Analytical Framework for Public Policy

 1. Introduction to Policy Analysis (Xuan Thanh)

a. What is policy analysis?

b. Process of doing policy analysisc

c. Thesis guide discussion and clarification

Required Readings:

 1. Dunn, Chapter 1: The Process of Policy Analysis*Weimer and Vining, Chapter 2: What is Policy Analysis?* FETP, “Thesis Guide”

2. Weimer and Vining, Chapter 2: What is Policy Analysis?

3. FETP, “Thesis Guide”

a. How economists think about methodology

b. Macroeconomic policy researchc

c. Development policy research

Required Readings:

 1. Nola Reinhardt (2008) “The Conundrum of Low Saving Rates in Latin America,” Development Policy Review, 26:6, 727-744.

Optinal Readings:

1. Deborah Fahy Bryceson, Annabel Bradbury and Trevor Bradbury (2008) “Roads to Poverty Reduction? Exploring Rural Roads’ Impact on Mobility in Africa and Asia,”

2. Development Policy Review, 2008, 26:4, 459-482.

3. Kevin D Hoover (2004) The Methodology of Empirical Macroeconomics, Cambridge University Press, Chapter 5 “Pragmatism, Realism and the Practice of Macroeconomics.”

4. Nanak Kakwani, Fabio Soares and Hyun H. Son (2006) “Cash Transfers for School-Age Children in African Countries: Simulation of Impacts on Poverty and School Attendance,” Development Policy Review, 24:5, 553-569.

a. Field research in development

b. Policy evaluation in development

Required Readings:

1. Quy-Toan Do and Lakshmi Iyer (2008), “Land Titling and Rural Transformation in Vietnam,” Economic Development and Cultural Change, 56:3, 531-579.

 a. Idealized competitive benchmark

b. Rationales for government intervention

c. Limits to government intervention

d. Weighting market vs. government failures

e. Correction of market and government failures

Required Readings:

1. Weimer and Vining, Chapter 4: Efficiency and the Idealized Competitive Model

2. Weimer and Vining, Chapter 8: Limits to Public Intervention: Government Failures

3. Weimer and Vining, Chapter 10: Correcting Market and Government Failures.

a. Corporate finance

b. Development finance

c. Benefit and cost analysis of public investment

Required Readings:

 1. The World Bank, Economic Analysis of Investment Operations, Chapter 1.

Optional Readings:

1. John Campbell, Andrew Lo, and Craig MacKinlay, The Econometrics of Financial Markets, Chapter 1.

2. Huynh The Du and Jay Rosengard, “Funding Economic Development: A Comparative Study of Financial Sector Reform in Vietnam and China, UNDP Policy Dialogue Paper, forthcoming.

a. The role of law in economic development

b. The role of law in public policy

c. Challenges in establishing accountibility

d. Social participation in public governance

Required Readings:

 1. Vietnam Development Report 2010: Modern Institutions.

 7. Defining the Public Policy Problem (Xuan Thanh)

a. Identifying public policy problem

b. Structuring public policy problem

c. Looking ahead: Designing a strategy to address the policy problem

Required Readings:

1. Dunn, Chapter 3: Structuring Policy Problems

Optional Readings:

1. Bardach, Part 1: The Eightfold Path.

a. Methodology of and approaches to policy analysis

 i. Qualitative approach

ii. Quantitative approach

iii. Mixed approach

Required Readings:

 1. Creswell, Chapter 1: A Framework for Design

2. Creswell, Chapter 9: Quantitative Methods

3. Creswell, Chapter 10: Qualitative Procedures*Creswell, Chapter 11: Mixed Method Procedures

Optional Readings:

1. Berg, Chapter 2: Designing Qualitative Research

b. The Role of Models in Policy Analysis

i. Types of models

ii. Deciding the “right” model for a given policy analysis exercise

iii. The pros and cons of models

Required Readings:

1. Stokey and Zeckhauser, Chapter 2: Models: A General Discussion

2. Creswell, Chapter 7: The Use of Theory

Optional Readings:

1. Stokey and Zeckhauser, Chapter 3: The Model of Choice.

a. Gathering information

i. Secondary source of data/information

ii. Primary source of data/information

b. Analyzing Public Policy Problem

i. Formulating policy options

ii. Evaluating policy options

iii. Making policy recommendations

Required Readings:

 1. Weimer and Vining, Chapter 13: Gathering Information for Policy Analysis

2. Kraft and Furlong, Chapter 5: Public Problems and Policy Alternatives

3. Kraft and Furlong, Chapter 6: Assessing Policy Alternatives.

 a. Trade policy research

b. Foreign Direct Investment research

Required Readings:

1. Upgrading of the Vietnamese Textile and Garment Industry in the Global Apparel Value Chain (Dang Thi Tuyet Nhung, FETP Thesis, 2011).

 11. Writing and Presenting Policy Analysis Paper (Duy Nghia)

a. Writing Policy Analysis Paper

i. Organizing your policy analysis paper

ii. Choosing your writing style

iii. Writing a first draft

iv. Writing the executive summary

v. Writing the final draft

vi. Revising, editing , and formatting

b. Presenting Policy Analysis Paper

i. General guideline for thesis presentation

ii. Preparing for thesis presentation

iii. Preparing and answering the questions during presentation

Required Readings:

1. Harvard Kennedy School, The Policy Analysis Exercise: The Writing Guide.

2. Dunn, Chapter 9: Communicating Policy Analysis.

 a. Analytical integrity

b. Respect for persons, beneficence, and justice

c. Value and interest conflicts: Voice, exit, and loyalty

Required Readings:

1. Weimer and Vining, Chapter 3: Toward Professional Ethics

Optional Readings:

1. Hoyle, Harris, and Judd, Chapter 3: Ethical Principles.