Syllabus
Course Title
Course Code
Course Status
Course Duration
ECTS
Course Instructor
Course Objectives
POLICY ANALYSIS
Mandatory, II semester, Center for Social Science (CSS), Gender Study master program
One semester, (15 week-semester), twice a week for 2 hours
5 credits: among them Contact hours: 60, independent hours: 190
Assistant Prof. Nana Macharashvili, department of Political Science, Faculty of Social and Political Studies, TSU.
 This course seeks to provide students with both a conceptual framework and practical experience in analyzing
public policies
 The secondary aim of this course is to help students in developing as a junior policy analysts
Introductory course in Public Policy analysis is a one-semester obligatory course designed for the student who has
no theoretical and practical knowledge for and about policy-making process. This course seeks to provide students
with both a conceptual framework and practical experience in analyzing public policies. The course covers a variety
of topics related both to the substance and methods of policy analysis. But on this stage it’s only the introductory
course, developing your awareness about and for the Public Policy Analysis, but no more. The Advanced Public
Policy Analysis is taught on M.A. Level. This one may be seen as a prerequisite for the further learning. A secondary
goal of this course is to understand real-world policymaking and how it accommodates policy analysis.
The course is designed to help you to develop the skills required to define and critically analyze policy issues and
problems, choose the relevant methods and techniques for policy analysis, evaluate alternative policy solutions and
assess the means and costs of implementation. It costs to mention that you are doing all of your practice activities on
the base of Georgian contemporary reality.
Course Prerequisites
Course Format
This course surveys the major questions, concepts, and theoretical approaches surrounding the study of policy
analysis. These elements are grouped within four broad categories: the policy process, policymaking and the
prospective and retrospective analysis, based on policy input and policy impact as Ex Ante and ex post analytical
procedures of decision-making process. The aim of this course is to help you develop as a junior policy analyst,
preparing for further development. This course will be valuable for people pursuing a career in public service or who
will interact with public agencies in the future.
N/A
This graduate course will integrate lectures, seminars, discussions and presentations together with short-writing and
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reading assignments, library and online search, in-class and out-class activities, final case study analysis and Exam.
Reading and discussions are the principal activities of this course along with the final case study analysis through
which attainment of course objectives will be measured. Students will also prepare 10 written products half based on
empirical policy research and half on data researches. Make into consideration that the short-writing assignments no
long then 300-500 words each of them will be related to the topic of the case study analysis and will survey as step
by step process of improving your final writing task. Analyzing material bases on contemporary Georgian
policymaking process. Remember that students will be expected to be full participants in shaping the character of
the seminar, which requires all students to come to class prepared to discuss readings for each session. Don’t forget,
you must do all of the readings, preferably before the class in which they are assigned.
At the very beginning of the course, on our introductory sessions you choose the topic of problematic situation for
your final case-study analysis, on which you should work during all semester intensively. Remember even on
lectures you will be asked and ought to make some activities on reading and writing assignments. Each of your
meeting will be began with the discussions your reading or writing assignments, you will have to ask quizzes
purposed on the one hand to check your comprehension of previous material and on the other hand to raise your
awareness of learning. So, even on lectures you are actively involved in learning process and these meeting are only
formally named “lectures”.
Course Content
COURSE SCHEDULE
STRUCTURE
TOPICS
WEEK BY WEEK
INTRODUCTORY
SESSIONS
INTRODUCTION TO POLICY
ANALYSIS
Warming, introduction to the course
syllabus, distinguishes between the terms
policy, politics and polity, definitions of
policy analysis, history of the
development of policy analysis.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
PROCESS OF POLICY
INQUIRY
specifics of policy inquiry, limitations of
READING AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
Mandatory Literature:
1.Patton, Carl V. And David Sawicki, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall, 1993– Practical principles for Beginning policy analysts (8-19
pp.)
