Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of tables and figures
- Preface
- Introduction
- Part I Foundations and analytical dimensions
- Part II New conceptual developments: Resource-based approach and analytical dimensions
- Part III The 10 public action resources
- Part IV Outlook and advice for practical application
- Conclusion: Strengths and weaknesses of the proposed approach
- References
- Index
12 - Organization
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 April 2022
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of tables and figures
- Preface
- Introduction
- Part I Foundations and analytical dimensions
- Part II New conceptual developments: Resource-based approach and analytical dimensions
- Part III The 10 public action resources
- Part IV Outlook and advice for practical application
- Conclusion: Strengths and weaknesses of the proposed approach
- References
- Index
Summary
Definition
This resource involves two partly complementary dimensions: first, the internal organizational characteristics of the different actors and, second, the quality of the network that links the different actors within a policy configuration or network. Thus the organizational resources available to actors vary according to the actors’ characteristics (relevance of the organization of an actor's administrative structures) as does the quality of the network that keeps them in contact with the world outside the organization. Therefore the capacity of an actor to bring together or link other actors involved in a given public policy space in a network that links them to each other and in which they occupy a central position is a good example of the mobilization of this interactive resource. There is no doubt that this resource is also fundamental to the organizations that represent the interests of policy beneficiaries and target groups.
An organization that is functionally adapted to its institutional, physical, political and social environment makes it possible to improve the quality of the services provided while reducing the use of some resources (for example, personnel and time) or increasing the use of others (for example, consensus and information). Thus a strongly hierarchized structure tends to undermine the accountability of officials working in direct contact with the administered citizens or “clients”. Moreover this kind of organization tends to fragment the processes for the management of dossiers and this, in turn, can alter the quality of administrative services. Nor does it allow the introduction of transverse coordination and monitoring functions which ensure the coherence of public policy programming and implementation, for example, in the conduct of environmental impact studies. According to the new wording of the Federal Act on the Organization of the Government and Administration Organization Act (GAOA), in terms of federal public actors, organizational competency for the creation and modification of federal offices and their allocations reverts to the Federal Council. (Knoepfel et al, 2010: 64-5)
Specifics
For a public policy's political-administrative actors and its two groups of social actors, the mobilization of Organization means involving other actors that, based on their mission, are part of the same public policy structure.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Public Policy Resources , pp. 193 - 212Publisher: Bristol University PressPrint publication year: 2018