Description
Book SynopsisThis important book provides a state of the art of the study of policy instruments, combining insights taken from European and American experiences, to present a detailed exposition of the nature and use of policy instruments.
The book first analyses the background of the instrumental approach and outlines its development in the field of public adminstration. It also includes an exposition of four alternative schools of thought about policy instruments, namely, the instrumentalist, proceduralist, contingentist and constitutivist schools. The criteria for choosing instruments are discussed as is the effectiveness of regulatory, financial and communicative instruments. This volume also addresses the recent efforts by governments to restrict intervention in the market. The final section provides a reassessment of the instruments literature and looks at the questions that will continue to face this perspective on public policy.
This book will be of great use to academics and students of public policy and political science as well as policymakers.
Table of ContentsContents: Prologue Part I: The State of the Art in the Study of Policy Instruments 1. The Traditional Approach to Policy Instruments 2. The Study of Policy Instruments 3. The Trade-off Between Appropriateness and Fit of Policy Instruments Part II: The Quest for Policy Instruments 4. A Contextual Approach to Policy Instruments 5. The Choice of Policy Instruments in Policy Networks 6. A Public Choice Approach to the Selection of Policy Instruments 7. The Political Circumstances of Instrument Design Part III: The Rhythms and Blues of Policy Instruments 8. The Dynamics of Policy Instruments 9. The Acceptability and Visibility of Policy Instruments Part IV: A Re-examination of the Study of Policy Instruments 10. The Sociogenesis of Policy Tools in the Netherlands 11. On Instruments and Instrumentality Epilogue Index
