Introduction
Public policies formulation and implementation form some of the most important factors that define and dictate the trends of social-economic and political considerations in a country.
With all societal aspects being directly or indirectly guided by the public policies that operate in a country, their establishment has remained one of the most contended consideration as different groups seek to facilitate holistic objectivity and sustainability. According to McGann and Johnson (2005, p. 54), policy programs, frames, politics, norms and cognitive paradigms impact on public policy.
The latter should be guided by highly informed decisions to facilitate its usefulness. This paper provides an intrinsic evaluation of the structure and public-policy-related activities of Regional development Australia and the different aspects of critical forces that impact on the formulation and implementation of critical policies.
Do collaborative and partnership strategies help or hinder coherence in public policymaking and delivery? Critically assess the debate about collaboration
The significant organization I will be focusing on is Regional Development Australia. This organisation is funded by all three levels of government however, the task of strategic coordination with little structure or direction has become momentous.
I will be examining case studies across three RDA regions, examining what aspects have succeeded and failed and the policy behind the organisations. I acknowledge your comments about using my organisation however I will ensure that I am relating to the policy and providing a critical examination of it rather than descriptive
Background of the organization
The organization under investigation in this research study is the Regional Development Australia (RDA). This organization was formed with the sole purpose of coordinating all level of governance in order to realize effective performance. The initiative is rooted in ensuring that all the regions mapped out within Australia are catered for in terms of balanced socio-economic development.
From this outset, it is evident that attaining such an objective is a broad initiative that demands proper planning and execution of operations. It is against this backdrop that several wells organized RDA committees have been incepted throughout the country with the aim of attaining both the specific and broad objectives of the initiative.
In particular, the committee members who constitute the Regional Development Australia (RDA) are usually drawn from the local professionals. They are believed to be well versed with challenges facing regions that they are residing. Therefore, they are in the best position to formulate the best solutions for their respective areas.
The strategies that are developed by these local professionals making up committee members are mainly made possible by partnership building. For example, the much-needed services and infrastructures are brought closer to regional consumers with the help of this initiative under the assistance of the selected committee members.
The process of coordinating various government departments is also integrated with the identification of common matters that affect multiple regions within Australia. Thereafter, the identified issues can be brought into perspective quite easily by giving them a common approach.
Other core functions of the committee include organizing community forums where consultations are carried out, taking part in initiatives and programs that are undertaken across the region, availing vital data and guidelines on respective areas and also on areas of governance and finally, do regional planning by offering the much-needed support.
As it stands now, a regional plan has been formulated by each committee working under the Regional Development Australia (RDA). The primary purpose of this plan is to prioritize the needs of each region as per the respective development agenda. The program also assists in building healthy communities by offering tangible guidelines for socio-economic and political developments.
Whereas the committee meetings are solely convened by the selected members, the territorial, state and Australian government representatives are free to be present in such meetings for the sake of observing the events. In addition, employees drawn from the territorial and state governments can be part of committee members at RDA by tendering their applications.
However, they only act in a personal capacity when they are successfully absorbed as committee members of the RDA. Any of the committees operating under RDA is expected to accommodate a minimum of two representatives from the local government body.
The Regional Development Australia (RDA) is an initiative by the Australian government charged with the duty of enhancing development in all regions within Australia (An Australian Government Initiative 2013, par. 3). One of the main ways that the RDA has been able to achieve this has been via ensuring that all government departments are brought together to participate.
Reports indicate that the RDA, besides being made up of a team of experienced committee members with broad skills, is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to strengthen Australian development ideas.
It is composed of 55 committee members coming from diverse community groups, businesses and relevant government and political positions (An Australian Government Initiative 2013, par. 3). Its operations in all jurisdictions in Australia are funded by the three levels of local governments, the state and the territorial governments.
Maddison and Denniss (2013, p. 57) indicate that the RDA has been an important organization in Australia due to the variety of solutions to the national problems that it has been able to provide.
It has been able to achieve this through supporting regional planning, providing the leadership of the Australian government with advice and information on development and taking part in national initiatives and regional programs. The basis of its success has been its policies, collaboration, engagement and carrying out consultations with communities.
