The Evaluation of Policy AlternativesThe purpose of systematic evaluation procedures is to help policy analysts confronted with difficult decisions to form wise choices. Few useful guidelines have been offered for the evaluation of action alternatives, especially in the realm of foreign policy formation. Schemes based on statements of goals or objectives or on the use of broadly applicable criteria for choosing among alternatives can be misleading, and they are frequently found to be unworkable. Rather than searching for particular rules by which wise choices should be made, it is more useful to find ways in which difficult decision problems can be decomposed into smaller questions, each of which is easier to answer than the larger problem. A tabular, account-book format, described as the revised general ledger, provides a sound basis for systematically comparing and evaluating those features which significantly differentiate the action alternatives under examination. The scheme may be used as the core of an efficient approach to policy analysis described as the pair-wise evaluation strategy. (Author). |
Contents
PREEVALUATION | 12 |
THE PURPOSE AND CHARACTER OF EVALUATION PROCEDURES | 23 |
SOME SUGGESTED EVALUATION PROCEDURES | 30 |
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Common terms and phrases
abstract action alternatives action possibilities alternatives differ alternatives under examination analyst's resources answer assessment basis Berlin crisis choosing among alternatives chosen comparing course of action criteria criterion decide decision problem described determine difficult Dimensionality of Nations dimensions distinguished Empirical Characterization evaluation of alternatives EVALUATION OF POLICY expected value model fact favorable following subsection foreign policy alternatives Free Press funds it supplies given Howard Raiffa identified individual Israel John Lovell Korean Decision Lindblom list of possibilities Lovell measure measurement problem Meehan moral Nations Project norms null alternative Paige Palestinians particular past decisions policy analyst policy formation Policy in Perspective Political Science possible actions possible outcomes preferences prescription programs proposal Reaction refugees Research revised general ledger Roger Hilsman sets of alternatives simply situations students of foreign suggested systematic evaluation procedures task tinian tive United University of Hawaii UNRWA variety wise choices worthwhile York