(Multi stakeholder) Public Policy and Governance

A Special Issue linked to

The 1st ICPP in Beijing, China: the 2013 International Conference on
“Public Policy: Theory and Practice of Governance”

Deadline for submission for this JPA SI: 15th  September 2013

Honourary Guest Editor:
Professor Tang Renwu, Beijing Normal University, China

Guest Editors:
Professor John Mahon, University of Maine, USA
Professor Carla Millar, University of Twente, NL and Ashridge, UK

There is growing interest in how organizations, both corporations and NGOs, can engage in the development and implementation of public policy.  Much of the existent research starts with the view that this is a deeply adversarial relationship.  That governments, businesses and NGOs are always in competition for the edge that public policy initiatives afford, and that such initiatives are of the fixed pie variety—that if corporations gain an edge, NGOs lose, or if NGOs gain an edge, then corporations lose.  Far too often the benefits to the larger community/society are ignored or compromised as the process unfolds.

We believe that there are, and have been, extraordinary opportunities to move away from an adversarial approach in public policy development and implementation.  Note the distinction that we are suggesting here—that there is a role for multi-stakeholder involvement in both the development and implementation of public policy.  We believe that stakeholders have different skills and levels of interest in public policy that can be reflected in either development or implementation.
　　　　
Current worldwide economic conditions have exposed significant weaknesses in the ability of government, at all levels, to develop, fund, implement and sustain public policy initiatives without the involvement and support of a large set of stakeholders outside of the governmental sphere.  We need new models, approaches and vibrant, diverse examples of multi-stakeholder involvement in public policy as we have noted here.  We firmly believe that multi-stakeholder support and commitment will only increase in importance and that there is value in bringing attention to such actions through both theoretical and empirical studies.
　　　　
For this Special Issue of the Journal of Public Affairs we wish to focus this important debate on the topic of multi-stakeholder public policy. An example could be the theme of well-being: The 21st century is dominated by the theme of well-being development. Governments play key roles in maintaining and enhancing well-being, but not the sole role. Governments all over the world have noticeably adopted a range of measures to improve people’s livelihoods. However, many countries around the world still encounter difficulties. The financial crisis, environment degradation, natural disasters, as well as an ageing population and the increasing gap between rich and poor, are all important factors affecting the quality of people’s lives. Governments’ efforts to foster well-being can, on the one hand, be seen as at times having a  negative impact, for example, in some countries allowing the development of a  ‘worn-out’ society and an ‘over-developed’ welfare state that is incapable of delivering on its past promises. A serious question here is: what went wrong with public policies? On the other side of the coin, the concern for well-being is rooted very distinctively in the East-Asian culture, and  known as Minsheng (民生), meaning livelihood issues, but public policies and mechanisms for responding to this imperative may be seen as underdeveloped. Is there any governance experience that can be shared from this perspective?

The Beijing conference to which we are linking this Special Issue focuses on “Public Policy: Theory and Practice of Governance”, and hence contributions focusing on China, on Chinese policy in a global perspective, on a comparative analysis involving China or  on issues elsewhere and their impact on China would be especially welcome.  China is a nation of enormous potential and facing demographic challenges not seen anywhere else.  For instance, to continue our example, as the population in China ages, the demands of an aging population on the remainder of society will redefine what well-being is and involve organizations far beyond those in government alone.
All of which leads us to the main questions:

• Can governments and multi-stakeholder public policy improve well-being in an effective way?

• Which stakeholders should be involved and can provide the much needed breakthrough?

• What processes are most useful in involving stakeholders and in improving public policies, e.g. on well-being?

• Which public policy instruments are most effective?

• Which contributions can be made to an East [especially China] – West and  North-South dialogue and what lessons can be learnt?

• Do cultural or other differences make transfer of experience unrealistic?

Specifically, we are seeking submissions that address one or more of the following topics (and we note at the outset that this is not an exhaustive listing nor are they in a prioritized order); they must have a major focus on multi- stakeholder public policy in general, in China or South East Asia:

• Theoretical or experience papers that analyse Chinese public policy, e,g, on well-being,

• Theoretical models for multi-stakeholder engagement in public policy development and/or implementation, and where in the organisation such skills should be placed;

• Theory embedded richly textured examples of successes and/or failures in such engagements that provide clear and unambiguous insights and lessons for managers and government officials moving forward;

• How success and failure is to be defined in such situation and how “blame” or “credit” in multi-stakeholder involvements in public policy development and implementation is to be assigned;

• Challenges of multi-stakeholder involvement in well-being public policy development and implementation in international situations (e.g. that cut across borders or geographic regions);

• Managing this complex process and a number of stakeholders with different views and goals;

• Strategies for migration of successful multi-stakeholder involvements in well-being public policy development and implementation from one international arena to another;

• Evaluative criteria for multi-stakeholder involvement that can be applied to diverse public policy challenges and/or in diverse political and social cultures;

• Articulation/development of measurement criteria and/or systems that can be used to signal that stakeholders need to exit a situation, engage in radical transformation of the approach used, or alter the goals of some public policy;

• Recognition of the trade-offs for the organization of their involvement in public policy development and implementation;

• How organizational (and governmental) reputation plays into multi-stakeholder involvement in public policy development and implementation; and

• How overall organizational strategy can be successfully integrated into the development and implementation of public policy.

Review Process and Submission

• All manuscripts will be double-blind reviewed.

• Manuscripts should follow the style guidelines of the Journal of Public Affairs

• Manuscripts are submitted with the understanding that they are original, unpublished works and are not being submitted elsewhere.

• Papers should be submitted as an email Word attachment to rebecca.coatswith@ashridge.org.uk

• Please indicate both in the email heading and on your paper clearly that your submission is for “JPAPublicPolicy”

• Please submit your papers by the deadline of September 15th, 2013.