Socio-Psychological Perspectives on Social Policy Implementation: Explorations of a Paradigm.

The paucity of literature available on the implementation of social policies makes it imperative that further study be undertaken on policy implementation. This dissertation is one of the few studies that contributes to bringing the study of social policy implementation within the realm of the behavioral sciences as an aspect for further study. The specific objective of the dissertation is to develop a theoretically practicable model on the implementation process to help in the delivery of human services. The model utilizes the concept of a resource exchange network, which is an informal association of representatives from various organizations who voluntarily join together to exchange knowledge, services, products, personnel, and other resources in order to accomplish some common goal. A vignette of the strategies incorporated by the State of Michigan, and its agencies, to eliminate the festering problem of abuse and neglect occurring in a residential institution for the developmentally disabled will serve as a backdrop to demonstrate instances in which the concept of the resource exchange network could be used to ameliorate the problems at the institution. It is asserted that the resource exchange network can be used to implement policies in a manner that fosters a sense of community and contends with the problems of limited resources. In specific the dissertation provides: (1) a description of the selected relevant literature on social policy implementation; (2) a view toward the use of the concept "network" in the literature; (3) explorations of the resource exchange network paradigmatic formulation as a means for policy implementation; and (4) suggestions for further conceptual thinking and research on the social policy implementation process and the resource exchange network.PhDEducational psychologyUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/157697/1/8017219.pd