2. Shafritz J.M. Hyde A.C. (forth ed) Classics of Public Administration (translation on Russian),
Dror – Policy Analysts – new profession (pp-332-341)
3. Nana Machashvili (2006). Policy Analysis. Textbook. Tbilisi: CSS. pp. 4-19.
Mandatory Literature:
1. Dunn W. 2004 Public policy Analysis an Introduction (Chapter1 pp-1-25)
2. Patton, Carl V. And David Sawicki, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning - 1993–
The analytic process (pp-46-69)
3. Bardach E. A Practical guide for policy analysis: The Eightfold path to more effective problem
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CONTEXT OF
POLICY ANALYSIS
policy analysis, the most controversial
questions in PA, classical rational
problem-solving process, historical
background for emergence the applied
science
THREE CASES OF POLICY ANALYSIS
(Dunn. public policy analysis pp. 8-10)
solving (introduction)
4. Nana Machashvili (2006). Policy Analysis. Textbook. Tbilisi: CSS. pp. 43-54
POLICY-MAKING PROCESS
Mandatory Literature:
1.Dunn W. 2004 Public policy Analysis an Introduction (Chapter2 pp-33-44)
2. Nana Machashvili (2006). Policy Analysis. Textbook. Tbilisi: CSS. pp. 19-43
3. Birkland Thomas A. An Introduction To The Policy Process: Theories, Concepts, And Models
Of Public Policy Making,.
context of policy analysis and introduce
with the policy-making process, The cycle
model of policy-making process,
policy making as a complex, cycle process
of agenda setting, policy formulation,
policy adoption, policy implementation,
policy evaluation, policy adaptation,
policy succession, policy termination.
New models of Public policymaking.
THE MODELS OF POLICY
CHANGE comprehensive economic
rationality, bounded rationality,
incrementalism, mixed scanning.
differences between the different models
of policy change
H/W: Short Writing assignment:
1. Analyze 3 issues of chosen problem situations: on what stage of policy process they hold.
2. Identify similarities and differences between the most recent policymaking models
Mandatory Literature:
1.Charles E. Lindblom “The Science of Muddling Through” Public Administration Review,
Spring, 1959
2. Dunn W. 2004 Public policy Analysis an Introduction (Chapter2 pp-44-55)
3.. Sarani p., gadawyvetilebis miReba, politikuri teqnilogiebi. 2001. #1. gv. 50-60.
4. Nana Machashvili (2006). Policy Analysis. Textbook. Tbilisi: CSS.
5. А.А. Дегтярев, Принятие политических решений: учебное пособие. – М.2004 gv. 205-300.
6.. Anthony Downs, Up and Down With Ecology, The "Issue-Attention Cycle",
http://www.anthonydowns.com/upanddown.htm
H/W: Short Writing assignment:
3. Identify advantages and disadvantages of comprehensive rationality and incrementalism
4. Analyze one problem by using issue attention cycle.
POLICY
STAKEHOLDERS
INTRODUCTION TO THE
MAIN POLICY ACTORS policy
system and the main elements of this
system, the state and citizen stakeholders,
POLICY ANALISTS
Policy Analysts and their role in policymaking process, relationship between
Mandatory Literature:
1.Dunn W. 2004 Public policy Analysis an Introduction (Chapter2 Case 2 – Are policy Analysts
Technocrats? pp - 64-71), Chapter7 - Ethics and Values in policy Analysis pp-345-356)
2. Patton, Carl V. And David Sawicki, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning - 1993–
Ethical Considerations (pp-30-46.)
3. .Shafritz J.M. Hyde A.C (forth ed) Classics of Public Administration (translation on Russian),
Meltzer – Seven sins of policy analysts (pp-603-610)
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analysts and policymakers: Client and
public-oriented policy analysis,
ethics of policy analysts and consultants,
Limits raised in implementing analyst’s
recommendations. Weimer and Vining’s
figure illustrated alternative responses to
value conflicts of analysts
4. Nana Machashvili (2006). Policy Analysis. Textbook. Tbilisi: CSS. pp.85-86
BEURACRACY
Mandatory Literature:
1.Meier K. (1992) Politics and the Bureaucracy - Controlling Bureaucracy: ethics and participation
(pp- 193-224)
2.Simon H. (1976) Administrative Behavior (Chapter XII On the concept of organization goal pp257-278))
3Peters B.G. (1984)The politics of Bureaucracy (Chapter 6. pp. -174-211 )
4. Shafritz J.M. Hyde A.C(forth ed) Classics of Public Administration translation on Russian),
Mosher – democracy and public administration (pp-552-571)
bureaucracy as the one of the main policy
stakeholders, possibilities for controlling
bureaucracy
H/W: writing assignment:
5. Is there a possibility to path the principle – Do well +Do good?
H/W: writing assignment:
6. Use Advocacy-coalition Framework for analyzing one problem.
MIDTERM EXAM
PROBLEM
STRUCTURING
ALTERNATIVE MODELS OF
POLICY ANALYSIS
Models of policy analysis informationalprocedural model of PA produced by W.
