The future of policy tools: Promises and pitfalls

• Main Authors: HOWLETT, Michael, MUKHERJEE, Ishani, GIEST, Sarah
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2020
• Subjects: Policy Tools; Digital Government; Big Data; Artificial Intelligence; Nudges; Co-Production; Public Policy; Science and Technology Policy
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3472; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/4729/viewcontent/KIPA_Public_Policy_Review_Issue_Vol._1.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

The study of policy tools has been undertaken for several decades. It has isolated and examined many different types of tools utilized by governments over the course of history and examined in detail how they are arranged into policy mixes or portfolios of tools. Recent developments in society and technology, however, have brought to the fore the possibility of using new or previously little-used tools such as platforms, co-production, nudges, as well as data-driven techniques, such as big data and artificial intelligence. These are added to the toolbox governments have at their disposal when designing policy responses to both new and old problems. Like any other tool, however, each of these has its strengths and weaknesses. This paper addresses the promises and pitfalls of these new tools, and assesses the degree to which their deployment and effectiveness can be understood using the kinds of typologies and concepts developed to deal with more traditional policy instruments.