ABSTRACT
In Chapter 1 it was argued that policy-making processes do not lend themselves to a simple dichotomy between formulation and implementation. It can be helpful to distinguish between the two but is more useful to see both elements as part of a seamless process in which implementation is as important as formulation. Policy development provides a more useful term to describe policy as not only product, but also as a process that rarely has an identifi able beginning or end. However, it is important to understand the context in which policy development takes place – how policies emerge, how they form and take shape, and how they become lived through the actions of those engaged in the policy-development process. This chapter focuses on two key sites of policy development – the state, and the individual institution, and seeks to make connections between the two. It introduces the question, addressed in different ways throughout this volume, about the extent to which those working in educational institutions may be considered to enjoy any meaningful autonomy to develop organizational principles and operational practices independent from the state. The state is often represented as the source of educational policy. It is indeed the case that much policy experienced by educational institutions located in both the public and private sectors derives directly from state legislation and directives – a point emphasized by Dye’s (1992) description of policy analysis as the study of what governments do, and why. Furthermore, the tendency towards policy centralization (Simon 1988 and 1991), evident in many countries (Smyth 1993), has emphasized the need to refl ect the pivotal role of central government in shaping policy. However, the link between state policy and institutional practice remains complex and it is important, therefore, to develop a broader understanding of the state that acknowledges the myriad functions and purposes of state activity.
