Preliminary communication

Formulating Public Policy in Croatia and the Problem of Policy Coordination

Zdravko Petak ; Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

The paper explores the role of politicians and civil servants in the process of horizontal and vertical policy coordination, with a special emphasis on the specific context of Croatia. Starting from Guy Peters’ typology, which distinguishes four distinct types
of coordination, ranging from more simple to more complex ones – negative coordination, positive coordination, policy integration and development of strategies for government, the author stresses that the Croatian case is connected with failure in achieving all types of coordination. One of the reasons for such a situation lies in a low level of applying classical policy analysis in the Croatian public administration system. A direct consequence of this is the existence of the system of coordination based on ad hoc assessment
of proposed policies, and not on standard policy analysis tools. Therefore, in the lack of central government policy unit the prominent role in such a system belongs to the finance Minister,
who serves as some kind of “policy switchman”.

Keywords

policy coordination; horizontal coordination; vertical coordination; policy bureaucracy; joined-up government; “policy switchman”

Hrčak ID:

35418

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/35418

Publication date:

31.3.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 3.698 *