Policyrelevans

Policyrelevans is a term used in policy analysis and public administration to denote the degree to which a policy issue or proposal aligns with salient policy objectives, political feasibility, and administrative capacity. It encompasses how well a policy addresses a problem, its expected impacts, the support it garners among key stakeholders, and the practicality of its implementation within existing institutions and budgets.

Origins and usage: The neologism is particularly common in Nordic public administration and political science literature, where policyrelevans is used to distinguish substantive effectiveness from mere technical feasibility. The term is often translated as policy relevance or policy relevance to policy makers and analysts.

Assessment and criteria: Evaluations of policyrelevans typically consider problem alignment with strategic goals, the availability of resources and organizational structures for implementation, legal/regulatory compatibility, short- and long-term effects, distributional implications, and political salience or coalition compatibility. Methods include scenario analysis, stakeholder consultation, and impact assessment, sometimes combining qualitative judgments with quantitative indicators.

Applications and limitations: In legislative briefings, program evaluations, and option analyses, policyrelevans helps prioritize proposals with higher likelihood of adoption and meaningful impact. Critics warn that emphasis on policyrelevans can bias decisions toward near-term political gain and neglect longer-term or equity-focused outcomes. Measurement remains challenging due to subjective judgments and varying institutional contexts.

See also: policy relevance, feasibility, impact assessment, political feasibility.