{"title":"Gender and policy response to COVID-19 in Canada and Scotland","authors":"Titilayo Soremi, S. Dogo","doi":"10.1080/25741292.2020.1864120","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2020.1864120","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Overcoming pandemics call for immediate and dedicated public health policy solutions. This study analyzes the public health policies introduced in the province of Ontario in Canada, and the country of Scotland in the United Kingdom, in a bid to address the COVID-19 pandemic. We focus on regional policy design by the key health policy decision makers and examine the influence of gender in the solutions introduced by these policy leaders. Drawing from the concept of feminist sociological institutionalism, we argue that that the solutions directed at curbing COVID-19, which was led by a female health minister in Ontario, and a female health secretary in Scotland, did not conform to gendered expectations. While the gendering of institutions is often streamlined to achieve gender equality and consider female issues, the study shows that undivided attention was dedicated to curbing COVID-19, without opportunistic interference and taking advantage of a political window.","PeriodicalId":20397,"journal":{"name":"Policy Design and Practice","volume":"4 1","pages":"133 - 151"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/25741292.2020.1864120","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46327832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Design, reporting, and broader impact: COVID-19 budgeting in Singapore","authors":"Chang Yee Kwan","doi":"10.1080/25741292.2021.1882732","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2021.1882732","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract As governments undertake extraordinary policy measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, prevailing institutional factors can potentially compromise implementation success and subsequent outcomes. This paper illustrates this issue by examining Singapore’s budgetary response to COVID-19. The analysis reveals the fiscal response of the Singapore government to be a near-exemplification of crisis budgeting which, at the same time, entails a considerable drawdown from the country’s national reserves to finance the forecasted budget deficit. However, a revision of the budget balances vis-à-vis international reporting standards finds that: (i) the budget deficit is substantially smaller; and (ii) the influence of the fiscal injections on the economy – the multiplier effect – is likely smaller than what official estimates imply. The primary emphasis here is that policymakers need to be conscious of the contemporaneous influence of prevailing institutional factors on policy effectiveness. This takes on greater significance for effective crisis-management and recovery amidst the continued uncertainty about COVID-19 and developments in international trade and resource flows in the medium-term.","PeriodicalId":20397,"journal":{"name":"Policy Design and Practice","volume":"4 1","pages":"169 - 183"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/25741292.2021.1882732","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45661785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"COVID-19 response in a unitary state: emerging lessons from Vietnam","authors":"K. Hartley, S. Bales, A. Bali","doi":"10.1080/25741292.2021.1877923","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2021.1877923","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The global reach of COVID-19 presents opportunities to compare policy responses to the pandemic and the role of knowledge across political contexts. This article examines the case of Vietnam’s COVID-19 response. Recognized for its early effectiveness, Vietnam exhibits the standard characteristics of unitary states but has also engaged communities, strengthening the legitimacy of and buy-in to response efforts. This article identifies six factors that shaped Vietnam’s response to the pandemic: (i) command-and-control governance, (ii) extensive preparation, (iii) fostering cooperative sentiment and solidarity, (iv) political readiness and communication, (v) policy coordination, and (vi) adaptation. The article contributes to practical discussions about country-specific responses to the pandemic, and to scholarship on policy effectiveness and success within the policy sciences and public management.","PeriodicalId":20397,"journal":{"name":"Policy Design and Practice","volume":"4 1","pages":"152 - 168"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/25741292.2021.1877923","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47607078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gabriel Blouin Genest, Nathalie Burlone, Eric Champagne, C. Eastin, Claire Ogaranko
{"title":"Translating COVID-19 emergency plans into policy: A comparative analysis of three Canadian provinces","authors":"Gabriel Blouin Genest, Nathalie Burlone, Eric Champagne, C. Eastin, Claire Ogaranko","doi":"10.1080/25741292.2020.1868123","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2020.1868123","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Following recent health crises—mad cow, SARS, H1N1—, countries and subnational entities refined their policy infrastructure to better respond to outbreaks, leading to pandemic emergency plans. These plans, which are the result of complex public policy-making processes, were translated into public policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to important policy issues and changes. Were these plans applied as planned? How did they evolve, as a policy object, during the pandemic? How do they compare among national/subnational entities? This paper proposes a comparative analysis of the existing plans, their temporal mobilization during the first 3 weeks of the pandemic, the policies they led to, and their successive revisions within a short period of time. Our analysis problematizes the translation process between policy and practice, bringing new light to the policy-making process under emergency and crisis. Informed by policy learning research and using a qualitative content analysis of existing COVID-19 pandemic plans in the three largest and most affected Canadian provinces (Québec, Ontario, and British Columbia), this article provides not only a better understanding of real-time policy making but also crisis-induced policy learning at the organizational level.","PeriodicalId":20397,"journal":{"name":"Policy Design and Practice","volume":"4 1","pages":"115 - 132"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/25741292.2020.1868123","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41629757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The impact of working from home during COVID-19 