| The purpose of this dissertation is to perform an empirical study which focuses on the extent to which there is a systematic relationship between the issue type (style or position) and the agenda-setting process. Policy scientists have been urged to focus on the policy process, especially, with regards to the factors that affect policy formulation and implementation, and on policies as a whole (Ranney, 1968; Sharkansky, 1970). How politics affect policies has also been stressed in developing typologies for policies such as distributive, redistributive, and regulatory policies (Lowi, 1964, 1972; and Ripley and Franklin, 1991).;My argument is that in order to make the policy process successful and effective, one needs to start proactively at the root of the problem--the agenda-setting phase, instead of reacting to implementation failures. The objectives of this research will thus be: (1) to develop a typology of issues along the dimensions of issue salience and the degree of conflict; (2) to develop a typology of the agenda setting process based on issue temporality and governmental actors; (3) to understand why some issues are moved or are not moved from the public agenda on to the governmental agenda; and (4) to determine the extent to which the agenda setting process in a large number of cases is determined by the issue at stake. Bivariate regression and probit analyses will be conducted to explain the relationship between the independent variable (issue type) and the dependent variable (agenda-setting), and to predict from one variable to another. The findings from the bivariate regression demonstrated that for each standard deviation change in the issue type, the time it took for an issue to move from the systemic to the governmental agenda is decreased by about thirteen months.;The study concludes that most issues are initiated and maintained by the public, the President and the Congress. Position issues take a shorter time to get on the governmental agenda and are also more likely to end up on the judicial agenda as compared to style issues. An explanation of this phenomenon is the assertion that policy entrepreneurs dominate the agenda setting process. |
