Policy design and policy work

Center for Social and Economic Strategies and Institute of Sociological Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University

Leading representatives of the research team: Prof. PhDr. Arnošt Veselý, Ph.D. (guarantor), Mgr. Martin Nekola, Ph. D., Mgr. Jan Kohoutek, Ph. D., PhDr. Vilém Novotný, Ph.D.

Contacts: Arnošt Veselý (arnost.vesely@fsv.cuni.cz)

For more than a decade, the research team of Center and Social and Economic Strategies and Department of Public and Social Policy at Institute of Sociological Studies has been focusing on two interrelated areas: policy work in public administration and policy design. This research orientation started with the projects led by A. Veselý that investigated the activities of the staff of Czech ministries and regional authorities. Originally two quantitative surveys were realized to identify the activities, tasks and methods of interaction in the everyday activities of these policy workers. The survey also focused on ascertaining their professional capabilities, values, accountability and politicization. This research has been followed by other investigations of roles, attitudes and competences of public officials as well as other actors in policy-making process.

Recently, the study of policy work has been supplemented by two related topics: theoretical research on policy-making process (with special focus on multiple stream theory) and on empirical investigation of policy design. The policy design is investigated from different perspectives and using different methodologies. The project led by M. Nekola investigated the ways how public policies are designed for different target populations (such as seniors, single mothers, migrants and others) and how these policies further influence subsequent political processes in the Czech Republic. The current research focuses also at policy attitudes. i.e. how preferences for particular policy design and policy tools are formed and why. Policy design is analyzed in a range of policy domains. However, the research team has special interest in education policy, social policy, health policy and family policy.

Selected outputs

• KOHOUTEK, J., NEKOLA, M., & VESELÝ, A. (2018). Policy work. In H. Colebatch & R. Hoppe (Eds.), Handbook of the Policy Process. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar

• VESELÝ, A. (2017). Policy advice as policy work: a conceptual framework for multi-level analysis. Policy Sciences, 50(1), 139–154. doi: 10.1007/s11077-016-9255-z

• VESELÝ, A. – NEKOLA, M. – HEJZLAROVÁ, E. (Eds.). (2016). Policy Analysis in the Czech Republic. Bristol: Policy Press

• NOVOTNÝ, V., POLÁŠEK, M. (2016). Multiple streams approach and political parties: modernization of Czech Social Democracy. Policy Sciences, 49(1), 89-105.