Recognizing and framing problems Sample Clauses

Recognizing and framing problems. The problem stream begins with recognizing and then framing problems. Xxxxxxx (2014) distinguishes between conditions and problems and argues that conditions only become problems when it is determined that they must be addressed. Bringing problems to attention of a broader set of actors is challenging and only a fraction of problems ultimately spark the interest of policy makers (Xxxxxxx and Xxxxx, 2016). The way in which problems are framed ultimately guides the way in which they are addressed and indeed which issues are addressed (Xxxxxx, 2005; Xxxxxxx, 2014; Xxxxxxx and Xxxxxxxx, 2016). Agenda setting is the process through which problems and potential solutions either capture the attention of a broader set of stakeholders and thus gain traction, or fail to do so (Xxxxxxxx, 2007). The quest to set the policy agenda can be very competitive as policy makers typically do not have the capacity to respond to all the proposed ideas that come their way (Xxxxxxxx, 2007; Xxxxxx and Saerbeck, 2017). Problems and proposed solutions therefore need to be framed in a way that decision makers can relate to (Xxxxxxx and Xxxxxxx, 1996; Xxxxxxx and Xxxxxx, 2009; Xxxxxx and Saerbeck, 2017) which requires developing narratives that can alter the collective understanding of an issue (Xxxxxx, 2005). In order to ensure that their proposals reach the policy agenda, policy entrepreneurs need to associate their ideas with issues that are already a significant concern for policy communities (Xxxxxx, 2005). Effective policy entrepreneurs use ideas with a high level of valence, that is, ideas that appeal to the emotions of decision makers (Cox and Xxxxxx, 2013). When ideas have valence, they evoke an emotional response that favours some policy options over others (Cox and Xxxxxx, 2013). Focusing events, such as crises or disasters, can also provide the impetus for problems to be recognized more broadly (Xxxx and Xxxxx, 1983 in Xxxxxxxx, 1998). In fact, Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxxx- Xxxxx (1993) argue that without external focusing events, policy change is almost impossible. Xxxxxxxx (1998:54) drawing on Kingdon (1995) and Xxxxxxxx (1997) describes focusing events as: an event that is sudden; relatively uncommon; can be reasonably defined as harmful or revealing the possibility of potentially greater future xxxxx; has xxxxx that are concentrated in a particular geographical area or community of interest; and that is known to policy makers and the public simultaneously. Focusing events that ...