hku faculty of education1 introduction to policy, policy making & information policies seminars...

HKU Faculty of Education 1

Introduction to policy, policy making & information policies

Seminars 1 - 2

BSIM0003 Information Policy


Content

• Administrative details• Macro & micro policies• What underpins information policy• Information policy issues• Definitions• Examples• Sample websites• Next seminar…..


Subject administration

• Aims & objectives• Class format• Assessment• Expectations


Objectives

On completion of this subject, the student should be able to:

• Understand the nature of policies & policy making

• Describe the goals of policy making• Identify stakeholders in the information

policy formulation process


Objectives

• Provide informed opinions on specific information policies at international, national & enterprise levels

• Identify the need for & frame information policies for enterprises


Class format & assessment

Delivery12 X 2 hr classes = 24 hrs

AssessmentContinuous – 100%• 1 X individual assignment - 60%• 1 X group assignment - 40%


Policy : Definitions

1. A definite course of action adopted as expedient or from other considerations

2. A course or line of action adopted & pursued by a government etc

3. Prudence, practical wisdom or expediency

Macquarie Dictionary


Policy : Purposes

Policy is intended to control activity & guide it in directions which are desired for political, social, economic or professional reasons (depending on the nature of the policy). The notion of the ‘public good’ or ‘public interest’ is a key basis for public policy

Policies may be very broad statements of vision or more specific in the form of strategic plans


Policy : Format

A policy will often include:

• Goals & objectives, ie what it is intended to achieve

• Methods by which the various parts of the policy are to be implemented (procedures)

• Where responsibility lies for implementation

• Details of time schedule, resources & any other aspects relating to implementation


Policy : Consistency

• Internal consistency – the definition should ‘fit’ with the goals & instruments

• Vertical consistency – programs/activities should be logically related to the policy


Policy : Internal & vertical consistency

Vertical consistency

Policy content• definition• goals• instruments

Internal consistency

Programs / activities


Horizontalconsistency

Policy A Policy B

Policies : Horizontal consistency


Public policy : Definitions

‘A course of action or inaction chosen by public authorities to address a given problem or interrelated set of problems’

Pal, 1997

‘The commitment of public resources to certain courses of action to achieve certain goals, always in the context of differential power’

Doty & Wyllys


Policy : Public interest

‘Public interest….is one of a family of related terms which are used to distinguish the selfish or personal interests or cares of individuals or groups from the best interests of society as a whole. The Public Interest refers to some policy or goal in which every member of society shares equally, regardless of wealth, position, status or power’

Robertson, 1985


Policy : Public interest

Alternatively …..

‘Public Interest is a term used by every politician to support his ideas’

Kiplinger


Policy formation

The process of the inception of an idea to its passage as a law or other formal directive. A critical component is that there must be some intended goals for the policy or outcomes resulting from its implementation. It involves :

1. A proposal2. Evaluation3. Implementation


Policy proposal

A policy has its origins in the need to solve a problem or effect a change. This would involve suggested actions to be taken with supporting arguments. Proponents of the proposed policy will promote it to parties that have influence in the policy making process, eg government officers etc


Policy evaluation

Relevant bodies of knowledge are applied to the arguments in support of the proposed policy

Apart from projected measures of success in achieving its goals, the proposed policy will be evaluated against sectional interests & agendas etc, as well as consistency with other policies

Decision making models apply to the policy making process


Policy implementation

• An organisation/dept/individual needs to be identified as responsible for implementing the policy

• Resources need to be allocated to implementation

• The policy needs to be communicated to those affected by it

• Mechanisms to reward/penalise conformance/non-conformance to the policy need to be established


Policy implementation

To measure conformance to the policy :

• Policy goals should be clearly stated• The goals must be measurable• Implementation is directed to achieving the

goals• Data to verify conformance must be

collected


Information policy :Definitions

‘A governing principle, plan, or course of action concerning information resources & technology adopted by a company, organization, institution, or government, eg the political decision to use public funds to subsidize Internet access for schools & public libraries. In the USA, Congress & the President are advised by the National Commission on Library & Information Science (NCLIS) on decisions concerning national library & information policy’ ODLIS


Information policy is designed to regulate or guide people, organisations & processes involved in information flow in society. A useful definition of public or government information policy is:

‘the set of all public laws, regulations & policies that encourage, discourage or regulate the creation, use, storage & communication of information’ (Weingarten, 1989)

Information policy :Definitions


Information policy :Application

So information policy can include regulation (via prescription & proscription) of information at all stages of the information lifecycle :

• Creation • Dissemination• Collection • Repackaging• Organization • Destruction• Storage


Information policies can equally be applied to all stages of the information transfer cycle :

• Use• Create• Collect• Organise• Store• Provide access• Deliver

Information policy :Application


Traditionally, writers on information policy have focused on policies governing the control of government information

This trend has intensified in the last decade due to :

1. ???2. ???3. ???

