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Purpose | To provide the dialogue stakeholders with a vision of all the different policies that affect the topic at stake and explore their interactions in search of synergies and entry points. |
Inner logic (rationale) | Policies are far from being monolithic blocks that stand by themselves and can be neatly separated, replaced or reformed. Rather, they are interlinked and often the success or failure of one policy depends on other, related policies. Broadly speaking, policies can be grouped into four main macro-categories (see below). Regardless of whether the dialogue process tackles a specific macro- or micro-category, [MOU1] the targeted policy will certainly be influenced by other policies and institutions. At the same time, as a result of the multilevel, complex and interdependent nature of policy issues that cannot be solved alone, the prevailing policy landscape has witnessed the spread of new forms of governance that emphasize collaboration – networks, partnerships and alliances. Therefore, a sound analysis of the policy landscape enables to better understand these inter-dependencies, as well as the political implications of trying to reform or adjust those other policies and/or institutions which have an influence on the problems to be tackled by the dialogue process. In INSPIRED dialogue processes, such analysis is conducted in a participatory manner throughout the Collective Assessment Phase with the aim of a) measuring the influence of other policies and institutions on the policy reform process on which the stakeholders will focus, and b) identifying synergies and possible areas of cooperation with related policies and policy-reform processes. |
Diagram | Policy landscape table from handbook? |
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Inputs | Resources and skills needed: |
Outputs | · Capitalising on collaborative policy networks to build broader coalitions for reform; · Improved quality of policy solutions around which consensus is built; · |
References | - ODI toolkit for Mapping Political Context - Problem tree - SWOT analysis - Outcome mappin[MOU1]Shouldn’t we recommend to focus on sector policies? That’s what seems to work best so why take a risk to say it works for other policies too if we’re not sure about it? |
Draft:
The purpose of policy landscape analysis is to provide the dialogue stakeholders with a vision of all the different policies that affect the topic at stake and explore their interactions in search of synergies and entry points.
Policies are far from being monolithic blocks that stand by themselves and can be neatly separated, replaced or reformed. Rather, they are interlinked and often the success or failure of one policy depends on other, related policies.
Broadly speaking, policies can be grouped into four main macro-categories (see below). Regardless of whether the dialogue process tackles a specific macro- or micro-category, the targeted policy will certainly be influenced by other policies and institutions.

At the same time, as a result of the multilevel, complex and interdependent nature of policy issues that cannot be solved alone, the prevailing policy landscape has witnessed the spread of new forms of governance that emphasize collaboration – networks, partnerships and alliances.
Therefore, a sound analysis of the policy landscape enables to better understand these interdependencies, as well as the political implications of trying to reform or adjust those other policies and/or institutions which have an influence on the problems to be tackled by the dialogue process.
In INSPIRED dialogue processes, such analysis is conducted in a participatory manner throughout the Collective Assessment Phase with the aim of a) measuring the influence of other policies and institutions on the policy reform process on which the stakeholders will focus, and b) identifying synergies and possible areas of cooperation with related policies and policy-reform processes.
All that can be done is to make assumptions about the possible outcomes of the process, based on a sound assessment of the policy landscape and the interests and incentives of the stakeholders involved. Accepting these limitations will help practitioners develop tools that are better suited for monitoring and evaluating inclusive and participatory policy dialogue processes. Such tools must help donors and facilitators to assess: a) the relevance of the policy reform process; b) the inclusiveness and participative dimension of this process and, c) its impact in terms of actual policy reform.
The main outputs of the Policy landscape analysis are, but are not limited to:
Capitalising on collaborative policy networks to build broader coalitions for reform;
Improved quality of policy solutions around which consensus is built.
References