AGEC 702
PUBLIC POLICY, POLICY PROCESS AND
NEGOTIATION
Presentation on:
Evidence-Based Policymaking: What is it? How does it
work? What relevance for developing countries?
BY
EBENEZER KONDO (10937211)
EBENEZER KONDO
OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION (1/2)
• History and Overview EBPM
• Why Base Policies on Evidence
• Evidence-Based Policy Making (EBPM)-Definitions
• The Evidence Generation Process
• Principles of EBPM
• EBPM: Implementation Process
• Forms and Sources of Evidence
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OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION (2/2)
• EBPM Evaluation Criteria
• How EBPM Works
• Challenges to Implementing EBPM
• Relevance to Developing Countries
• Conclusions
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HISTORY AND OVERVIEW (1/3)
• The idea of using evidence to inform policy is not new
concept. As far back as ancient Greece, Aristotle put
forward the notion that different kinds of knowledge
should inform rulemaking.
• The term Evidence-Based Policy was popularized by the
reformist Blair Labour government of the United Kingdom
in 1997 when he was elected on the notion of ‘what counts
is what works’
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HISTORY AND OVERVIEW (2/3)
• Evidence-based policymaking (EBP) gained political
currency in 1997 under the Blair administration. This
signified the entry of a government with a reforming and
modernising mandate, which was committed to putting
an end to ideologically-driven politics and replacing it
instead with rational decision making
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HISTORY AND OVERVIEW (3/3)
• They made a bold commitment towards the use of
evidence in policy decision-making with their White Paper
in 1999, Modernising Government.
• The document noted that government must ‘produce
policies that really deal with problems; that are forward
looking and shaped by the evidence rather than a response
to short-term pressures; that tackle causes not symptoms’.
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WHY BASE POLICIES ON EVIDENCE (1/5)
1. When buying a new smartphone, consumers can survey
the market to understand the options before making a
selection to identify durability, battery life, camera quality,
memory size etc. Sales representatives can help explain
differences among options and online reviews enabling
consumers to understand the experience of others.
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WHY BASE POLICIES ON EVIDENCE (2/5)
2. When purchasing a home, individuals can find out about
the history, quality, size, and amenities because these data
are collected and publicly available. Buyers can search online
records, talk to a real estate agent, and tour the home to
assess if the property meets their needs. An inspector may
offer additional expertise about conditions that could affect
how much the home is worth.
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WHY BASE POLICIES ON EVIDENCE (3/5)
3. When driving a car, motorists rely on information about
the fuel tank level to know how far they can drive and when
they need to refuel to reach their destination. Routine check-
ups by a mechanic can help reduce the uncertainty about
other factors to ensure the car’s effective operation.
4. Or when one wants to marry, you search the marriage
market to carefully select the man or woman who meets a
certain set criteria one has set for himself or herself. Experts
in the field, that is, parents can offer some guidance. The
choice is not made arbitrary.
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WHY BASE POLICIES ON EVIDENCE (4/5)
• These examples demonstrate how in our personal lives,
data can be compiled to provide valuable information
that we rely on to make decisions.
• Credible and valid information that is straightforwardly
presented, including with the help of experts, allows us
to focus our attention on making good decisions based
on our needs and goals.
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WHY BASE POLICIES ON EVIDENCE (5/5)
• Just as individuals want to make the best decisions for
activities in their own lives, government should also be
expected to use information to operate effectively and
efficiently. Policymakers require accurate and reliable
information, which is not always available for making
decisions in government
• For policymakers and others to trust evidence, evaluations
must avoid political motivations and be executed with valid
research methodologies. Evidence should be fed into the
decision-making process, rather than be collected
afterwards to validate or support an existing decision.
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EBPM: SOME DEFINITIONS (1/4)
• Evidence-based policymaking is the process of using high-quality
information to inform decisions that are made about
government policies.
• It involves systematically collecting high-quality data and
analyzing those data with rigorous research methods which
creates evidence on which decisions can be based.
• Evidence can provide insights about how policies and programs
operate, when and where they work effectively, or trends in
performance over time.
