Stakeholder engagement in policy development: Observations and lessons from international experience

Authors: Natalie Helbig, Sharon Dawes, Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany, USA; Zamira Dzhusupova, United Nations Development Program, Kyrgyzstan; Bram Klievink, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, The Netherlands, Catherine Gerald Mkude, Institute for IS Research, University of Koblenz-Landau, Germany

Abstract

Participatory policy making involves stakeholders in various stages of the policy process and can focus on both the substance of the policy problem or on improving the tools and processes of policy development. The authors examine five international cases of stakeholder engagement in policy development to explore two questions: (1) What types of engagement tools and processes are useful to different stakeholders and contexts, and (2) What factors support the effective use of particular tools and technologies toward constructive outcomes? The cases address e-government (a) strategic planning in a developing country, (b) energy policy in a transitional economy, (c) development of new technology and policy innovations in global trade, (d) exploration of tools for policy-relevant evidence in early childhood decision making, and (e) development of indicators for evaluating policy options in urban planning. Following a comparison of the cases, the authors discuss salient factors of stakeholder selection and representation, stakeholder support and education, the value of stakeholder engagement for dealing with complexity, and the usefulness of third-party experts for enhancing transparency and improving tools for engagement.

Publisher

Berlin et al: Springer Verlag

Citation

Helbig, N., Dawes, S. S, Dzhusupova, Z., Klievink, B., & Mkude, S. G. (2015). Stakeholder engagement in policy development: Observations and lessons from international experience. In: M. Janssen, M. A. Wimmer, & A. Deljoo, Policy Practice and Digital Science – Integrating Complex Systems, Social Simulation and Public Administration in Policy Research (Series: Public Administration and Information Technology). Berlin et al: Springer Verlag (to appear)