Policy Alienation and the Power of Professionals Confronting New Policies

Tummers, Lars

ISBN 10: 178195402X / ISBN 13: 9781781954027

Published by Edward Elgar Pub, 2013

About this Item

208 pages. 9.50x6.50x0.75 inches. In Stock.

Seller Inventory # __178195402X

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Policy Alienation and the Power of Professionals Confronting New Policies
• Publisher: Edward Elgar Pub
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 178195402X
• ISBN 13: 9781781954027
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Brand New
• Weight: 0.44 kilograms

About this title

Synopsis

Professionals often have problems with governmental policies they have to implement. This ranges from Israeli teachers striking against school reforms, via British civil servants quitting their jobs as they have problems with New Public Management reforms focused on cost cutting, to US healthcare professionals feeling overwhelmed by a constant flow of policy changes, resulting in tensions, conflicts, and burn-outs.

This eloquent book by Lars Tummers develops a framework to understand these important issues with policy implementation, using the innovative concept of 'policy alienation'. Policies in healthcare, social security, and education are analyzed. The conclusions challenge the common assertions regarding the reasons why professionals resist policies. For instance, the impact of professional influence, often viewed as an end in itself, is nuanced. Lars Tummers reveals that it is far more important for professionals that a policy is meaningful for society and for their clients, than they have an influence in its shaping.

Policy Alienation and the Power of Professionals is essential for public administration scholars, policymakers, change managers and professionals. To improve its academic and practical significance, a 'policy alienation' questionnaire is developed to measure the degree of policy alienation felt by implementers. This instrument can be used to first understand and then improve policy performance in various settings.

About the Author

Dr. Lars Tummers is an Assistant Professor at the Erasmus University Rotterdam and a Visiting Scholar at the University of California at Berkeley. Previously, he worked as a management consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). He wrote his PhD-thesis - which was received with honors / cum laude - on the problems of public employees with new policies, introducing the concept of 'policy alienation'. This also forms the basis of his new book, 'Policy alienation and the Power of Professionals' (Edward Elgar, 2013). He received the Erasmus University Research Prize for excellence in research. More information on larstummers.com