POLI 7360: Presentation on the Advocacy Coalition Framework 

 

The policy process is the heart of every organization, from public service to nonprofit work. Policies shape every aspect of day-to-day operations, ensure safety, can guide decisions, and creating foundational impact. Unchecked policy issues can undermine an entire organization's foundation. We, as public administrators, must understand the many theories, new ideas, and discourse surrounding the policy process in order to successfully create an effective, structured work environment. Not only does the policy process focus on policy itself, it also highlights people interaction that leads to the change in policy. This could be lobbying groups to a group of coworkers forming negative perspective about their workplace. Policy theory can focus on systemic change as well as policy implementation in a local government. The size of the policy's impact may vary, but the theories used to study a policy stay the same. 

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For this competency, I chose an analytical presentation I did on the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) in Foundations of  Public Policy.  ACF is a theory that was created to help theorists navigate and understand intricate policy systems. By "intricate," I mean systems that involve multiple stakeholders and levels of government. This theory provides a more sociological lens through out policy is created and implemented. The multiple coalitions (or groups) work with or against each other throughout a policy cycle. There is a 5-step process: coalitions interact with one another, decisions are made, institutions are created/modified, evaluation of policy, and the coalitions interpreting the evaluation. 

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Presenting this framework is demonstrates the ability to participate in the policy process by showcasing a deep understanding of policy change within complex systems. Within the PowerPoint, I apply the 5-step process within the National Economic Council. I interpreted the core ideas from this theory and implemented the steps to showcase the policy process for an economic policy within federal government. 

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In conclusion, the ability to analyze and participate in real policy issues through a deep understanding of core policy theories is essential for long-lasting policy impact and successful implementation. Public administrators should always apply this skill set to effectively address the real challenges in their professional careers.