Effect of Policy Network Manager's Role on Public Policy Process Outcomes in the Road Transport Sector in Nairobi City County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47672/ajppa.1333Keywords:
Process networks, policy network manager's role, policy outcomes, road transport sector, KenyaAbstract
Purpose: The policy network managers play an important role of providing a vital link between government, the public, and the policy makers ensuring that policies are effectively communicated and implemented, and that public opinion is accurately reflected in the decision-making process. They also ensure coordination of the activities of stakeholders, supporting policy development, and helping to ensure that policy decisions are made in the best interests of the public. Therefore, to ensure that the public policy process outcomes are well achieved, the policy network manager's roles must be well defined. Due to the recurring challenges in the policy making process in the transport sector in Nairobi City County Kenya, this study sought to explore the effect of policy network manager's role on public policy process outcomes in the Road Transport Sector in Nairobi City County, Kenya.
Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population of the study was 470 policy actors in the road transport sector within Nairobi City County out of which 407 were purposefully sampled to respond to the questionnaire and 45 were sampled to participate in focused group discussions as well as key informant interviews. The sampling approach adopted was a purposeful sampling procedure. A mixed methodology was adopted whereby both quantitative and qualitative data was collected through structured questionnaires, Key Informant Interviews and focused group discussions. The quantitative data was analyzed through descriptive statistics that is mean, frequencies and percentages as well as regression analysis. On the other hand, qualitative data was analysed through thematic analysis and reported in a narrative format.
Findings: The findings indicated that an improvement in policy network managers "˜roles would result to a significant improvement in the policy process outcomes.
Recommendations: This study recommends the policy actors in the public policy making process in the transport sector in Nairobi City County, Kenya to increase visibility of the manager's roles. The study also recommends for a need to build trust and relationships as well as embrace and support evidence-based information. Another recommendation is the need for the policy network manager to facilitate collaboration between stakeholders and facilitate the exchange of information and ideas.
Downloads
References
Almeida, L. D. A., & Gomes, R. C. (2018). The process of public policy: literature review, theoretical reflections and suggestions for future research. Cadernos EBAPE. BR, 16, 444-455.
Barrutia, J. M., & Echebarria, C. (2019). Drivers of exploitative and explorative innovation in a collaborative public-sector context. Public Management Review, 21(3), 446-472.
Borgatti, S. P., Everett, M. G., & Johnson, J. C. (2013). Centrality. Analyzing social networks, 189-208.
Cairney, P. (2012). Complexity theory in political science and public policy. Political studies review, 10(3), 346-358.
Carboni, J. L., Saz-Carranza, A., Raab, J., & Isett, K. R. (2019). Taking dimensions of purpose-oriented networks seriously. Perspectives on Public Management and Governance, 2(3), 187-201.
Castelnovo, W., & Sorrentino, M. (2018). Engaging with complexity in a public programme implementation. Public Management Review, 20(7), 1013-1031.
Cinar, E., Trott, P., & Simms, C. (2019). A systematic review of barriers to public sector innovation process. Public Management Review, 21(2), 264-290.
Cristofoli, D., & Macciò, L. (2018). To wind a skein into a ball: Exploring the concept and measures of public network performance. Public Management Review, 20(6), 896-922.
Cristofoli, D., Trivellato, B., & Verzillo, S. (2019). Network management as a contingent activity. A configurational analysis of managerial behaviors in different network settings. Public Management Review, 21(12), 1775-1800.
Eppel, E. A., & Rhodes, M. L. (2018). Complexity theory and public management: a "˜becoming'field. Public Management Review, 20(7), 949-959.
Haynes, P. (2018). Understanding the influence of values in complex systems-based approaches to public policy and management. Public Management Review, 20(7), 980-996.
Howlett, M., Mukherjee, I., & Koppenjan, J. (2017). Policy learning and policy networks in theory and practice: The role of policy brokers in the Indonesian biodiesel policy network. Policy and Society, 36(2), 233-250.
Klijn, E. H., & Koppenjan, J. (2016). The impact of contract characteristics on the performance of public-private partnerships (PPPs). Public Money & Management, 36(6), 455-462.
Klijn, E. H., van Meerkerk, I., & Edelenbos, J. (2020). How do network characteristics influence network managers' choice of strategies? Public money & management, 40(2), 149-159.
Lecy, J. D., Mergel, I. A., & Schmitz, H. P. (2014). Networks in public administration: current scholarship in review. Public Management Review, 16(5), 643-665.
McGuire, M., & Agranoff, R. (2011). The limitations of public management networks. Public administration, 89(2), 265-284.
Mizrahi, S., Vigoda"Gadot, E., & Cohen, N. (2021). How well do they manage a crisis? The government's effectiveness during the Covid"19 pandemic. Public Administration Review, 81(6), 1120-1130.
Otenyo, E. E. (2021). Building and Reforming Institutions: From Technology Transfer to Policy Networks. In Governing Kenya (pp. 239-256). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Rode, P., Heeckt, C., & da Cruz, N. F. (2019). National Transport Policy and Cities: Key policy interventions to drive compact and connected urban growth. Coalition for Urban Transitions: London and Washington, DC.
Sabatier, P. A., & Jenkins-Smith, H. C. (1993). Policy change and learning: An advocacy coalition approach. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Sabatier, P. A., & Weible, C. M. (Eds.). (2014). Theories of the policy process. Westview press.
Tenbensel, T. (2018). Bridging complexity theory and hierarchies, markets, networks, communities: a "˜population genetics' framework for understanding institutional change from within. Public Management Review, 20(7), 1032-1051.
Ulibarri, N. (2019). Collaborative governance: a tool to manage scientific, administrative, and strategic uncertainties in environmental management? Ecology and Society, 24(2).
Vogel, D., & Kroll, A. (2019). Agreeing to disagree? Explaining self-other disagreement on leadership behaviour. Public Management Review, 21(12), 1867-1892.
Wang, W. (2016). Exploring the determinants of network effectiveness: The case of neighborhood governance networks in Beijing. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 26(2), 375-388.
Weible, C. M., & Sabatier, P. A. (2017). A guide to the advocacy coalition framework. In Handbook of Public Policy Analysis (pp. 149-162). Routledge.
World Bank (2014). Formulating an Urban Transport Policy: Choosing between Options. Washington, DC. World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/20950
World Bank (2017). World Development Report 2017: Governance and the Law. Washington, DC: World Bank. doi:10.1596/978-1-4648-0950-7
Ysa, T., Sierra, V., & Esteve, M. (2014). Determinants of network outcomes: The impact of management strategies. Public administration, 92(3), 636-655.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Cornelius Ombagi, Prof. David Minja, Dr. Wilson Muna
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.