18 September 18 November 2015

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1 Municipal Management Development Programmes Municipal Policy Formulation and Implementation Module 6 of MMDP 9-credit HEQF (2007) level eight course Successful completion provides full credits for the Public Policy Management Module of the Honours Programme in Public and Development Management, Module code ; NQF level 8, nine credits Course Outline & Orientation 18 September 18 November 2015 Please follow this link to register online: Facilitators & assessors: Dr Babette Rabie; Tel ; brabie@sun.ac.za; Fax

2 1. INTRODUCTION Service delivery, and mostly failures in service delivery, currently receive widespread publicity. It is a reality that to overcome the many contemporary challenges of public service delivery, a high degree of management sophistication is required. The executive programme and products of the School of Public Leadership are the result of knowledge from rigorous research on contemporary issues and international best practices. This research is done by specialists in the sector with the highest academic qualifications combined with practitioner backgrounds. All facilitators / researchers are permanent or extraordinary academic appointees of Stellenbosch University and all products are fully quality controlled and accredited as determined by the University and the Higher Education Qualification Committee. The products are the only sector-specific accredited products of Stellenbosch University with articulation to advanced degrees in public and development management, i.e. they either provide avenues of access to, or credit for modules of the advanced degrees (conditions apply). Besides stand-alone courses that are accredited modules or part of modules of various degree programmes, we also offer a range and progression of sector-specific management development programmes, including the Municipal Management Development Programme (on NQF Level 8) of which this course on financial management and cost accounting in a municipality contributes 9 credits. 2. MUNICIPAL POLICY FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION Dunn (2012: 2) defines policy analysis as a process of multidisciplinary inquiry aiming at the creation, critical assessment, and communication of policy-relevant information. For the purpose of this module we therefore define public policy management as the creation, assessment and communication of policy-relevant information by means of a systematic first level of analysis and, where more in-depth multidisciplinary expert analysis is required, ensuring appropriate expert analysis and integration of information from various experts towards understanding and improving policies as well as informing planning, organising, leading and control processes. Figure 1 (derived from Dunn, 2012: 6) provides an illustration of policy management, incorporating Dunn s integrated policy analysis and superimposing that onto the concurrent planning, organising, leading and control responsibilities of management. This serves to conceptualise the objectives and outcomes of the module. 3. OBJECTIVE AND OUTCOMES The objective of this module is to provide a comprehensive overview of the scope of policy management as well as a thorough explanation of the policy analytical procedures, namely problem structuring; forecasting; recommending; monitoring and evaluating as well as the application of a selection of techniques relevant for these procedures within the local government context. Using policy information to improve current policies or inform future policy decisions is also explored, given the political dynamics involved. Finally, linkages with planning, organising, leading and control as the other mayor management functions are drawn and policy relevant communication explored. This module provides a vertical articulation from Theory and practices of Development, Policy and Management, with specific reference to Part 4: The art and science of policy management. The module articulates horizontally with other MMDP modules and a number of techniques are shared with other modules. 2

3 Specific outcomes include the following: a. A proven in-depth knowledge of the scope of public policy management and the ability to use that knowledge to comprehend policy challenges within the local government context; b. Understanding problem structuring as policy procedure and the ability to apply techniques of problem structuring in practice; c. Understanding forecasting as policy procedure and the ability to apply techniques of forecasting in practice; d. Understanding prescription as policy procedure and the ability to apply techniques of prescription in practice; e. Understanding monitoring as policy procedure and the ability to apply techniques of monitoring in practice; f. Understanding evaluation as policy procedure and the ability to apply techniques of evaluation in practice; g. Understanding the linkages of policy management with planning, organising, leading and control as the other major local government management functions and the ability to apply techniques of policy communication to ensure that all stakeholders are appropriately informed. These seven outcomes also serve to define the structure of the module as depicted in Figure 1. POLICY PROBLEMS Problem Structuring Practical Inference Forecasting OBSERVED OUTCOMES POLICY PERFORMANCE EXPECTED OUTCOMES Monitoring Evaluation Prescription PREFFERED POLICIES Policy management Planning Organising Leading Control Figure 1: Public policy management model 3

4 4. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND METHODS After attending this course, participants should be able to fulfil the following assessment criteria through the indicated methods of assessment: Assessment criteria: Through the assessment, each participant must individually prove that he/she can fulfil the set outcomes and apply the knowledge of, insight and skills in financial management and cost accounting in a municipal work environment in general and his/her own work in particular. For successful completion, the average of all assessments must be a minimum of 50%. Assessment methods: Participants will be assessed by means of the following methods: a. Policy argumentation group exercise to be completed and submitted during contact session (20 percent weight) b. Take home assignment individual (prescription calculations) submitted electronically as scheduled (30 percent weight) c. Individual Examination (closed book, ±30 model questions will be provided in preparation) as scheduled (50 percent weight) 5. THEMES & FACILITATORS The following themes are covered: 1. The scope of public policy management (Reference, Dunn, 2012: 1 to 64); 2. Problem structuring (Reference, Dunn, 2012: 65 to 116); 3. Forecasting (Reference, Dunn, 2012: 117 to 187); 4. Prescribing (Reference, Dunn, 2012: 188 to 244); 5. Monitoring (Reference, Dunn, 2012: 245 to 308); 6. Evaluating (Reference, Dunn, 2012: 309 to 336); 7. Linking policy management to the other management functions. 6. SCHEDULE Please note that the time slots and order of themes may be scheduled in different order for different courses. The theory may also be followed by means of self-study through use of electronic materials and videos of lectures. The assessments are however written on the scheduled times at the SPL Building Bellville Park Campus. Date 08:30 10:30 11:00-13:00 13:45 16:00 18 Sep 2 Oct Receive all learning materials: Video recordings, course outline, course manual, course slides. Prepare by studying the material 2 Oct 2015 Contact Session: Content overview Contact Session: Assessments Review and exercises Contact Session: Answering questions about assessment content and applications 4