It is imperative to mention at this point that the RDA works in partnership with communities in Australia including indigenous Australian, young people, women and individuals from diverse nations and cultures (An Australian Government Initiative 2013).
Its focus on development has been to provide solutions to environmental, social and economic issues through developing policies, strategies and plans that support business investments, skills development, creation of jobs and overall economic development. Its environmental solutions include managing climate change and supporting sustainability.
In their view, Maddison and Denniss (2013, p. 105) indicate that the ability of any institution to run its affairs is based on efficacy in formulating the correct policies that are not just acceptable, but generates the needed impetus for growth and development. This outlook has led RDA to achieve its current achievement in the growth and development of the regions.
Maddison and Denniss (2013, p. 105) continue to cite that the RDA operational policies have been derived internally and from its political environment overtones of demands for effective development.
Following its affiliation to the government, which is very critical, the sense of political involvement provides a core application facet for the rules and policies they make. This has seen all the governance policies being strongly acceptable with minimal resistance.
Of greater importance to its governance is its ability to set standards for the development of the different regions in Australia. Under this consideration, the ideas, views and policy framework of its political environment have been regarded as part of its holistic compliance to it policies application.
The role of politics in policymaking in the organization is very critical in facilitating the application of variant laws at different levels in its development programs. Whereas it is generally acceptable that businesses and organizations will rarely be harmonic in policy application, those that are formed or initiated by a government have a responsibility to articulate them at the local levels.
Importance and challenges of coordination within government
The ability to effectively integrate and coordinate various departments of a government is indeed crucial, especially if wide regions are being managed by a single government entity. Programs and policies adopted by a government can have the required positive impact when coordination of departments is carried out effectively.
The defined or expected outcomes of government projects have been known to be easily achieved in cases whereby collaboration among departments is proactively undertaken. Even though the defined results may be attained with a lot of ease, it is imperative to mention that there are myriads of challenges that are usually associated with teaming up various government departments in a coordinated or collaborative system.
For example, before all the respective government departments are coordinated, a lot of time will have been taken even in achieving a small task. Perfecting the process demands a lot of time and therefore, may end up stalling government operations for a while.
Nonetheless, the immediate negative impact of coordinating government departments can be minimized by ensuring that the capacity of respective government departments and the entire public or government system is restructured in order to align with the changes. In other words, capacity building will expedite the process of departmental coordination and execution of government activities.
Some of the reasons why coordination and collaboration of government departments might pose remarkable challenges include
- Lack of standard professional ethics when executing government duties.
- Inadequate, poor and ineffective utilization of government resources
- A public administration that lacks an approach steered towards development.
- Service provision that is laced with biasness, lack of equity and partiality.
- Lack of public participation in service provision. When there is lack of public participation, the needs of the targeted community cannot be determined and therefore may be cumbersome to meet the same needs.
- Lack of transparency and accountability in the public service provision
- Delayed, inaccessible and erroneous data
- Incapable human resource management that is incapable of hiring and retaining the most capable team of skilled and competent employees.
From the above list of challenges, it can be seem that various elements within a government set up can indeed be made to function in a harmonious manner, especially if the loopholes are avoided. Moreover, there are several cases whereby departmental lines still undertake the process of planning, even though the government of the day may be keen on making sure that coordination and planning are done at the intermediate level.
This implies that in spite of the benefits presented by inter-departmental coordination, mature institutional capacity is required so that the integration and coordination processes attain positive impacts.
In terms of benefits, coordination of various government departments has realized massive support uncertain govern sectors. The latter has been attained by working together. For example, a safer school environment within a region can be enhanced when social development department collaborates with the department of security.
As a matter of fact, when the two departments collaborate and coordinate in a positive manner, it will boost the standards of education offered in all the regions. Additionally, efficient development of skills will also boost creation of employment opportunities in various government departments.
Another widespread impediment among users of the public service is the increasingly high levels of inequity and unfairness in terms of service provision.
Although some government departments tend to argue that the latter is usually a negative perception, it is vital to underscore that even such attitudes, ay still hinder effective participation and collaboration from members of the public as well as the local professionals who are often integrated into development committees.
It is also an open secret that fairness has been compromised through inadequate coordination when formulating and executing policies.