• Evidence-based policymaking requires the use of evidence in the
decision-making process, which means such evidence must be
generated and available for policymakers
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to use
EBPM: SOME DEFINITIONS (2/4)
• EBP is a discourse or set of methods that inform the policy
process, rather than aiming to directly affect the eventual
goals of the policy. It advocates a more rational, rigorous,
and systematic approach.
• The pursuit of EBP is based on the premise that policy
decisions should be better informed by available evidence
and should include rational analysis. This is because a
policy that is based on systematic evidence is seen to
produce better outcomes.
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EBPM: SOME DEFINITIONS (3/4)
• EBP is an approach that helps people make well informed
decisions about policies, programmes and projects by
putting the best available evidence from research at the
heart of policy development and implementation (Davies,
2004; Sutcliffe & Court, 2005).
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EBPM: SOME DEFINITIONS (4/4)
• Evidence-based policy is an idea in public policy proposing
that policy decisions should be based on, or informed by,
rigorously established objective evidence.
• The implied contrast is, policymaking based on ideology
(political party ideology), common sense, anecdotes, and
intuitions (Sutcliffe & Court, 2005).
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THE EVIDENCE GENERATION PROCESS (1/5)
(1) DATA COLLECTION
The collection of high-quality data underpins rigorous
evidence. Data relevant for policymaking may include
administrative information about routine program services
and operations, known as administrative data.
• Data may also be collected specifically for the purpose of
conducting research or evaluation, including through
surveys, interviews, and observations. Mostly panel data.
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THE EVIDENCE GENERATION PROCESS (2/5)
DATA COLLECTION
• Increasingly, evidence-based policymaking requires
securely connecting and combining data from different
sources to produce information that answers complex
questions, providing critical information for government to
address challenges.
• When the data source is credible and trustworthy, then we
can safely conclude the evidence generated can be relied
upon. The quality of the evidence is as good as the data
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THE EVIDENCE GENERATION PROCESS (3/5)
(2) DATA ANALYSIS
The design and type of analysis depends on the question
being asked and resources available, including time frame,
funding, personnel, specifics on what is being evaluated,
and the type of intervention.
At the most basic level, data can be analyzed to understand
a situation through descriptive statistical information and
trends showing how that data changes over time.
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THE EVIDENCE GENERATION PROCESS (4/5)
DATA ANALYSIS
• For more complex questions, evaluation studies can be
used to identify opportunities for improvements to
program operations or determine the effectiveness of the
program. For example, cost-benefit analysis etc.
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THE EVIDENCE GENERATION PROCESS (5/5)
(2) EVIDENCE USE
• Policymaking can be a complex, nonlinear process. How policies are
enacted may depend on the specific issue, stakeholders, contexts,
constraints, considerations, and politics.
• Once an issue has been identified and policymakers determine they
would like to direct resources to address the problem, the
formulation of a policy response can be crafted based on the relevant
evidence base, the collection of research on a topic.
• Policymakers can use evidence at various stages of the policymaking
process – from problem definition to identifying a solution.
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PRINCIPLES OF EBPM
The First Principles of Evidence-Based Policymaking
1. Build and compile rigorous evidence about what works,
including costs and benefits. Resources are limited!
2. Monitor program delivery and use impact evaluation to
measure program effectiveness.
3. Use rigorous evidence to improve programs, scale what
works, and redirect funds away from consistently ineffective
programs.
4. Encourage innovation and test new approaches.
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EBPM IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
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FORMS AND SOURCES OF EVIDENCE (1/2)
According to Jones (2008), evidence can be scientific and non-scientific in nature
in the forms and sources such as;
• Statistical or scientific data (qualitative or quantitative) through research or
surveys
• Expert knowledge
• Anecdotal and behavioral evidence
• History and experience
• Culture and local knowledge
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FORMS AND SOURCES OF EVIDENCE(2/2)
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EBP EVALUATION CRITERIA (1/3)
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EBP EVALUATION CRITERIA (2/3)
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EBP EVALUATION CRITERIA (3/3)
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HOW EBPM WORKS
• Effectiveness - Ensure we do more good than harm
• Efficiency – Use scarce public resources to maximum effect
• Service Orientation – Meets citizen’s needs/expectations
• Accountability – Transparency of what is done and why
• Democracy – Enhance the democratic process
• Trust – Help ensure/restore trust in government and public
services
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LIMITATIONS TO EBP
• Speed: Policymakers are under chronic time pressure, as
well as political pressure, to be seen to be acting and
therefore they are forced to process information quickly.
