Policy Problems and Policy Design

B. Guy Peters, Maurice Falk Professor Emeritus of Government, Department of Political Science, University of Pittsburgh, US

'In the 1980s, Guy Peters pioneered the idea that public policy could be understood as a process of design. Three decades later, he returns with this new book which critically reflects on that idea's re-emergence under the banner of the ''new'' policy design. His analysis is, by turns, thought provoking, challenging and surprisingly uplifting. Highly recommended.'--Andy Jordan, University of East Anglia, UK'Much has been written recently about the ''new'' policy design orientation. But distinguishing what is ''new'' in this approach compared to earlier studies, and how exactly the new approach advances earlier work on the subject, is a critical activity not usually undertaken in enough detail to make a convincing and forward-looking case. In this very timely and comprehensive volume, B. Guy Peters, one of the founders of the field, draws upon his wealth of experience and knowledge to examine in depth both the ''new'' and ''old'' design literatures and to critically assess their merits and demerits. The book offers a solid grounding for both design approaches in better understanding the processes of problem identification and problem-solving. It is essential reading for all those interested in policy design and, more broadly, contemporary policy formulation, decision-making, implementation and evaluation.'--Michael Howlett, Simon Fraser University, Canada

• Contents: Preface 1. The Logic of Policy Design 2. The Problem of Policy Problems 3. Wicked, Complex or Just Difficult Problems 4. Linking Policy Problems and Policy Instruments 5. The “New” Policy Design 6. Conclusion: Toward Better Policy Design References Index