on work and life domains: an exploratory study on Hong Kong","authors":"L. Vyas, Nantapong Butakhieo","doi":"10.1080/25741292.2020.1863560","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2020.1863560","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The pandemic sweeping the world, COVID-19, has rendered a large proportion of the workforce unable to commute to work, as to mitigate the spread of the virus. This has resulted in both employers and employees seeking alternative work arrangements, especially in a fast-paced metropolitan like Hong Kong. Due to the pandemic, most if not all workers experienced work from home (WFH). Hence WFH has become a policy priority for most governments. In doing so, the policies must be made keeping in mind the practicality for both employers and employees. However, this current situation provides unique insight into how well working from home works, and may play a vital role in future policies that reshape the current structure of working hours, possibly allowing for more flexibility. Using an exploratory framework and a SWOT analysis, this study investigates the continuing experience of the employer and employees face in Hong Kong. A critical insight and related recommendations have been developed for future policy decisions. It will also critically investigate if this work arrangement will remain as a transitory element responding to the exceptional circumstances, or whether it could be a permanent arrangement.","PeriodicalId":20397,"journal":{"name":"Policy Design and Practice","volume":"4 1","pages":"59 - 76"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46991138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The limits of policy labs: characteristics, opportunities and constraints","authors":"Jenny M. Lewis","doi":"10.1080/25741292.2020.1859077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2020.1859077","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Policy labs are promoted as providing supportive structures and processes for innovation. Their contributions to policy advisory systems are seen as residing in developing creative policy solutions “outside” traditional bureaucratic structures, and in providing experimental sites for solving problems. This paper examines the characteristics of policy labs in terms of their organizational forms, size, focus and the methods that they employ. It then analyses the opportunities and constraints that labs have in relation to policy design. Labs can be government-controlled, government-enabled, government-led or independently run. They are typically small and tend to be short-lived. Labs often focus on “design” methods. Their autonomy and close connection to citizens and communities provide opportunities, and design-led approaches are helpful in reframing policy problems and finding a broader set of potential solutions. While a key strength is flexibility, labs are comparatively easy to shut down, defund, or ignore, and their survival depends on political patronage. Labs also face constraints in terms of operational capacity and their favored (design) methods, which clash with standard policy processes and bureaucratic structures. Policy labs certainly provide capabilities for improving the design of public policies. However, labs reside in broader policy advisory systems and alone, they cannot provide the solution to all policy design challenges.","PeriodicalId":20397,"journal":{"name":"Policy Design and Practice","volume":"4 1","pages":"242 - 251"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/25741292.2020.1859077","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45515355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluating the WHO’s framing and crisis management strategy during the early stage of COVID-19 outbreak","authors":"Raymond Yiu, C. Yiu, V. Li","doi":"10.1080/25741292.2020.1853337","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2020.1853337","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The outbreak of COVID-19 has posed an unprecedented threat to the functioning of our society and led to a substantial loss of lives. In this paper, we systematically analyzed the World Health Organization (WHO)’s policy framing and management of the pandemic. The performance of the WHO can be evaluated in two aspects: the timeliness of their risk assessment, such as the announcements of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and pandemic, and the communication interfaces between the WHO and other stakeholders. Our study reveals that, while the WHO has made timely decisions in risk assessments, there were profound limitations in the current communication interfaces and feedback loops between the WHO, member states and other stakeholders. We recommend redesigning the current alert system so that the level of warning and the accompanying policy recommendations could more accurately reflect the threat and escalating nature of a pandemic outbreak.","PeriodicalId":20397,"journal":{"name":"Policy Design and Practice","volume":"4 1","pages":"94 - 114"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41511914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The adoption of contact tracing applications of COVID-19 by European governments","authors":"Steve Jacob, J. Lawarée","doi":"10.1080/25741292.2020.1850404","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2020.1850404","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Contact tracing can be defined as the identification and the monitoring of each person who has been in contact with an infected person. However, the effectiveness of manual contact tracing is hindered by low responsiveness, limited data processing, respondent omissions or the inability to identify individuals in a crowd. Faced with these limitations, research on digital contact tracing has been carried out. Digital contact tracing, especially smartphone contact tracing apps, has progressively appeared as a solution to slow the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Such a technological solution allows to track, in real-time, a massive number of (potentially) infected individuals within a given population. Despite high acceptability rates among the population and positive evaluations regarding its effectiveness, the implementation of these digital tracing applications has raised many technological and political questions. By conducting a thematic analysis, this research identifies the technological and policy issues with regard to digital tracing in three European countries.","PeriodicalId":20397,"journal":{"name":"Policy Design and Practice","volume":"4 1","pages":"44 - 58"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/25741292.2020.1850404","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45359256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}