A Public policy and role of government
According to McGann and Johnson (2005, p. 54), public policy formulation is the defining force that dictates the relationship between various subjects at different levels in the society. Governmental bodies as deliberative units have three major roles in formulation of public policies. To begin with they act as key initiators of public policies in the community.
McGann and Johnson (2005, p. 98) point out that the government should be able to cite areas that are deficient in the community and therefore use its wide experience in creating possible solutions either inform of new or enriching the existing ones. Notably, most leaders in governmental levels members are chosen by the community and therefore considered to have more understanding power on societal demands.
Cognitive paradigms
Several successful developmental efforts within a nation have been largely pegged on partnership and collaborations of organizations and government. Policymaking bodies within a government develop certain policies which make the operations of its systems as well as non-governmental systems to run smoothly.
However, the making of public policies can be affected by a variety of views of policymakers. This can, in turn, put pressure on the choice of policies that organizations and a nation depend on for formulating public, national security, welfare and economic systems.
Politics is a significant force in Australia as it dictates the core policies to be followed by all the business units in the country. Political power in Australia is actively involved in prescribing the type of organizations and initiatives that can be established in the country.
Maddison and Denniss (2013, p. 75) point out major issues that public policy implementation undergoes due to politics and the need for a greater shift and fundamental change to adopt a current paradigm that provides clear cut solutions to economic, social and political problems.
Working with the government
Analysts have lauded the relevance of an organization with a government and not working at cross purposes. Development and progress of the Australian regions have been dependent on the efficacy of the governance of RDA as well as application and operations of the established policies (An Australian Government Initiative 2013).
One cannot fail to note the contributions of the government and the political environment in shared expectation. The values of politics in the social and political growth of Australia have been vital in shaping up the setting of policies. The political systems in Australia provide governance and support to local institutions and particularly to the RDA reflected as unified funding of the RDA programs in respective regions.
However, working with a government presents significant challenges to the implementation of specific key initiatives. Maddison and Denniss (2013, p. 76) cite that this is a significant problem related to consistency, policies and formalities that are undertaken towards government programs. Indeed, this has been a major setback among organizations co-working with governmental institutions.
Besides, opponents of the establishment and roles of the RDA cite its functions as duplications of functions that the government has already provided funds for in the regions (An Australian Government Initiative 2013). While this may appear valid, it sets a platform that sets the activities and setting up of policies seeking sustainability in jeopardy.
It is further apparent that RDA has had to come up with key strategies to deal with the political disputes that have riddled it. Dealing with issues of acceptability and duplication of roles are some of the factors that have been highlighted by analysts as being definitive of its potential for improving productivity and image in its particular areas of operations.
Setting up of policies and implementation
The articulation of internal policies that seek to infer development to all regions in Australia in a coherent mode has been the main consideration for the RDA. Its governance, through variant institutions which seek to infer higher levels of neutrality and uniformity has further seen the RDA greatly expand beyond its original boundaries (An Australian Government Initiative 2013).
However, the whole integration process, development and expansion, governance, and policies application has not been without criticism and significant drawbacks. Key policies on growth and development, its relation with politicians and different regions, and emerging trends in governance have increasingly attracted major criticism.
McGann and Johnson (2005, p. 134) cite that currently, policy-making and implementation of matters that involve the growth and development of Australian regions has drawn a lot of participation of politicians and the public at large. This involvement has been reported to affect the way that RDA is conducting its programs and initiatives.
McGann and Johnson (2005, p. 134) further argue that although the occupants of government positions are not the direct leaders of RDA, it is still evident that they are capable of using their jobs to determine RDA operations and the expected standards.
This has been lauded by proponents as cohesive with the standard requirements of the Australian government to set it is country’s standards of growth and development as well as other aspects that relate to its social-cultural and political-economic orientation. However, a small percentage of critics appear to be discontented with the setting up of policies and high standards set for the RDA to meet as a measure of its efficiency.
Prechel (2008, p. 134) indicates that the influence of the political environment in Australia on the activities of RDA is justified because the government is answerable to its citizens in terms of providing them with growth and development initiatives.
