Choose a public policy in Hong Kong and then discuss the most appropriate model for explaining the way in which the policy was made. Give reasons for your choice.
Q: Choose a public policy in Hong Kong and then discuss the most appropriate model for explaining the way in which the policy was made. Give reasons for your choice.
Introduction
Incremental decision making model has contributed much to our understanding of how policies are made and implemented. The purpose of this paper is to address the decision making model applied in Hong Kong by illustrating the environmental policies that have been made in the last two decades. Environmental policy was chosen in this paper because it has again become a popular point of discussion in Hong Kong due to the massive concern by the Chief Executive in his policy address. Besides, there are few controversial issues in recent years that aroused public concern and discussion too, such as the building of Disneyland, the development of Sha Lo Tung and the Western Railway Project by the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC).
This essay mainly comprised of three parts. First, I will mention the main features and characteristics of the incremental decision making model. Secondly, I will briefly discuss the environmental policies in Hong Kong in the last two decades, especially the Ordinances imposed by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). Finally, I will analyze how the environmental policies have been made in the period and if they can be explained by the incremental decision making model. The main argument of this paper is that the incremental model is the most appropriate one in explaining the Hong Kong government in making environmental policies.
Incrementalism
Levine (1990, p. 82) suggests, "incrementalism is the prevailing mode of describing and explaining decision-making in some government. Their public decision making seems as muddling through rather than as a comprehensive search for the best policy possible". So incrementalism basically refers to the decision makers take what they are currently doing as given, and make small, incremental, marginal adjustments in their current behaviors. Lindblom (Levine, 1990, p. 83) argued that public decisions are best made in small steps, as Human intelligence and decision making capacity are limited; the world and its policy problems are complex.
Collins (1995, p.79) added, instead of specifying objectives and specifying what policies would fulfill these objectives, the decision maker reaches decisions by comparing specific policies and the extent to which these policies will help in achieving the aims. The alternative strategy of small steps away from the status quo is called 'disjointed incrementalism', which involves examining policies which differ slightly from each other. There is a general consensus that disjointed incrementalism is a good description of how decisions are actually made in organisations. Incrementalism is a good description of how policies are actually made and a good example of how policies should be made.
In fact, the central features of incrementalism can be outlined in four points. First, there is limited number of alternatives are considered, only marginally different from the status quo and from each other. Second, policy problems can never be solved once and for all, but through a series of trial-and-error modifications. Third, it is characterized by consensual which all policy makers agree upon after negotiation and compromise. Fourth, most policies are remedial in nature. Policy makers are reactive in only responding to problems already occurred, not to pursue any desirable societal value. In short, incremental policy-making "is a process of mutual adjustment among a multiplicity of actors having different self-interests and divergent conceptions of the public interest" (Hayes 1992, 13). According to the model, decision-making produces policies that depart ever so slightly from previous ones (Lindblom 1979, 517). Hence, this type of decision-making is "incremental" in nature.
Therefore, it can be predicted that better policy will be resulted if decision makers launch only small departures from existing policies, assess how well those small departures work, and then make any additional adjustments that are necessary or desirable. According to Levine (1990, p. 83), "decision making is by successive limited comparisons rather than by large leaps into the unknown and perhaps unknowable". The approach helps to avoid major expensive errors and permits erroneous decisions to be revised.
Moreover, Levine (1990, p. 83) further suggested that incremental decisions aimed to minimize costs rather than maximize benefits. ...
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Therefore, it can be predicted that better policy will be resulted if decision makers launch only small departures from existing policies, assess how well those small departures work, and then make any additional adjustments that are necessary or desirable. According to Levine (1990, p. 83), "decision making is by successive limited comparisons rather than by large leaps into the unknown and perhaps unknowable". The approach helps to avoid major expensive errors and permits erroneous decisions to be revised.
Moreover, Levine (1990, p. 83) further suggested that incremental decisions aimed to minimize costs rather than maximize benefits. If a policy problem is difficult to understand and policy makers lack any firm knowledge about the root causes of it, searching for perfect policy (rational approach) seems to be illogical and impossible.
Background of the Environmental Policy in Hong Kong
Pollution has been concerned very much by the government in recent decades and it has been commonly regarded as the major environmental problem in Hong Kong. Therefore, several Ordinances that have been imposed in order to tackle the problem. However, these Ordinances are mainly focus on four types of pollution: water pollution, noise pollution, air pollution and waste pollution.
(i) Water Pollution Control Ordinance
All discharges, other than domestic sewage to a foul sewer or unpolluted water to a storm drain, must be covered by an effluent discharge licence. The licence specifies the permitted physical, chemical and microbial quality of the effluent and the general guidelines are that the effluent does not damage sewers or pollute inland or inshore marine waters (EPD, 2003).
(ii) Noise Pollution Control Ordinance
Neighbourhood noise and noise from construction, industrial and commercial activities are controlled by the Noise Control Ordinance. Neighbourhood noise in the context of providing quick relief to the public is generally controlled by the police (EPD, 2003).
(iii) Air Pollution Control Ordinance
Air pollution was already a concern in the early 1970s when the Government began monitoring sulphur dioxide levels. In the light of this, Air Pollution Control (Fuel Restriction) Regulation introduced in 1990. This monitoring, which has expanded over the years to cover seven major pollutants and provide daily information and forecasts, provided evidence of a worsening problem (EPD, 2003).
(iv) Waste Control Ordinance
It regulates the dumping of waste in public places or on Government land, or on private premises without the consent of the owner or occupier. Apart from this general provision, there are Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) General Regulations; Waste Disposal (Livestock Waste) Regulations; and Import and Export of Waste Control (EPD, 2003).
