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Public Information

Public Information. As discussed by Janet A Weiss. Background On Dr. Weiss. Professor of Organizational Behavior and Public Policy at Univ. of Michigan Widely published in academic journals on role of information in the policy process Earned Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard.

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Public Information

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  1. Public Information As discussed by Janet A Weiss

  2. Background On Dr. Weiss • Professor of Organizational Behavior and Public Policy at Univ. of Michigan • Widely published in academic journals on role of information in the policy process • Earned Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard

  3. NHTSA: Click It or Ticket!!

  4. Defining the Tool • Influence people’s thoughts, knowledge, and behaviors • Public Information may be : • distributed by the government • collected by the government

  5. Assumptions • People are rational • People will adjust their behavior based on new information • Information will reach the targeted audience • The information will be understood

  6. Directness: info is very versatile -may be direct or indirect -hurricane evacuation or financial disclosure statement Automaticity: uses channels created for purposes (print, broadcast media,web) -seldom automatic, used to counteract info from other sources Dimensions of Public Information

  7. Dimensions continued • Visibility: seldom require large amounts of money but are highly visible by public • Coerciveness: mixed feelings -govt dissemination of info seen as non-coercive -govt collection of info may be viewed as highly restrictive to some

  8. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance • Identifies three categories of federal govt information interventions 1) Counseling or advisory services 2) Dissemination of technical info 3) Training • According to CFDA, US govt has spent 5 billion – 7 billion per year on information between 1979 and 1999

  9. Samples of US policy • Truth in Lending • Environmental Impact Statements • Hazardous Material Disclosure (OSHA) • Tobacco Warning Labels • Nutrition/Food Lables (FDA) • Freedom of Information Act

  10. Policy Implementation • Define target audience • Decide what info will be useful • Obtain the information • Deliver the information • Mobilize social and institutional factors to reinforce desired behavior

  11. When to use public information as a governmental tool • Problem is caused by information asymmetry • Targets of the policy are broadly dispersed • Voluntary compliance is expected • Broad agreement on desired outcome • Target behavior is outside realm of governmental action (vices, habits, exercise, food consumption)

  12. Public Information may be ineffective when: • Uniform compliance with the policy is desired • Problem is caused by lack of resources • No information is available regarding the problem (conflict of values or ideology)

  13. Political Challenges • May be used for the appearance of action without actually delivering results • May be cheapest alternative • May be designed to “blame the victim” • May not be completely honest or forthright

  14. Evaluating Public Information as a Governmental Tool • Effectiveness: 1) Organizational Reporting-generating specific info within an organization and reporting it to an outside audience -use of reports by external actors not important -organization will use own report to internally improve agency (avoid criticism or controversy)

  15. Evaluating Public Information as a Governmental Tool • Effectiveness continued: 2) Public Information Campaigns-attempt to change what people think in order to change a specific behavior -difficult to measure effectiveness (was message received, received by target audience, message understood, was action taken as a result?)

  16. Evaluating Public Information as a Governmental Tool 3) Labeling- designed to promote informed choices under some consideration of the risk involved (health and safety) -research reveals a well-designed warning or label does seem to be effective in reducing risk taking and increase safe behavior

  17. Evaluating Public Information as a Governmental Tool • Equity: -may increase inequality between those with access to information and those without -offers an opportunity to lessen this gap • Efficiency: -low cost of policy assumes efficiency -efficiency not adequately analyzed in literature. More research required

  18. Evaluating Public Information as a Governmental Tool • Legitimacy: -area of high debate -information and a well informed public is the heart of a democracy -”tutelary power” of majoritarian government will undermine freedom (Alexis de Tocqueville)

  19. Future Impacts/Conclusions • Best used in combination with other policy tools • Focus should be placed on training • Increased access to information through technology will revolutionize government

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