Researchers have pointed out three critical areas that a nation’s regional development agency focuses on addressing and analyzing sustainability. According to Prechel (2008, p. 90), these areas are socio-political, economic and environmental dimensions.
These are domains in which setting up of effective policies plays a huge role in addressing sustainability issues with differential approaches depending on the sectors that an organization operates in and their abilities. Organizations with considerable resource abilities have generally taken on more robust policy approaches to aid them in achieving key development agendas.
The availability of a political and social environment in Australia whereby politicians and the general public are appreciative of the means used by the government to provide resources in generation of critical services and infrastructure and have a feeling of being part of success made by an organization is an essential factor in ensuring economic success.
As noted earlier, RDA has received much support in its endeavors in providing resources and development in the regions within Australia. Analysts are of the view that the lack of it would mean setting up of poor policies which are likely to disrupt operations of RDA through depletion of input are at greater risk of implementing projects that place them at greater risk of failure.
This has been cited as being one of the critical factors that significantly affect organizational potential for development in the sense that operating under bad policies often results in ineffectiveness.
Maddison and Denniss (2013, p. 60) indicate that numerous changes are being witnessed in the adoptions and implementation practices of local and regional development due to globalization. Unpredictability is definitive of the current economic environment due to the highly improved economic systems and the high levels of awareness which must be brought into perspective.
In Australia, Maddison and Denniss (2013, p. 105) cite that the latter presents a significant challenge in the setting up of effective policies supported by all stakeholders. Globalization has indeed created a complex environment to operate. This factor forces most players to seek fundamental approaches to operations in order to succeed.
Diversification of RDA operations, expansion of projects to all regions, provision of jobs and creating more attractive policies are some of the approaches and alternatives that RDA employs (An Australian Government Initiative 2013). These approaches are mostly reliant on government funding (RDAF) for their implementation and successful assessment.
However, such approaches have a shielding effect and do not necessarily address the potential that RDA may fail to achieve its objectives. As such, the Australian policymakers have set up measures that will ensure that RDA’s regional activities are monitored to determine any threats that are present and provide resource ability is determined before projects are implemented.
Ensuring equitable economic, social and environmental development in a nation remains a crucial facet in the growth of a society. Adequate provision of resources in all RDA projects in Australian regions is also cited as an important avenue through which the whole nation can ensure sustainable economic development.
Such balance can only be generated if policymakers take heed of all growth needs and demands of the nation’s regions and take steps to ensure that they are all well-conducted and managed. Equal growth and development as a result of an effective policy structure play a role in ensuring high level of growth and development.
On the same breath, Prechel (2008, p. 100) cites that equal implementation of development objectives across all regions in a nation is critical in attaining economic sustainability. Many countries have failed in this aspect owing to political influence whereby key leaders benefit in terms of development at the expense of others.
In Australia, the RDA leadership comprises of diverse individuals from different economic and social sectors. This scenario limits political control and encourages regional balance. Also, it collectively adds value to generation and sustainability of value.
Conclusions
To sum up, it is clear that public policy formulation and implementation comprise of the most important factors that define and dictate the trends of social-economic and political considerations in a country. Due to the fast accelerating rate of globalization, the demand for a strong economic, social and environmental growth is becoming increasingly important.
This has possibly been evidenced by the elaborate strategies and policies set by governments and regional development authorities to address issues relating to economic growth within their in the regions. The Regional Development Australia (RDA) is a significant organization that has contributed towards massive development of areas in Australia, provision of jobs to the youth and women, among other factors.
As earlier indicated, politics plays a significant role in the shaping up of economic development in a region by creating norms, values, culture and collaborations with organizations.
Besides, partnership with the Australian government has been very critical information about policies and maintaining the necessary identity that curves the much-needed sense of economic growth. However, working with the government has been blamed for the slow implementation of specific vital policies and performance of commercial activities.
References
An Australian Government Initiative 2013, Regional development Australia. Web.
Maddison, S. & Denniss, R. 2013, An introduction to Australian public policy: theory and practice, Cambridge University Press, New York.
McGann, J. & Johnson, E. 2005, Comparative think tanks, politics and public policy, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, Cheltenham, UK.
Prechel, H. 2008, Politics and public policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley, UK.