nach oben

2017 | Buch

Kapitel lesen Erstes Kapitel lesen

Applying Public Opinion in Governance

The Uses and Future of Public Opinion in Managing Government

verfasst von: Scott Edward Bennett

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Buchreihe : Palgrave Studies in Political Marketing and Management

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten

Über dieses Buch

This book explores how public opinion is used to design, monitor and evaluate government programmes in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Using information collected from the media and from international practitioners in the public opinion field, as well as interviews in each of the 4 countries, the author describes how views of public opinion and governance differ significantly between elites and the general public. Bennett argues that elites generally risk more by allowing the creation of new data, fearing that its analysis may become public and create communications and political problems of various kinds. The book finds evidence that recent conservative governments in several countries are changing their perspective on the use of public opinion, and that conventional public opinion studies are facing challenges from the availability of other kinds of information and new technologies. This book is a hugely valuable contribution to a hitherto little explored field and will appeal to academics and practitioners alike.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

1. Introduction

Abstract

Bennett opens the book by noting that it provides the first major view of how public opinion is used with government to manage and guide programs and policy. This contrasts with more political uses of opinion studies or highly academic studies of the correlates of public opinion. He notes some of the general statements that have been made about the importance of public opinion, and how there are new forms of information emerging that are alternatives to traditional public opinion studies. He briefly describes each subsequent chapter. These chapters proceed by discussing the scope of public opinion and governance, describing the recent history of public opinion and governance in four countries, reviewing earlier studies and establishing theoretical expectations, analyzing new data on practitioners and officials, assessing the general public’s view of public opinion and, finally, summarizing future issues and possible best practices.

Scott Edward Bennett

2. The Scope of Public Opinion and Governance

Abstract

Bennett outlines the ways public opinion emerges in the public realm. He defines the components of public opinion as well as the components of governance. The emergence of new kinds of data and alternatives to conventional public opinion are outlined.

Some of the questions addressed by data in the book are previewed. For example, who will have access to public opinion results in governing? What are the incentives that governments face to conceal or distribute information? What governing functions can be served by good public opinion data, and what sorts of preferences might elites and the general public have on these matters.

The comparative nature of the work, focusing on Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, is briefly introduced.

Scott Edward Bennett

3. The Recent Historical Context of Public Opinion in Governance

Abstract

Bennett discusses the recent historical pattern of the government use of public opinion in several countries. The most accurate information comes from Canada, but general estimates of government expenditure on public opinion are provided for a number of other countries, including Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Some comment is also provided on other decisions and attitudes reflecting the culture of governance in various contexts.

The political institutions of the major comparison countries are briefly described in order to show the framework in which information is used in governance.

Scott Edward Bennett

4. Existing Research on Public Opinion and Governance and the Research Expectations for this Work

Abstract

The main functions of public opinion in governance are introduced. This involves functions such as making decision makers aware of public preferences, indicating the best ways to communicate government actions to the public, showing how the public wants government programs to be administered and finding out how satisfied the public is with government programs and services.

In this chapter, Bennett develops a fundamental distinction between general academic or partisan studies of mass public opinion and specific, program and policy-oriented public opinion used in the management of governance. The very limited literature relating to this is addressed, and some additional related research from the USA is also examined.

The theoretical framework and hypotheses that will guide analysis in later chapters are defined. It is elaborated into several specific hypotheses about the probable view of elites and the mass public about the use of public opinion in governance.

Scott Edward Bennett

5. Decision Maker, Manager and Practitioner Perspectives on Public Opinion and Governance

Abstract

Bennett presents the results of a small sample study of elites involved in public opinion usage in governance. The sample draws on practitioners such as market and public opinion researchers, public managers and public decision makers from four countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The results are presented in order to test the previously described general hypotheses about elites. Bennett finds that elites do believe that it is important to use public opinion in governance, but they are more neutral about how well it is being used at present. There is a sense that public opinion studies are well used in assessing citizen satisfaction with services, but that their use in designing and assessing government communication is becoming more complex. Elites think it is important to disseminate the results of studies, particularly to legislators, but they are not clear on how well this is actually being done.

Elites have interesting and complex views about how the use of information is evolving and about the role of partisanship in using public opinion and information.

Scott Edward Bennett

6. A Note on Mass Opinion Relating to the Role of Public Opinion in Governing

Abstract

A national probability sample of more than a thousand Canadians was interviewed regarding the use of public opinion in governance. Questions were asked similar to those used with the elite sample. The public do think that public opinion has many important functions in governance, but they are not sure whether it is well used in practice. Also, many of the public are not convinced that conventional polls and surveys are highly reliable. However, they still have a reasonable level of confidence in conventional methods of studying opinion.

The most interesting results are found in a regression analysis exploring the predictors of public views of public opinion in governance. It is found that there are major differences in the views of men and women. It is also found that people of higher socioeconomic status may be more likely to have a skeptical view of the value and accuracy of public opinion and its applications in managing government.

Scott Edward Bennett

7. Summary and Implications

Abstract

Bennett summarizes the findings of the earlier chapters. He then discusses possible futures for the use of public opinion with governance. The differing perspectives of elites and the mass public form a major focal point in this discussion. He concludes with proposals for best practices going forward. This focuses on the integration of different sources of data with a traditional sampling model and improved population listings. This is linked to the possibility of more ambitious kinds of research and more innovative ways of encouraging dynamic communications within well-administered and popularly responsive government.

Scott Edward Bennett

Backmatter

Titel: Applying Public Opinion in Governance
verfasst von: Scott Edward Bennett
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-319-54696-4
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-54695-7
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54696-4

Springer Professional

Über dieses Buch

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

1. Introduction

2. The Scope of Public Opinion and Governance

3. The Recent Historical Context of Public Opinion in Governance

4. Existing Research on Public Opinion and Governance and the Research Expectations for this Work

5. Decision Maker, Manager and Practitioner Perspectives on Public Opinion and Governance

6. A Note on Mass Opinion Relating to the Role of Public Opinion in Governing

7. Summary and Implications

Backmatter

Premium Partner