REASSESSMENT OF AXIOMATIC MODELS IN POLICY STUDIES (FROM POLICY ANALYSIS AND DEDUCTIVE REASONING, 1978, BY GORDON TULLOCK AND RICHARD E WAGNER)

• NCJ Number: 48195
• Author(s): J P BLAIR; S M MASER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: Lexington Books
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

FOLLOWING A STATE-OF-THE-ART REVIEW OF CURRENT ACTION-ORIENTED AND THEORY-ORIENTED POLICY RESEARCH, IT IS URGED THAT RESEARCHERS USE AXIOMATIC MODELS, WHICH COMBINE THE FEATURES OF BOTH METHODS.

Abstract

OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, 2 METHODOLOGICAL TRENDS HAVE EVOLVED IN POLICY RESEARCH. THE EMPHASIS ON EVALUATION AND IMMEDIATE NEED HAS LED TO ACTION-ORIENTED RESEARCH WITH LITTLE THEORETICAL BASE. RESULTS FROM SUCH RESEARCH ARE OF DUBIOUS VALUE BECAUSE CONDITIONS CHANGE, RESEARCH RESULTS CHANGE, WHILE NO THEORY IS AVAILABLE TO EXPLAIN SUCH CHANGE. INSTEAD, AD HOC REASONING IS USED WITH EACH VARIABLE LEADING TO ITS OWN THEORY. AT THE OTHER EXTREME IS PURELY THEORETICAL RESEARCH, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNPOPULAR IN THE PUBLIC POLICY AREA. AXIOMATIC MODELS OFFER A LOGICAL SCHEME FOR INTERPRETING EMPIRICAL RESULTS. BECAUSE IMPLICATIONS ARE DERIVED FROM A FAIRLY STANDARD SET OF ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE CUMULATIVE, THEY ARE CONDUCIVE TO EXTENSIONS AND REFINEMENTS BY OTHER RESEARCHERS. THE USE OF AXIOMATIC MODELING TO ANALYZE THE 'FREE-RIDER' PROBLEM (THE USE OF A GOOD TO WHICH THE PERSON OR GROUP DID NOT CONTRIBUTE) IS EXAMINED IN DETAIL. USING DEDUCTIVE MODELS TO EXPLAIN HUMAN MOTIVES WILL GENERATE IMPORTANT INSIGHTS NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH PURELY ACTION-ORIENTED STUDIES AND WILL GIVE GREATER DIRECTION TO EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS. NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (GLR)