Does the policy cycle reflect the policymaking approach in Ghana?
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Date
2020-02-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Public Affairs
Abstract
Based on two cases involving 60 interviews and secondary evidence, this paper
investigated whether Ghana's policymaking approach accorded with the policy cycle.
The evidence showed that the Ghana industrial policy was largely compliant with the
model. But the free senior high school policy bore little resemblance to it. Factors
that determined whether or not policymaking followed the policy cycle included the
salience of the issue, the sponsor of the issue, the political environment at the time,
and the timing of the introduction of the issue. Four conclusions can be drawn from
the Ghanaian evidence. First, the rough edges of the policy cycle can be trimmed and
applied as a best fit model rather than a best practice model in any jurisdiction. Second,
the policy cycle like other policy process theories should not be written off as
inappropriate or inefficacious simply because practice failed to adhere to one or two
out of the several elements of the theory. Third, an integrated policy process model
is likely to be more efficacious than a single one, but there is inattention to such an
idea. Finally, drawing lessons from policy process theories is a neglected area, which
needs to be emphasized.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
policymaking, policy cycle, Ghana industrial policy, jurisdiction
Citation
Mohammed AK. Does the policy cycle reflect the policymaking approach in Ghana? J Public Affairs. 2020;e2078. https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2078