Regulation and Reform: Analysis and Policy
| Module title | Regulation and Reform: Analysis and Policy |
|---|---|
| Module code | POLM009M |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 20 |
| Module staff | (Convenor) Jonthan C. Kamkhaji (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 3 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 18 |
|---|
Module description
This is an advanced postgraduate module in which you will examine a key debate related to the ‘better regulation’ reform wave. The course has four parts. You will identify the theoretical justifications for better regulation, and then, in the second part of the course, move on to the analysis of how better regulation works, using evidence from different countries. The third part will explain and discuss the better regulation toolkit, including regulatory impact assessment, consultation, reduction of administrative burdens, alternatives to traditional regulation, and simplification programs. In the final part, we appraise the better regulation agenda normatively and deal with the question whether 'better regulation' has also produced 'efficient and democratically legitimate regulation'.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aims of this module are to provide advanced postgraduate level introductions to and analyses of different types of regulatory reform, suitable for policymakers and public managers. Empirically, the focus will be on the recent wave of 'better regulation' reforms in developing and developed countries. A student completing this module will have firm grasp of the costs and benefits of regulation, and will be familiar with the various policymaking tools used to evaluate and redesign regulations.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Critically examine the theoretical foundations of different approaches to regulatory reform and the diffusion of the better regulation movement using political science and administrative law;
- 2. Identify the theoretical and empirical manifestations of better regulation, by using theory and comparative evidence across the OECD countries and beyond;
- 3. Identify examples of success and failures in better regulation experiments across nations;
- 4. Explain the political dynamics of adoption and implementation of better regulation packages;
- 5. Explain how the tools of better regulation work and appraise them empirically and normatively;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Appraise and critically evaluate government reports, public policy, and OECD-EU-World Bank documents;
- 7. Synthesise and comment critically on a corpus of academic literature;
- 8. Link public administration concepts and theories to real world examples;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 9. Undertake independent/self-directed learning (including time management) to achieve consistent, proficient and sustained attainment;
- 10. Work as a participant or leader of a group and contribute effectively to the achievement of objectives; and
- 11. Reflect on the process of learning and evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will include the following topics in the order indicated:
1. Different tides of regulatory reform. Regulatory reform strategies
2. The rise of the better regulation agenda: history and diffusion patterns. Better regulation as public policy
3. Theoretical expectations about better regulation: public choice and administrative-constitutional legal scholarship
4. The better regulation toolkit - overview
5. Regulatory impact assessment
6. Comparative analysis: the EU and the USA
7. Comparative analysis across OECD nations
8. The case of developing countries
9. Regulatory indicators and the management of better regulation
10. Why better regulation is adopted and not implemented: empirical evidence and theoretical considerations
11. Appraising better regulation: normative analysis
12. Conclusions
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | 182 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 10 | Ten Lectures (1 hour) |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 6 | Three Group Work sessions (2 hours each) |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 5 | Two Workshops (2.5 hours each) |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 3 | One Guest Presentation (3 hours) |
| Guided independent study | 82 | Reading, thinking and preparing for lectures and workshops |
| Guided independent study | 94 | Assignment preparation |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation in Group Work and Workshops | Teaching week | 1-11 | Verbal feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 0 | 20 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web-based review of set text | 20 | 800 words | 1-11 | Electronic feedback via ELE within one week of submission |
| Coursework Essay | 60 | 2,500 words | 1-11 | The Essay is returned individually in the week following the module with detailed feedback |
| Reflective Learning Log | 20 | 80 words | 10 | Electronic feedback via ELE within one week of submission |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web-based review of set text | Web-based review of set text (800 words) | 1-11 | August/September reassessment period |
| Coursework Essay | Coursework Essay (2,500 words) | 1-11 | August/September reassessment period |
| Reflective Learning Log | Reflective Learning Log (800 words) | 10 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Black, J. (2007) Tensions in the Regulatory State. Public Law, 58-73.
Froud, J., Boden, R., Ogus, A., & Stubbs, P. (1998) Controlling the Regulators. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Macmillan.
McCubbins, M. D., Noll, R. G., & Weingast, B. R. (1987) Administrative procedures as instruments of political control. Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, 3(2), 243-277.
Meuwese, A. C. M. (2008) Impact assessment in EU law-making. KluwerLaw International.
OECD. (2002). Regulatory policies in OECD countries : from interventionism to regulatory governance. Paris: OECD.
Radaelli, C.M. and F. De Francesco. (2007) Regulatory Quality in Europe: Concepts, Measures, and Policy Processes. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Renda, A. (2006) Impact Assessment in the EU. The State of the Art and the Art of the State. Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies.
Weatherill, S. (2007) Better Regulation. Oxford: Hart Publishing.
The module will be supported by ELE materials, including links to core texts and audio-visual streams
ELE – vle.exeter.ac.uk
| Credit value | 20 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 10 |
| Module pre-requisites | This module is available for students on the MPA Programme only |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/10/2009 |
| Last revision date | 06/05/2014 |