Document Type : Article
Authors
1
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Islamic Studies and Management, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran
2
Ph.D. Student, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Islamic Studies and Management, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Purpose:
This study examines the role of values in policy process theories, addressing the central question of whether policy propositions are solely based on objective facts or whether values play an active role in policymaking.
Design/Methodology/Approach:
Using a systematic review of two authoritative volumes of Theories of the Policy Process (edited by Weible and Sabatier), the research analyzes eight theoretical frameworks and identifies 28 distinct influences of values in different stages of policymaking.
Findings:
The findings reveal that values are not merely background factors but active and decisive elements shaping all stages of the policy process, including agenda-setting, formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation. Even in seemingly objective frameworks such as the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) and policy diffusion, professional, ideological, and cultural values shape the selection and acceptance of solutions. The study also demonstrates that value conflicts among actors (e.g., policy entrepreneurs, bureaucrats, political elites, and target communities) significantly affect coalitions, decisions, and policy outcomes.
Practical Implications
The study suggests three implications for policymakers: (1) designing sustainable and effective policies requires integrating the value systems of society and stakeholders into all stages of policymaking; (2) policymakers must recognize, manage, and reconcile conflicts between competing values, such as individual vs. collective or professional vs. ideological values; and (3) understanding values can enhance civic engagement and align policies with religious and cultural foundations.
Originality/Value:
By highlighting 28 distinct ways in which values influence the policy process, this research challenges the positivist claim of value-free policy science and provides a post-positivist perspective that emphasizes the value-ladenness of policy theories. It contributes to both policy studies and axiology by offering a framework for understanding policymaking as a dynamic arena of value interaction, conflict, and redefinition.
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