The phenomenon of delegating public authority from elected politicians (or ministries headed by elected politicians) to formally independent regulatory agencies (RAs) is becoming increasingly widespread This paper examines the relation between formal independence, as prescribed in the constitutions of agencies, and de facto independence Toward this end, it conceptualizes and assesses de facto independence of RAs, and discusses organizational, institutional, and political explanations for divergence from formal independence The complex relations between de facto and formal independence are examined with a cross-national, cross-sectoral comparison of 16 Western European RAs using fuzzy-set analysis The results show that formal independence is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for explaining variations in the de facto independence of agencies Other factors, such as the lifecycle of agencies, veto players, and European networks of agencies, have a decisive impact

https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1748-5991.2007.00023.x

De facto independence after delegation: A fuzzy-set analysis

A tax on soft drinks is often proposed as a health promotion strategy for reducing their consumption and improving health outcomes. However, little is known about the processes and politics of implementing such taxes. We analysed four different soft drink taxes in Pacific countries and documented the lessons learnt regarding the process of policy agenda-setting and implementation. While local social and political context is critically important in determining policy uptake, these case studies suggest strategies for health promotion practitioners that can help to improve policy uptake and implementation. The case studies reveal interaction between the Ministries of Health, Finance and Revenue at every stage of the policy making process. In regard to agenda-setting, relevance to government fiscal priorities was important in gaining support for soft drink taxes. The active involvement of health policy makers was also important in initiating the policies, and the use of existing taxation mechanisms enabled successful policy implementation. While the earmarking of taxes for health has been widely recommended, the revenue may be redirected as government priorities change. Health promotion practitioners must strategically plan for agenda-setting, development and implementation of intersectoral health-promoting policies by engaging with stakeholders in finance at an early stage to identify priorities and synergies, developing cross-sectoral advocacy coalitions, and basing proposals on existing legislative mechanisms where possible.

Taxing soft drinks in the Pacific: implementation lessons for improving health.

/pdf/educational-decentralization-and-school-governance-in-south-3v07dchy06.pdf

Educational Decentralization and School Governance in South Africa: From Policy to Practice.

Meeting: Cases, Concepts and Connections : the Influence of Research on Public Policy; Evaluation Workshop, 24-25 Mar. 2003, IDRC Auditorium, Ottawa, ON, CA

https://betterevaluation.org/sites/default/files/discerning_policy.pdf

Discerning policy influence : framework for a strategic evaluation of IDRC - supported research

Poverty, hunger, gender inequality, and environmental degradation continue to afflict developing countries not because of technical failings but because of political and institutional failings. Current policies and institutional arrangements are often ineffective, and the challenges are increasing. Institutional reform is critical, but many reforms have had mixed outcomes at best. This chapter proposes a structured, context-specific approach to reforming, negotiating, and crafting effective institutions, organizations, and policies for water management in developing countries based on a careful assessment of experiences. This approach recognizes the inherently complex, political, and contentious nature of institutional transformation. It promotes careful analysis—of the current situation, available options, vested interests, potential costs and benefits, potential allies and opposition—as a basis for a strategic plan to guide reform. The plan should be a flexible guideline, responsive to experience and new opportunities. It recognizes that institutions, organizations, and policies are context specific. While market forces and communities play critical roles in water management, the state will continue to have a central role because of its responsibility for providing public goods and for ensuring equity and sustainability. It is also responsible for maintaining a macroeconomic environment conducive to developing and using water resources effectively and equitably and for integrating the development and management of water resources into national programs in a way that optimizes the contribution of water to sustainable national growth. This includes, at a minimum, assessing the impacts of water policies, programs, and projects on national development, social well-being, and environmental

Policy and institutional reform: the art of the possible

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0008423900007423

Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystems Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995, pp. viii, 239

Afghan refugees are one of the most vulnerable migrant groups in terms of food insecurity status around the world. We aimed to investigate the association between Afghan protracted refugees' food insecurity and its socio– economic determinants in Mashhad, Iran. In a cross– sectional design, information was gathered through face– to– face interviews with 299 Afghan main income earners or his/her representative in Golshar district, Mashhad, Iran. In a quantitative approach, the association of socio– economic factors with food insecurity was assessed. The results showed that less than 1% of all the households were food secure, 69.2% of those with children and 47.5% of those with no child faced severe food insecurity. Class of households' income, residency status and personal dwelling were significantly associated with severe food insecurity of Afghan refugees. Determining effective socio– economic factors to formulate appropriate policies and practices is not only necessary but also inevitable to assure sustainable food security for refugees.

/pdf/the-association-between-afghan-refugees-food-insecurity-and-3eqrfva5p2.pdf

Joe Garcea

Papers

Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystems Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995, pp. viii, 239

The Association Between Afghan Refugees’ Food Insecurity and Socio-economic Factors in Iran: A Case Study of Khorasan Razavi Province