Mind the Gap: Why policy does not become practice

Patrick AyreDepartment of Applied Social StudiesUniversity of Bedfordshireemail: pga@patrickayre.co.ukweb: http://patrickayre.co.uk

Stru ctu ra l/po litica l

C u ltu ra l

W ider po litic a l c ontex tDoes the new th inking

f it?

In teres ts

Rig id ity /f lex ib ility

Hierarc hy

Interes ts Pers onality

V alues

Trad ition

Change or ientation

Pow er of propos er-c ompuls ion-monitor ing

-other s ourc es of pres s ure

Legitimac y , v a lue andperc eiv ed v a lue of

th is c hange

R esou rce s

Pers onnel

Phy s ic a l/f inanc ia l

Likelihood that aproposed c hangewill be ac c epted

into prac tic e

Persona l

Sta tus/leg itimacy/va lu e

Factors affecting the likelihood that a proposed change will be accepted into practice within an organisation

Ex per ienc e

F it with o r compe titionwith o the r

p r io r itie s/p ressu res

Deprofessionalisation

Policy: we need to develop a more highly

skilled and competent professional workforce

Practice: we are developing a workforce

which is increasingly deprofessionalised and

lacking in professional self-confidence

Deprofessionalisation

Part of a wider trend

Managerialism, McDonaldisation and the

audit culture

Management by external objectives

Impact of causes célèbres

Professionals not to be trusted

Policy and practice

Policy may be aimed at achieving broad

aspirational objectives

Local practice aims at achieving narrow

pragmatic objectives

This pragmatism is exacerbated by

management by targets

Pious calm?

The truth, the whole truth?

Born in 1942, he was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment at the age of 25. After 5 unsuccessful fights, he gave up his attempt to make a career in boxing in 1981 and has since had no other regular employment

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

Climate of fear

Climate of mistrust

Climate of blame

Trusting procedures

Procedural proliferation

Blaming and training

The myth of predictability

Procedures as a net to catch problems

Procedures as a net to catch problems

Procedures as a net to catch problems

Procedures as a net to catch problems

In itiateaction 1

Tak eaction 1

Tak e ne xt action

As s e s sand e valuateDe cide ne xt

action

Exit s ys te m

Ente r s ys te m Exit s ys te mInitiate

e xit action

Ente r s ys te m

PROFESSIONAL LEV EL

TECHNICAL LEV EL

PROFESSIONAL LEV EL

TECHNICAL LEV EL

Feedforward Control System

Feedback Control System

In itiateaction 2

Tak eaction 2

Controle ve nts

Actions

Young people abused through prostitution

Policy: Young people engaged in prostitution will be treated as children at risk rather than as offenders

Practice: Virtually no effect on child care practice in most parts of the country

Stru ctu ra l/po litica l

C u ltu ra l

W ider po litic a l c ontex tDoes the new

th inking f it?

In teres ts

Rig id ity /f lex ib ility

Hierarc hy

Interes ts Pers onality

V alues

Trad ition

Change or ientation

Pow er of propos er-c ompuls ion-monitor ing

-other s ourc es of pres s ure

Legitimac y , v a lue andperc eiv ed v a lue of

th is c hange

R esou rce s

Pers onnel

Phy s ic a l/f inanc ia l

Likelihood that aproposed c hangewill be ac c epted

into prac tic e

Persona l

Sta tus/leg itimacy/va lu e

Factors affecting the likelihood that a proposed change will be accepted into practice within an organisation

Ex per ienc e

F it with o r compe titionwith o the r

p r io r itie s/p ressu res

Stru ctu ra l/po litica l

C u ltu ra l

W ider po litic a l c ontex tDoes the new th inking

f it?

In teres ts

Rig id ity /f lex ib ility

Hierarc hy

Interes ts Pers onality

V alues

Trad ition

Change or ientation

Pow er of propos er-c ompuls ion-monitor ing

-other s ourc es of pres s ure

Legitimac y , v a lue andperc eiv ed v a lue of

th is c hange

R esou rce s

Pers onnel

Phy s ic a l/f inanc ia l

Likelihood that aproposed c hangewill be ac c epted

into prac tic e

Persona l

Sta tus/leg itimacy/va lu e

Factors affecting the likelihood that a proposed change will be accepted into practice within an organisation

Ex per ienc e

F it with o r compe titionwith o the r

p r io r itie s/p ressu res