Browsing by Subject "Public policy"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    An Exploratory Study of Stakeholder Perspectives on Quality Priorities for Long-Term Services and Supports for Older Adults
    (2018-11) Davila, Heather
    Major state and federal initiatives are underway to assess and improve the quality of long-term services and supports (LTSS) received by older adults in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other community-based settings. Although people who use LTSS (consumers) and their families are key stakeholders in LTSS quality, they are rarely included in the policy and organizational discussions in which priorities for LTSS quality are set. Prior studies have typically used qualitative methods and examined consumer and family views on LTSS quality in relation to only one setting. Within the U.S., most of these studies were completed 15-20 years ago and results may not reflect the values of consumers and families today. Further, prior studies have rarely included multiple stakeholder perspectives, limiting the ability to compare priorities across different groups. The present study explored which aspects of LTSS quality consumers, families, and LTSS professionals value most highly and whether stakeholder views on quality priorities differ. The study addressed nine domains of quality from a person-centered perspective. Several methods were used, including: 1) development of an integrated valuing framework for LTSS quality; 2) use of Q methodology, which uses a forced ranking distribution, factor analysis, and qualitative interpretation of patterns observed; and 3) a survey containing rating, ranking, and open-ended questions. A convenience sample of 70 individuals in Minnesota representing the targeted stakeholder groups participated the Q methodology component of the study and 417 participated in the survey. Across two data collection methods, participants overall identified safety/security, dignity/respect, and staffing/staff competence as the highest priorities for LTSS quality. Although there was considerable agreement among stakeholders on top priorities, consumers rated most aspects of LTSS quality as less important than professionals, which may indicate diminished or adjusted expectations. However, consumers placed more emphasis on aspects of the physical environment than professionals. Study participants, particularly consumers and families, rated autonomy/choice as less important than most other aspects of LTSS quality, a finding that necessitates further exploration. By-person factor analysis and participant comments provide insights into survey findings. Study results highlight the need for more dialogue to clarify stakeholders’ values related to LTSS and ensure policies and practices align with these goals.
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    Montréal at the Crossroads
    (Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2013) Anderson, Paul
    Montreal at the Crossroads is an overview of the issues surrounding the provincial government's proposal to rebuild the aging Turcot Interchange. In a broad sense, it discusses whether it is appropriate to rebuild aging highway infrastructure or whether the need for highway infrastructure renewal should be an opportunity to make major changes in the urban transportation network. Each chapter was written by different authors and contributes a separate view of the Turcot Interchange and the proposals to rebuild it.
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    The New Experts: Politics (and Anti-Politics) of Expertise in the Making of Hegemony
    (2020-11) Sajjanhar, Anuradha
    This dissertation examines the evolution of a shifting network of experts and elites, interrogating what is considered to be expertise in the context of governance. Through a study of Indian think tanks, political consulting firms, and policy research organisations, I argue that two forms of political legitimacy govern contemporary India: 1) populist politics, which appeals to the masses/majority by defining nationalism through rigid boundaries of caste, class, and religion; and 2) technocratic policy, which produces a consensus of pragmatism and neutralises charges of hyper-nationalism. I emphasise the relational dynamic between the two: they function through different, often contradictory, logics and content yet are able to work towards the same goals in key moments of mutual reinforcement. At its core, this dissertation is motivated by a desire to make sense of how political and policy elites have gradually normalised Hindu supremacy. Through a study of powerful actors and institutions, I examine the: a) mechanics of the process (for example, think tanks, consulting firms, IT cells, government advisory groups, political parties) and b) the emergent multiple discourses they form. Each chapter shows how these mechanisms work through different but interactively linked effects to produce the political field. My research is based on semi-structured interviews with over fifty politicians, policy makers, government officials, consultants, and other socially anointed intellectuals, several years of participant observation (between 2016-2020) in three prominent New Delhi think tanks, and discourse and documentary analysis.