This requires improvisation and also means that sometimes
compromises have to be made. Occasionally, this leads to
bad decisions.
• Superficiality: Each policymaker has to cover vast thematic
fields, and cannot possibly have in-depth knowledge about
every issue in those areas. They are therefore heavily
dependent on the knowledge and integrity of the people
who inform them.
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LIMITATIONS TO EBP
• Spin: In the political world, perception is very important.
For example, even though evidence has shown that beat
policing is not the most cost effective way of using police
resources, this form of policing is still prioritised because
there is a strong public perception that it will improve
security. Perception guides political decisions.
• Secrecy: This involves how to relate to evidence that is
secret. For example, Tony Blair’s controversial
memorandum on the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
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LIMITATIONS TO EBP
• Scientific ignorance: There is a growing suspicion towards
science and scientists among the public, which will have an
effect on policies. One example of this is the public demand
for zero rail accidents while road accidents are tolerated.
• Source: The source from which the evidence-based policy is
emanating from tells whether the nature of the evidence
needed to be taken seriously or not. For example, research
and academic institutions as against CSOs, individuals etc.
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CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTING EBPM (1/2)
Some notable Challenges to successful EBPM :
1. Lack of capacity: Even though almost all state institutions
have monitoring and evaluation department, they lack the
capacity to undertake rigorous evidence-based research.
2. Lack of requisite skills (technical know-how to build the
evidence and evaluate its influence on the social policy)
3. Lack of adequate funding to effectively use and build
evidence into the policy space (cost of research and evidence
gathering to be employed in the policy making process)
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CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTING EBPM (1/2
4. Lack of commitment from agency leaders to thoroughly
integrate evidence into decision making.
5. Timing and pace to deliver evidence-based research
findings are often characterised by delays and at a very slow
pace.
6. Accountability is often lacking among state institutions
mandated to undertake and incorporate evidence-based
policymaking into their policy mix
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RELEVANCE TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
(1/2)
• EBPM ensures decision is based on robust evidence, hence better
quality decisions are made to make effective use of the limited
resources available to governement and state agencies
• The process tends to mitigate the probability of ineffective or
failed policies, since policy makers are presented with full
evidence on the possible consequences of actions
• By drawing from a multifacet evidence or data that covers all
aspect on a phenomenon, policy makers are able to take
decisions that best solves the social problem with minimal
negative consequences and a higher positive gain and public
good
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RELEVANCE TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (2/2)
• EBPM promotes effective cost management since it entails
measuring of cost by benefits of possible social
interventions
• The evaluation aspect of the process will assist developing
countries to improve upon programs that are yielding the
required results
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CONCLUSION
• Effective government requires implementation of policies
in a way that achieves the intended objective. With the
ability to measure and monitor whether policies and
programs achieve their intended goals, policymakers can
be better positioned to assure taxpayers that their
resources are being spent on what will most successfully
solve the problems facing the country, region, or city.
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SELECTED REFERENCES (1/2)
• Brian, H. (2010). Evidence-based policy: principles and
requirements. Strengthening evidence based policy in the
Australian Federation, volume 1: proceedings.
• Brian. (2013). Evidence-Based Policymaking – Speaking
Truth to Power?. Australian Journal of Public
Administration. 72. 10.1111/1467-8500.12037.
• Principles of Evidence-Based Policymaking, Evidence-
Based Policymaking Collaborative
https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/99739/
principles_of_evidence-based_policymaking.pdf
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SELECTED REFERENCES (2/2)
• Sutcliffe, S., & Court, J. (2005). Evidence-Based
Policymaking : What is it ? How does it work ? What
relevance for developing countries ?, (November)
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END
OF
PRESENTATION
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