Implementing Good Ideas
How to Mitigate Some of the Pressures that Prevent Solutions from Being Implemented
This course explores the challenges that arise after policy analysis is complete, focusing on the organizational, political, and cultural factors that prevent sound recommendations from being implemented. Students examine the dynamics of change management in government, including leadership pressures, bureaucratic resistance, and risk aversion. Through case studies—primarily within the Department of Defense but relevant across public institutions—students analyze how analysts can help bridge the gap between insight and action. By developing empathy for decision makers and applying principles of organizational change, students learn strategies to enhance implementation and increase the impact of policy analysis.