Dunn, PA in six steps introduced by
Patton & Sawicki , Bardach’s eightfold
model of PA.
CROSS-CUTTING METHODS
methods of data gathering and analysis
METHODS OF PROBLEM
STRUCTURING
Mandatory Literature:
1.Patton, Carl V. And David Sawicki, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall, 1993 – chapter 3 Crosscutting methods ( pp-74-147); chapter 4 –
Verifying, Defining and Detailing the problem pp-147-186)
2. Bardach E. A Practical guide for policy analysis: The Eightfold path to more effective problem
solving (pp- 69-125, 1-16)
3. Dunn W. 2004 Public policy Analysis an Introduction (Chapter3 pp-71-120).
4. Nana Machashvili (2006). Policy Analysis. Textbook. Tbilisi: CSS. pp. 55-85
5. A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving
by Eugene Bardach I part. 1-70. , II part. 70-90.
problem structuring in policy analysis,
subjective, systemic, and interdependent
nature of policy problems, contrast
between problem situations and problems,
well-structured, moderately structured,
and ill-structured problems, different
types of policy models, strengths and
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limitations of different methods of
problem structuring

DRILL

three cases of problem structuring,
methods of problem structuring by the
practice
Case-Study situaciuri savarjiSoebis krebuli politikis analizis SemswavlelTaTvis. Tbilisi.
2002.
H/W: Short Writing assignment:
7. Define structure and prove actuality of the problematic situation in contemporary
FORECASTING
ALTERNATIVES GETHERING
different methods of gathering
alternatives, projections, predictions, and
conjectures
METHODS OF FEORECASTIN
potential, plausible, and normative futures,
extrapolative, theoretical, and judgmental
forecasting methods and techniques
COST-BENEFIT AND COSTEFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS
Georgia on which you ought to write the final case study analysis.
Mandatory Literature:
1. Dunn W. 2004 Public policy Analysis an Introduction (Chapter4 pp-129-200)
2.Bardach E. A Practical guide for policy analysis: The Eightfold path to more effective problem
solving (pp- 16-53)
3. Patton, Carl V. And David Sawicki, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall, 1993 chapter 5 – Establishing evaluation criteria – (186-227),
Identifying Alternatives (227-257), chapter 6- Evaluating Alternative policies (257-332)
5. А.С.Ахременко, Сценариотехника в аналитическом обеспечении процедуры принятия
политических решений.
6. politikuri prognozireba (masalebi leqciisaTvis), politikuri teqnologiebi, 2001, # 2. gv.52-75
the steps in conducting benefic-cost and
cost-effectiveness analysis,
SCENARIO WRITING
 DRILL
analyze a case in policy forecasting
methods of policy forecasting by the
practice
RECOMMENDATION CRITERIAS FOR
RECCOMENDATION
criteria employed to make reasoned
choices among alternatives, Pareto
criterion, the Kaldor-Hicks criterion, and
Rawls criterion, comprehensive rationality
and disjointed incrementalism as models
of choice

Case-Study situaciuri savarjiSoebis krebuli politikis analizis SemswavlelTaTvis. Tbilisi.
2002.
H/W:: writing assignment:
8. Do the first draft of scenario-writing for your alternatives
Mandatory Literature:
1. Dunn W. 2004 Public policy Analysis an Introduction (Chapter5 pp-215-271)
2 Patton, Carl V. And David Sawicki, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall, 1993 Chapter 7 - Displaying Alternatives and Distinguishing
among Them (332-362).
3. Bardach E. A Practical guide for policy analysis: The Eightfold path to more effective problem
solving (pp-53-69)
METHODS OF
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RECCOMENDATION
POLICY PAPERS
main elements of policy issue papers and
policy memos


DRILL
a case in policy recommendation, methods
of policy recommendation by the practice,
samples of policy issue papers
MONIITORING AND
EVALUATION
METHODS OF MONITORING
METHODS FOR
EVALUATION
policy outcomes, impacts, processes, and
inputs, social systems accounting, social
experimentation, social auditing, criteria
for evaluating policy performance,
decision-theoretic evaluation and
metaevaluation, values, ethics and
metaethics
Case-Study situaciuri savarjiSoebis krebuli politikis analizis SemswavlelTaTvis. Tbilisi.
