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Dissertation Information for Michael McGuire

NAME:
- Michael McGuire

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Public Policy

SCHOOL:
- Indiana University (USA) (1995)

ADVISORS:
- None

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- None

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Not_Inspected

Title: Strategic contingency logic in the design and management of local development policy

Abstract: Growth in the inventory of economic development policy instruments available to local officials outpaces theoretical explanation. In addition to the exercise of classifying the myriad of instruments, this research addresses the more fundamental need to discover some explanation or rationale for why local officials would choose one instrument or set of instruments over another in a given context. Using an analytical model based in the principles of design, the findings reveal a logic of development policy choice by examining empirically the operation and performance of development policies from a large sample of American cities. Development policy logic is found to be strategic, meaning that the composition of development policy strategies is a critical leverage in the local economy. Development policy logic is also found to be contingent, meaning that a particular development policy strategy will be effective in some situations and ineffective in others, due to various contextual factors.

The analysis shows that the composition of the highest performing combinations of development policy instruments differs systematically according to the complexity of problems faced by a city, indicating that the performance of development policy is contingent upon the relationship between policy content and problem complexity. This contingency transcends traditional development concerns such as location, government organization, and bureaucratic style. The operation of development policy strategies is shown to be predictable and patterned; when a locality strays too far from matching policies with problems, performance suffers. Choosing the most effective combination of development instruments is thus dependent upon properly identifying problems, the adequate provision of private demands through public means, and attaining a balance between local autonomy and intergovernmental opportunities.

MPACT Scores for Michael McGuire

A = 0
C = 2
A+C = 2
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2017-04-03 22:19:04

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