Bureaucratic Benefit-Cost Analysis and Policy Controversy
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13037162 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Russell Parry Scott (0000-0001-7100-2968, University of Washington, corresponding author), Tyler Andrew Scott (0000-0002-4214-5895, University of Georgia), Richard O Zerbe (University of Washington) |
| Year | 2016 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 350-371 |
| Publication date | 2016-01-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2152-2812 • E-ISSN: 2194-5888 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/bca.2016.3 |
| OpenAlex | W2321968895 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 23 |
Critiques of benefit-cost analysis (BCA) are usually made on theoretical or methodological grounds; however, understanding how BCA is actually used in decision-making processes is critical if BCA is to inform policy-making. Our paper examines how the implementation of BCA within policy decision-making processes can serve to increase, rather than alleviate, controversy. This runs contrary to the standard assumption that BCA improves decision-making by providing objective data that serves as a basis for policy consensus. To frame this issue, we engage the literature on the role of science in policy decisions and the role of bureaucrats in understanding and implementing policy research. We introduce the concept of “Bureaucratic BCA” as a framework for the practical application of BCA; Bureaucratic BCA does not refer to BCA specifically conducted by bureaucrats or a lesser, technically inferior version of BCA, but rather acknowledges that BCA plays an interactive role within bureaucratic decision-making processes rather than simply serving as a sterilized information input. We show how the dynamics of BCA within the policy process can make BCA a source of controversy and waste rather than an aid to policy efficiency. In light of the Bureaucratic BCA framework, we provide recommendations as to how BCA can be implemented more productively
Bureaucracy · Business · Economics · Frame (networking · Management science · Policy analysis · Policy making · Political science · Politics · Process (computing · Process management · Telecommunications · Climate Change Policy and Economics · Computer Science · Economic and Environmental Valuation · Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life · Law · Public Administration
Rising tide
Punctuated Equilibrium Theory
Confirmation Bias
Policy Analysis
Bounded Rationality
Towards Principles and Standards for the Benefit-Cost Analysis of Safety
An Assessment of Important Issues Concerning the Application of Benefit-Cost Analysis to Social Policy
How science makes environmental controversies worse
Some Pitfalls of an Overemphasis on Science in Environmental Risk Management Decisions
Professional Roles for Policy Analysts
Costs and Benefits through Bureaucratic Lenses
Using models that incorporate uncertainty
Case Selection Techniques in Case Study Research
Bounded Rationality and Political Science
| Highly cited | No |
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