Environmental Policy-making since 1980s
Nowadays, the pollution problem still exist in Hong Kong, though the government has put extensive attention and resources it. Since 1980s, nevertheless, the major sources of pollution in Hong Kong are not only from households or factories, but also attributed to the developments and construction projects carried out by both the private developers and government itself.
In fact, environmental degradation is not just an incidental and unwanted result of some minor deficiencies in the economic process. Rather, its roots may go as deep as the decision-making mechanisms at work within the economic process and the social and political forces that operates on it. Undoubtedly, some development proposals and projects could bring significant benefits to the Hong Kong community. However, they also have the potential to cause environmental damage unless they adopt environmentally sound design and implementation practice.
Instead of looking for a perfect policy or full solution to the environmental problems, the Hong Kong government may alleviate the problem on a step-by-step basis by using the following two means.
First, the government can strengthen the environmental protection by either increasing the spending on the EPD or subsidizing the private developers. Government has a steady budget spending on the EPD every year, which is around $2,600 million (EPD, 2003). In this sense, more staff can be employed to develop researches and programs. It is predicted that environmental protection could successfully be strengthened if there are more resources dedicated in this area. On the other hand, in the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line project of KCRC, for example, the government tried hard to protect the ecological value of in Long Valley, such as the distinctive species of birds and aquatic animals on the wetlands. As such, 20 billions more was spent on building the alternative tunnel plan of spur line, compare with the original building cost. It indicates that increasing government spending on the above two aspects is an effective mean in protecting the environment. However, the Hong Kong government has only adopted it occasionally.
Secondly, the government can also consult or employ some environmental experts and professionals so as to improve the green policies on both formulation and implementation. For instance, the professional involved in the current Advisory Council on the Environment helps the government to have a better quality of environmental judgment. It is been criticized by the media that business voice is dominant in the open economy in Hong Kong, members in advisory committee mainly represent the interest of business. Green activists are the weaker group that lack power to struggle with the businessmen.
Without choosing the above means, the government decided to tighten the environmental control by legislation as it can significantly prevent future problems. As a matter of fact, ordinance is an effective way for protecting the environment from harmful impacts, especially man-made destruction such as industrial pollution and waste. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Ordinance came into force on 1 April 1998 which provides the legal framework for the conduct of EIA and the implementation of agreed environmental requirements. The statutory EIA mechanism aims to encourage project proponents to integrate environmental concerns at the concept formulation and early planning stage. Under the EIA Ordinance, project proponents of designated projects are required to obtain an environmental permit from the Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) before works can commence. They are required to avoid potential adverse environmental impacts arising from the proposed projects or if not practicable, to mitigate them to a level acceptable to DEP. To further promote within the public sector environmentally responsible management, all Government bureaus and departments are required to publish annual environmental reports on the environmental performance of their operations, programs and policy areas since 2000. Private and Government-owned public corporations are also encouraged to do likewise.
Incremental Explanation
As far as concerned, incremental decision making approach is not intend to search a perfect policy for solving the problem, but just to alleviate it. Therefore, the approach aimed to improve the situation based on the existing policy when a problem is found. In the mentioned case, the Hong Kong government realized that there was insufficient protection of environment due to the rapid economic growth and development in the 80s. So the government were looking for an appropriate "tool" for improving the existing as well as the future environment.
In the meantime, incremental approach required that there should be various avenues available to achieve the mentioned goals. The Hong Kong government has examined some possible policies for improving the situation, such as increasing spending and seeking professionalism. The government eventually chose the most appropriate and effective method for alleviating the environment problem - legislation.
Incrementalism implied that decision making is a recurring process and that policies are likely to be small departures from previous one. The EIA has been implemented slowly and comply with the incremental nature. In fact, the EIA started being applied in a limited form in the 1980s in Hong Kong, when the government started assessing its own projects. The process expanded through the 1990s, resulting in the EIA Ordinance in 1998 which makes EIAs statutory for designated projects in both the private and public sectors. It indicated that the Hong Kong government is always in line with the incremental idea during the implementation of environmental policy.
Finally, as what incrementalism mentioned, bargaining and negotiation do exist in Hong Kong in the environmental decision making process. Taking the Disneyland project in Penny's Bay as an example, the releasing of dioxide into the surrounding habour seriously threaten the marine lives in the water. So there are pressures on land-use and pollution from economic activities have direct conflicts with the environment. The Lok Ma Chau Spur Line project of KCRC, another example, it showed the conflicts between the preservation of a natural habitat and the land development. From case to case, there are diverse opinions and arguments from different groups of people, that consist of both the support and against of the projects. For economic consideration, the developers and business side are absolutely positive, while some scholars and green groups like Greenpeace and Civic Exchange, are highly against the projects. As consequences, consensus and compromise would be resulted in the environmental policy making process after bargaining and negotiation between different parties. It is one of the characteristics of incremental decision making approach too.
Conclusion
This paper began with the main features and characteristics of the incremental decision making model. After examining the above model, there is a discussion of environmental policy making of Hong Kong government in recent decades. Most importantly, the paper proved that the incrementalism is applicable to environmental policy making in Hong Kong as it illustrated many features of the model.
Among the decision making models, such as the rational comprehensive model, incrementalism, mixed scanning and contingency model, each of them have its own merits and drawbacks. There is no concrete conclusion to tell which one is the best in public policy making. Instead, it is mainly depending on the nature of the policy as well as the degree of urgency.
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