REPLY Policy paradox and SD (SD6698)

[SDMAIL Saeed, Khalid]

Posted by  "Saeed, Khalid" <saeed at wpi.edu>

Implementation is an important aspect of any policy design. Without attention 
to implementation process, policy recommendations would only issue a moral 
statement. A modeling exercises excluding policy implementation mechanisms may, 
however, be able to identify important entry points into a problem and lead 
eventually to the design of a cogent implementation strategy. A complementary 
modeling exercise can often be conceived to explore such implementation 
strategies. Domain knowledge is extremely important for such explorations, 
hence, it is important for us modelers to colonize a policy domain where we 
can apply system dynamics.

In general, any implementation strategy must recognize the scope and 
limitations of the institutions in place for designing an intervention and 
not assume the intervener has unlimited power. For example for public policy, 
incentives, deterrents, use of information, fiscal and expenditure 
instruments, services, possibilities for creation of new institutions, etc., 
available to a governance system must be targeted as instruments of 
implementation. Power as an instrument of implementation would invariably 
require strengthening of power institutions, which might have the unintended 
consequence of maintaining strength of those institutions taking precedence 
over the original policy goals.

A long time ago, I outlined the need to explore implementation process 
separately from identification of entry points into a system to avoid creating
overly complex models that unfortunately turn into black boxes. Following 
paper is still relevant:

Saeed, K. 1992. Slicing a Complex Problem for System Dynamics Modeling. System 
Dynamics Review. 8(3).


Khalid
Khalid Saeed, PhD
Professor of Economics and System Dynamics
Social Science and Policy Studies Department
WPI, Worcester, MA 01609
Posted by  "Saeed, Khalid" <saeed at wpi.edu>
posting date  Sat, 15 Dec 2007 10:09:20 -0500