Political Analysis for Health Policy Implementation
Any effort to improve health system performance must address the challenges of policy implementation. This article examines one aspect of implementation—the politics of policy implementation for the health sector, particularly the management of stakeholders in order to help change teams improve the...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2019-07-01
|
| Series: | Health Systems & Reform |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2019.1625251 |
| _version_ | 1811204344669798400 |
|---|---|
| author | Paola Abril Campos Michael R. Reich |
| author_facet | Paola Abril Campos Michael R. Reich |
| author_sort | Paola Abril Campos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Any effort to improve health system performance must address the challenges of policy implementation. This article examines one aspect of implementation—the politics of policy implementation for the health sector, particularly the management of stakeholders in order to help change teams improve the chances of achieving policy objectives. Based on a literature scan of political analyses and descriptions of health policy implementation in low- and middle-income countries, we propose six major categories of stakeholder groups that are likely to influence implementation: interest group politics, bureaucratic politics, budget politics, leadership politics, beneficiary politics, and external actor politics. The categories of stakeholders can be overlapping. We examine the politics of these different stakeholder categories, and then present selected examples of published case studies that show the types of implementation challenges that arise for each category and how implementers can use political strategies to manage specific stakeholder groups and related political processes. Understanding the political dimensions of implementation can help those responsible for implementation drive policy into practice more effectively. Understanding and addressing conflict, resistance and cooperation among stakeholders are key to managing the implementation process. Systematic and continuous political analysis can help decision makers and change teams improve the chances for successful implementation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:11:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ee2db772ca66480894bc93591d123594 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2328-8604 2328-8620 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:11:35Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Systems & Reform |
| spelling | doaj.art-ee2db772ca66480894bc93591d1235942022-12-22T03:50:21ZengTaylor & Francis GroupHealth Systems & Reform2328-86042328-86202019-07-015322423510.1080/23288604.2019.16252511625251Political Analysis for Health Policy ImplementationPaola Abril Campos0Michael R. Reich1Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthAny effort to improve health system performance must address the challenges of policy implementation. This article examines one aspect of implementation—the politics of policy implementation for the health sector, particularly the management of stakeholders in order to help change teams improve the chances of achieving policy objectives. Based on a literature scan of political analyses and descriptions of health policy implementation in low- and middle-income countries, we propose six major categories of stakeholder groups that are likely to influence implementation: interest group politics, bureaucratic politics, budget politics, leadership politics, beneficiary politics, and external actor politics. The categories of stakeholders can be overlapping. We examine the politics of these different stakeholder categories, and then present selected examples of published case studies that show the types of implementation challenges that arise for each category and how implementers can use political strategies to manage specific stakeholder groups and related political processes. Understanding the political dimensions of implementation can help those responsible for implementation drive policy into practice more effectively. Understanding and addressing conflict, resistance and cooperation among stakeholders are key to managing the implementation process. Systematic and continuous political analysis can help decision makers and change teams improve the chances for successful implementation.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2019.1625251implementationhealth policypolitics of implementationpolitical analysis |
| spellingShingle | Paola Abril Campos Michael R. Reich Political Analysis for Health Policy Implementation Health Systems & Reform implementation health policy politics of implementation political analysis |
| title | Political Analysis for Health Policy Implementation |
| title_full | Political Analysis for Health Policy Implementation |
| title_fullStr | Political Analysis for Health Policy Implementation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Political Analysis for Health Policy Implementation |
| title_short | Political Analysis for Health Policy Implementation |
| title_sort | political analysis for health policy implementation |
| topic | implementation health policy politics of implementation political analysis |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2019.1625251 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT paolaabrilcampos politicalanalysisforhealthpolicyimplementation AT michaelrreich politicalanalysisforhealthpolicyimplementation |