ABSTRACT
In terms of the political system, democracy provides legitimacy on both the input-side and output-side. Politics provides the translation of demands into policy actions, while administration takes care of turning these actions into policy outputs. Instead of the conventional preoccupations of policy analysis with successive policy 'stages', this chapter provides an empirically open approach to determine how policy decisions are inter-related. Specifically, it explores through the Multiple Governance Framework. Built upon Elinor Ostrom's 'institutional analysis and development' framework (1999) this framework enables us to look at the public policy process as a multidimensional as well as a nested phenomenon. It is suggested as a conceptual device to assist with framing empirical studies. In particular the framework is used here to cast light on issues of accountability in social policy. Finally, it explores the relationship between democracy and governance and provides the framework to two cases: health care and the management of schooling in England.
