Policy Analysis: Concepts and Practice

Often described as a public policy "bible," Weimer and Vining remains the essential primer it ever was. Now in its sixth edition, Policy Analysis provides a strong conceptual foundation of the rationales for and the limitations to public policy. It offers practical advice about how to do policy analysis, but goes a bit deeper to demonstrate the application of advanced analytical techniques through the use of case studies. Updates to this edition include:

• A chapter dedicated to distinguishing between policy analysis, policy research, stakeholder analysis, and research about the policy process
• An extensively updated chapter on policy problems as market and governmental failure that explores the popularity of Uber and its consequences
• The presentation of a property rights perspective in the chapter on government supply to help show the goal tensions that arise from mixed ownership
• An entirely new chapter on performing analysis from the perspective of a public agency and a particular program within the agency's portfolio: public agency strategic analysis (PASA)
• A substantially rewritten chapter on cost-benefit analysis, to better prepare students to become producers and consumers of the types of cost-benefit analyses they will encounter in regulatory analysis and social policy careers
• A new introductory case with a debriefing that provides advice to help students immediately begin work on their own projects

Policy Analysis: Concepts and Practices remains a comprehensive, serious, and rich introduction to policy analysis for students in public policy, public administration, and business programs.