5 2 Nov Nov 2015 Assignment cut-off pm Closed Book Invigilated Individual Assessment 09:00 12:00 7. LITERATURE Prescribed book: Dunn, WN Public Policy Analysis. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education. Other recommended references: Ascher, W The Evolution of the Policy Sciences: Understanding the Rise and Avoiding the Fall. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Vol. 5, No. 2. (Winter, 1986), pp Barzelay, M The New Public Management: Improving Research and Policy Dialogue. Oxford: University of California Press Ltd. Becker, H.A. & Vanclay, F. (eds) The International Handbook of Social Impact Assessment. Conceptual and Methodological Advances. Edwar Elgar Publishing Limited. Cheltenham, U.K. Boaz, A. & Nutley, S Evidence-based policy and practice. In Bovaird, T. & Löffler, E. (ed) Public Management and Governance. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. London Brunner, R.D Introduction to the policy sciences. Policy Sciences Vol 30 pp Chelimsky, E The Purposes of Evaluation in a Democratic Society. In Shaw, I.F., Greene, J.C. and Mark, M.M. (eds) The Sage Handbook of Evaluation. Sage Publications, London. Cloete, F; and De Coning, C. (eds.) Improving Public Policy. From theory through practice to result. Pretoria; Van Schaik Publishers. Davies, P Making Policy Evidence-Based: The UK Experience. World Bank Middle East and North Africa Region Regional Impact Evaluation Workshop Cairo, Egypt, January Available online at accessed 30 April Dye, T.R Understanding Public Policy. 12th Edition. Longman Publishing Group. Fischer, F., Miller, G.J., Sydney, M.S. (Ed) Handbook of Public Policy Analysis: Theory, politics, and methods. CRC Press. Taylor and Francis Group. Kee, J.E Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Benefit Analysis. In Wholey, J.S., Hatry, H.P. & Newcomer, K.E. (eds) Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, John Wiley &Sons Inc. Mark, M.M & Henry, G.T Methods for Policy-Making and Knowledge Development Evaluations. In Shaw, I.F., Greene, J.C. and Mark, M.M. (eds) The Sage Handbook of Evaluation. London: Sage Publications. Mark, M.M., Greene J.C. and Shaw, I.F Introduction The evaluation of policies, programs and practices. In Shaw, I.F., Greene, J.C. and Mark, M.M. (eds) The Sage Handbook of Evaluation. London: Sage Publications. 5

6 Nagel, S.S. (ed) Handbook of Public Policy Evaluation. California: Sage Publications Inc. Niemeijer, D Developing indicators for environmental policy: data-driven and theory-driven approaches examined by example. Environmental Science & Policy 5. pages Pawson, R Evidence-based Policy: A Realist Perspective. London: Sage Publications Inc. Reichardt, C.S. & Mark, M.M Quasi-Experimentation. In Wholey, J.S., Hatry, H.P. & Newcomer, K.E: (eds) Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation. San FrancisciJossey-Bass, John Wiley &Sons Inc. Render, B; Stair, RM. and Hanna, ME Quantitative Analysis for Management. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson / Prentice Hall. Segone, M. (ed) 2008a. Bridging the gap. The role of monitoring and evaluation in evidence-based policy making. UNICEF Evaluation Working Papers Issue # 12. UNICEF, Romania Shafritz, J.M. & Borick, C.P Introducing Public Policy. Longman Publishing Group Valadez, J. & Bamberger, M Monitoring and Evaluating Social Programs in Developing Countries. A Handbook for Policymakers, Managers and Researchers. EDI Development Studies. World Bank. Washington. Vestman, O.K. & Conner, R.F The Relationship between evaluations and politics. In Shaw, I.F., Greene, J.C. and Mark, M.M. (eds) The Sage Handbook of Evaluation. London: Sage Publications. Vestman, O.K. & Conner, R.F The relationship between evaluation and politics. In Segone, M Bridging the gap. The role of monitoring and evaluation in evidence-based policy making. UNICEF Evaluation Working Papers Issue # 12. UNICEF, Romania Weiss, C.H Evaluation. Methods for studying programs and policies. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Wholey, J.S Evaluability Assessment. In Wholey, J.S., Hatry, H.P. & Newcomer, K.E. (eds). Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, John Wiley &Sons Inc. Wholey, J.S Using Evaluation to Improve Performance and Support Policy Decision Making. In Alkin, C.M. (ed). Evaluation Roots, Tracing Theorists Views and Influences. California: Sage Publications. Wholey, J.S., Hatry, H.P. & Newcomer, K.E. (eds) Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, John Wiley &Sons Inc. 6