Law, Bylaw ?• A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions • A Policy can be considered as a "Statement of Intent" or a

"Commitment". • The term may apply to government, private sector organizations and

groups, and individuals. • Policy differs from law. While law can compel or prohibit behaviors,

policy merely guides actions toward those that are most likely to achieve a desired outcome.

• Bylaw can refer to a law of local or limited application, passed under the authority of a higher law specifying what things may be regulated, or it can refer to the internal rules of a company or organization.

International lawInternational law

• International law arises from conventions or treaties agreed to among nations.

• (e.g., Montreal Protocol to protect ozone layer)

• International law serve as the principal framework for international co-operation and collaboration between members of the international community in their efforts to protect the local, regional and global environment.

Thank You

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Lecture No 29