2002.
H/W:: writing assignment:
9. Choose the appropriate criteria’s for the presented alternatives and make the choice.
Mandatory Literature:
1. Dunn W. 2004 Public policy Analysis an Introduction (Chapter6-7 pp-276-335, 356-370,
Chapter 9 -430 -450, Appendixes pp- 451-497)
2.Patton, Carl V. And David Sawicki, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall, 1993 – chapter 9 – monitoring and Evaluating implemented
policies pp-362-398)
3.Juliet Musso, Robert Biller and Robert Myrtle. “Tradecraft: Professional Writing as Problem
Solving”// Journal of Policy Analysis and Management – Vol.19, № 4, 2000. – pp.635-646
4.Gutbord, H. Guidance for the successful relationship PP. – 127-153. (On Georgian). .
H/W:: writing assignment:
10. Analyze one case of implementation failure and identify factors resulted on this
 DRILL
analyze a cases in policy monitoring and
evaluation, methods of policy forecasting
by the practice., Cases in policy
monitoring and evaluation

Case-Study situaciuri savarjiSoebis krebuli politikis analizis SemswavlelTaTvis. Tbilisi.
2002.
DEADLINE AND
PRESENTATION
EXAM
Assessment Criteria
The five major course requirements (aside from class attendance) are reading assignments (Note: to make into
account that most of the students do not prepare reading assignments during the semester, it needs to be
combined in the grade system to encourage their motivation in doing reading assignments systematically),
writing assignments without final case study analysis, final case study analysis, class participation and final
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Exam. The weights assigned to these for the final course grade will be follows:
Attendance:
Class participation/presentations:
Writing assignments:
Midterm Exam
Final case study analysis:
Final Exam:
Mandatory Literature
5 %
10 %
15 %
20 %
10 %
40 %
1. William N. Dunn. 2004. Public Policy Analysis: An Introduction. 3rd. Ed. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson Prentice-Hall.
2. Patton Carl, Sawicki David S.1993Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning, 2/E
3. Bardach Eugene. 2005. A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More
Effective Problem Solving, 2nd ed.. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
4. Дегтярев А.А, Принятие политических решений: учебное пособие. – М.2004
5. Anderson, James E. , 2003. Public Policymaking, 5th ed. Houghton Mifflin.
6. situaciuri savarjiSoebis krebuli politikis analizis SemswavlelTaTvis. Tbilisi. 2002.
7. Juliet Musso, Robert Biller and Robert Myrtle. “Tradecraft: Professional Writing as Problem
Solving”// Journal of Policy Analysis and Management – Vol.19, № 4, 2000. – pp.635-646
8. Macharashvili, N. (2006). Policy Analysis. Textbook for social science master students. Centewr for
Social Science: Tbilisi.
Additional Literature and Other Teaching
Materials
1. Weimer, David L. and Aidan R. Vining. 1999.Policy Analysis: Concepts and Practice. 3d
edition. Prentice-Hall.
2. Kingdon, John W. 1995. Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies. 2nd edition.
HarperCollins College Publishers.
3. Mazmanian, Daniel A. and Paul A. Sabatier. 1983. Implementation and Public Policy.
Scott, Foresman.
4. Quade, Edward S. Analysis for Public Decisions. 2nd edition. North Holland, 1982
5. Stokey, Edith and Richard Zeckhauser. 1978.A Primer for Policy Analysis. W.W.
Norton.
6. Шафритц, Дж., Хайд, Р., Классики теории государственного управления. американская
школа. (пер. с англиского). M. 2004.
7. Birkland, Thomas A. 1997. After Disaster: Agenda Setting, Public Policy, and Focusing
Events. Georgetown University Press
8. Wildavsky, A., Speaking Truth to Power. The Art and Craft of Policy Analysis. 11th ed. 2006.
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Transaction Publishers. New Brunswick (U.S.A.) and London (U.K.)
9. Stone Deborah, (2002) Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making, rev. ed.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students
 understand real-world policymaking and how it accommodates policy analysis
 Are able to define and critically analyze policy issues and problems, choose the relevant
methods and techniques for policy analysis, evaluate alternative policy solutions and assess
the means and costs of implementation
 Have policy paper writing and presentation abilities
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