How to act with lobbying and advocacy in the public policy evaluation stage?
In today's article Andréa Gozetto* details the lobbying and advocacy actions that can be implemented in the fifth phase of the public policy cycle, the public policy evaluation stage. Enjoy reading!
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The evaluation consists of the measurement and analysis of the effects produced in society by public policies. It focuses on the achievements obtained and analyzes the foreseen and unforeseen consequences. Evaluation activities analyze the validity, usefulness, efficiency and effectiveness of policies in terms of economic or social results, impacts and repercussions.
The objective of public policy evaluation is to transform, improve and correct. Therefore, this phase is the one that has developed the most recently. It is no longer just about controlling and supervising the execution of public policies. The concern rests on the effectiveness, efficiency and efficacy of public policy.
If that is the concern, why would there be room for interest groups to act? In the previous article I made a provocation and stated that, when it comes to influencing the formulation of public policies, the game is only over when it ends.
In practical terms, this means that if the objective of a certain interest group was not taken into consideration in the other phases of the public policy cycle, it is still possible to influence decision makers in the choice of evaluation methodology, given that there are three different types: ex ante, in itinere and ex post.
The first type is the ex ante evaluation. It is carried out at the time of formulating public policy and focuses on verifying if the public policy in question:
- responds to a well-defined and pertinent problem,
- has a clear objective for State action, and
- proposes a design that can effectively be achieved.
With the ex ante evaluation, formulation and design errors are avoided, saving time, energy and money.
It is important to emphasize that the analytical categories used in the ex ante evaluation are an excellent tool for interest groups to evaluate the quality and impact of the public policy they are proposing. From this evaluation, it is possible to formulate more assertive arguments, increasing the group's persuasion capacity.
The second type is the in itinere evaluation which occurs during the implementation process and aims to detect the need for immediate adjustments. When this evaluation methodology is chosen by the public manager, there is an excellent opportunity for the previously disregarded interest groups to see their objectives contemplated, as it is possible, from a solid base of evidence, to reinforce or diminish the perception of effectiveness, efficacy and efficiency of the public policy under evaluation. However, to succeed, this interest group needs to have strong representativeness and legitimacy.
The third type of evaluation is ex post. The room for action is small, but it is possible to capture excellent subsidies for future actions. If the implemented public policy disregarded points of attention brought to the decision-maker, the ignored interest group can arm itself with the evidence generated by the ex post evaluation and not only present them at another time, but also educate public opinion about the negative impacts generated by inadequate choices.
As has been seen, public policy evaluation is an important moment in the public policy cycle and must be on the radar of interest groups.
See you next time!
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*Andréa Gozetto is Executive Director of Gozetto & Associados and creator of the Conexão RIG hub. Since 2015 she has dedicated herself to supporting GR areas to improve their strategic management and base their political advocacy actions on scientific evidence. She is the creator of the MBA in "Economics and Management - Government Relations" and the short course "Advocacy and Public Policies: Theory and Practice" at FGV/IDE, being academic coordinator in São Paulo. She holds a Post-doctorate in Public Administration and Government (FGV/EAESP), a PhD in Social Sciences (UNICAMP), a Master's in Political Sociology (Unesp-Araraquara) and a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences (UFSCar). She acts as a career mentor in GR, guiding and advising professionals to enhance their results.
Sigalei Blog | Government Relations Series in the Public Policy Cycle - Andréa Gozetto
Recall the other articles in this series by clicking below:
1. Lobbying and Advocacy in the Public Policy cycle
2. Public Policy Cycle: lobbying and advocacy in agenda setting
3. Public Policy Cycle: Formulation of Alternatives - Information and Communication
