The Issue of Problem Formulation in Public Policy-Making: A Sandstorm-Combating Policy Case in Northern China

Abstract

Problem formulation is a critical step in the public policy process. Nonetheless, this importance is not listed in regular policy textbooks and is often overlooked. This study uses the case of sandstorm-combating in Minqin County, China, to illustrate the problem. Through statistical analysis of the data, the authors have demonstrated how policy formulation could be set on the wrong premise and lead to wrong policy consequences, particularly in the case of environmental issues for which full information is not readily available. In conclusion, the authors argue that conscientious attention to policy problem formation, careful empirical analysis, and collaborative participatory efforts are essential to ensure public policy success.

Seven design principles for promoting scholars' participation in combating desertification

“…Many factors can simultaneously influence the results of desertification. For example, decreasing available surface water from about 500 million m 3 in the 1950s to only 100 million m 3 in recent years was an important reason for the serious desertification in Minqin County (Li and Chen 2001;Chen and Li 2002;Yang and Lan 2009). Government intervention and citizens' participation also might slow down or speed up the desertification process in these counties (Yang and Lan 2009).…”

Knowledge-driven institutional change: An empirical study on combating desertification in northern china from 1949 to 2004

“…After the famous Hongyashan Reservoir was built in Minqin in 1959, many dams and reservoirs were successively built in the upper reaches of the Shiyang River, especially in Wuwei. This decreased the available surface water in Minqin from approximately 500 million cubic meters in the 1950s to only 100 million cubic meters in recent years, and this is to be the biggest reason for the serious desertification of Minqin County (Yang and Lan, 2010b).…”

“…For example, in Zhongwei, the participation of multiple groups (including scholars, experts, technicians, government and citizens) and the extensive application of democratic and collaborative management from the 1950s to the 1970s were two important factors in the success of institutional change in combating desertification (Yang, 2009(Yang, , 2010. In Minqin, though multiple groups participated in combating desertification and the desertification control research of the scholars in this region is also famous and was sometimes useful (Yang, 2009;Sun et al, 2006), the lack of democratic and collaborative management in combating desertification reduced the possibilities of successful institutional change, in addition to decreasing the available surface water in the last w60 years (Yang and Lan, 2010b).…”

“…This has often been called the problem of "path dependence," which is a way to "narrow conceptually the choice set and link decision making through time" (North, 1990, p. 98). For example, new institutions for combating desertification in Hotan, Minqin, Jingtai and Tongxin were often constrained by the institutions of the former population, and population control and resettlement were often recommended as one of the major policies to combat local desertification (Huang, Yang, 2009;Yang and Lan, 2010b;Zhang et al, 2007). Second, the institutional change direction chosen was often influenced by threshold effects.…”

“…These studies are certainly useful for understanding desertification problems and finding solutions for them, but they are mainly conducted by scientists and researchers from a natural science perspective. Although some have mentioned the importance of policies in combating desertification, systematic studies on the role of institutions are lacking (Yang, 2007a(Yang, , 2009(Yang, , 2010(Yang, , 2011Yang and Lan, 2010b).…”