Abstract
This paper identifies a variety of political and bureaucratic constraints on the use of social indicators in policy making, including those associated with nonuse, misuse, quantification, and value-weighting. The basic elements in the policy making process are identified as value-conflict, bureaucratic maintenance, and analytic rationality. These elements and the activites of policy making are then related to social indicator research. Means for overcoming the constraints are discussed including: the use of sensitivity analysis, improved communication, a commitment to intellectural pluralism and moral responsibility, and especially improved policy modeling.
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This article stems from research guided by Social Science Research Council (UK) grants HR5763 and HR6924. It is a summary of some of the ideas developed at length in Carley (1981). The author would like to acknowledge constructive critiques of this paper by Sir Charles Carter and Muriel Nissel of the Policy Studies Institute, Alex Michalos of the University of Guelph, and Nartin Bulmer of the London School of Economics.
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Carley, M. Political and bureaucratic dilemmas in social indicators for policy making. Soc Indic Res 9, 15–33 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00668699
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00668699