Nature of information policy


‘Information policy can be set at a national level, by the U.S. federal government; by state & local governments; & by other agencies & institutions, for example private companies or agencies within governmental units’ McClure, 1996



He adds that :

‘An information policy instrument is a written law, guideline, regulation or other official statement that describes how information will be collected, managed, protected, accessed & used’



However, in an information based society, all organisations need to consider the impact of information. As early as 1985, Hayes had argued that information policy…

‘is the basis for societal & institutional decisions concerning the allocation of resources to acquisition, processing distribution & use of information’



Information policy is…

‘a set of interrelated laws & policies concerned with the creation, production, collection, management, distribution & retrieval of information. Their significance lies in the fact that they profoundly affect the manner in which an individual in a society, indeed a society itself, makes political, economic & social choices’

Mason, 1983




In 1993, Burger noted that there is a…

‘disarray of approaches, circular definitions, & quasi-analyses’ which seems to indicate…that information policy, whatever it is, is exceedingly complex…One concept….does emerge, however. Information policy requires several different disciplines for evaluation: economics, law, political science, public administration, sociology, public policy, management science, & information science’


Information policy : macro or micro

At the macro level

Public policy issues (which include the notion of the public interest)

At the micro level

Information flows, & policy issues & policy development within individual organisations


Information policy issues can be approached in 4 broad areas:

1. Legislation & regulation of information2. Role of the information sector within the national

& international economy; 3. Local issues which relate to the way information is

used within organisations; 4. Contribution that information makes to the

effective operation of an increasingly complex social system (Moore, 1991)

Information policy issues


No single national information policy can possibly encompass the range of issues identified in these 4 areas. See for example :

US National Commission on Libraries & Information Science. National Information Policyhttp://www.nclis.gov/info/nationalinfo.html


http://www.nclis.gov/info/nationalinfo.html


Moore advocates a ‘process of consciousness-raising’ where policy makers & those in positions of leadership :

1. Are made aware of the information problems & issues that exist

2. Contribute to debate & development of public policy in response to these problems & issues’



3. Develop policy at the organisational level, where policy responses are formulated on the basis of an understanding of the background to the issues, an appreciation of the need for flexibility in a rapidly-changing environment, & an awareness of the inter-connections between the different issues

Moore, 1991



Seminar discussion

Use the worksheet to list examples of parts of the information transfer cycle, for which information policies could be created, eg restrictions on the publication of types of information could be considered create in the information transfer cycle

Post your views on the ILN forum


Information policy example :Australia

Recent national information policy development statements include :

Australia. Dept of Communications. Information technoogy & the Arts. 2004, Strategic Framework for the Information Economy 2004 - 2006: Opportunities and Challenges for the Information Age . See http://www.dcita.gov.au/communications_and_technology/policy_and_legislation/australias_strategic_framework for a commentary

http://www.dcita.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/20457/New_SFIE_July_2004_final.pdf




http://www.dcita.gov.au/communications_and_technology/policy_and_legislation/australias_strategic_framework




Information policy :Hong Kong

‘The Secretary for Home Affairs has overall responsibility for policy formulation on information & related matters, while the Director of Information Services advises the Government on the presentation of its policies, & on public relations matters generally, within Hong Kong & overseas. The main aims are to ensure an open exchange of information in the community & to keep the media fully informed of the Government's plans, policies & activities & to promote Hong Kong's image abroad’ HK yearbook, 2004


Seminar discussion

What do you think are :

1. The main information policy issues facing Hong Kong?

2. The main information policy issues facing China?

For both of these questions you could consider the relationship of PRC with HK

Post your views on the ILN forum


Information policy websites

• ALIA

http://www.alia.org.au/policies/online.information.use.html

• Foundation for Information Policy Research http://www.fipr.org/

• IFLAhttp://www.ifla.org/II/libpol.htm Search IFLA’s site for other information policies



http://www.fipr.org/



http://www.ifla.org/II/libpol.htm



• Association of Research Librarieshttp://www.arl.org/info/

• Center for Information Policy, University of Marylandhttp://cip.umd.edu/

• Information Policy Internet Resources

http://www2.sis.pitt.edu/~mweiss/infopol-resources.html

http://www.arl.org/info/



http://cip.umd.edu/

http://cip.umd.edu/

http://cip.umd.edu/





• Documents Center, University of Michiganhttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/dlinf.html

• Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ip-pi/index_e.asp

http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/dlinf.html

http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/dlinf.html

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ip-pi/index_e.asp


References

Burger, R. 1993. Information policy : A framework for evaluation & policy research. Ablex, Norwood, NJ.

Hayes, R. Ed. 1985, Introduction. Libraries and the information economy of California. UCLA, Los Angeles CA.

McClure, C. 1996, Libraries and federal information policy. Journal of Academic Librarianship 22 (May) p. 214-8

Mason, M. 1983. The federal role in library and information services. Knowledge Industry, White Plains, NY.


References

Pal, 1997. Beyond policy analysis: Public issue management in turbulent times. PTP Nelson, Scarborough, Ont.

Robertson, D. 1985, Penguin dictionary of politics. Penguin, London.

Weingarten, F. 1989. Federal information policy development. In C. McClure, P. Hernon & H. Relyea. (Eds) United States Government information policies. Eds. Ablex, Norwood, NJ.

hku faculty of education1 introduction to policy, policy making & information policies seminars...

Documents

goals of policy

public policy policies

purposes policy

nature of policies policy

horizontal consistency

implementation slide

specific information

information policies