TARGETING EFFICIENCY OF SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMS*

Abstract: The program budgeting and related reforms initiated by the Commonwealth in 1985 require federal departments and agencies to set objectives for their programs and to develop performance measures to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of these programs. This paper examines the targeting efficiency of Australia's social security programs and finds that these are among the most efficient of OECD countries.     

THE JUSTICE MOTIVE IN THE SOCIAL POLICY PROCESS: SEARCHING FOR NORMATIVE RULES OF DISTRIBUTION

Policy analysis in the United States relies heavily on the microeconomic assumption that the primary motive in individual and organizational behavior is self interest. After describing how the over-reliance on self interest emerged, this paper provides evidence that participants in the social policy process relyon other motivations to structure their decision-rules which are equally if not more important than self interest. The paper goes on to describe and explain how decision-rules based on notions of distributive justice operate and to integrate this line of inquiry with an evolving paradigm for policy research which is sensitive to organizational context, supports adaptive administration, and encourages the analysis of the normative premises underlying social policy action.     

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT PROGRAM*

Abstract: This article reports on the implementation of youth policy. It examines the literature on policy implementation and finds the literature pessimistic, especially in regard to federal programs locally delivered. It then reports on the Participation and Equity Program as designed by the Australian federal government and as implemented in TAFE Colleges in Western Sydney. The article ends by suggesting a model by which implementation may be judged.     

A FRAMEWORK FOR THE ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL REGULATION

The emphasis of this paper is on the development of a framework for analyzing the impacts of governmerit intervention on issues of public health and safety. Government policies are classified into three general strategies: regulatory, fiscal, and educational. In most issues, governments pursue policies in all three categories. The authors explain how the effects not only of specific policies, but also of these general policy types can be assessed over the range of social issues. The conceptual framework is tested with regard to a particular issue–alcohol-related traffic accidents–across the American states from 1979-1 984. The results suggest that fiscal and educational policies had little effect, but certain of the regulatory policies tended to be related to traffic fatalities involving alco- hol. The empirical analysis demonstrates the utility of the conceptual framework presented.     

A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE ON POLICY IMPLEMENTATION: THE FALLACIES OF MISPLACED PRESCRIPTION

Implementation has been used to try to explain too much, particularly that policy formulation should be oriented around implementation. The concentration on implementation has added little to our theoretical understanding of policymaking. Implementation studies have taken either "The Horrors of War" or "The Search for Theory" views. The latter has four major views, none of which is adequate. The best approach is to treat implementation as only one of a number of conditions which must be fulfilled for successful policymaking. The design perspection, explained in the paper, is the best approach for this.     

PROBLEMS OF CONTROLLING THE EFFICIENCY OF BUREAUCRATIC BEHAVIOR

The purpose of this paper is to discuss problems of controlling the efficiency of bureaucratic behavior. There are two broad approaches to the topic: One is a general discussion of systemic complications that mitigate against efficiency; the second centers around the study of productivity and efforts a t instituting program changes which result in more efficient operations. The former, constituting the first part of the paper, is, by nature, a more theoretical and, unfortunately, less positive statement. The latter portion of the paper is a more practical and more optimistic discussion. Taken together, it is hoped that the two approaches will provide a balanced overview of efficiency as it relates to bureaucratic behavior.