2022 Volume 22 Pages 20-32
There has been a great deal of discussion about the impact of cognitive factors (idea, knowledge, discourse, expertise, etc.) on public policy. Several studies have proved that policy knowledge can explain how institutional reform, policy change and policy termination were achieved in policy decision making process. The problem seems to lie in the fact that these approaches disregarded the policy implementation process. Despite the fact that policymaking continues in the policy implementation process, little is known about how the policy knowledge is created and utilized by local agencies. In order to grasp the characteristics of policy knowledge in local agencies and how these agencies create the knowledge, it is important to examine the knowledge conversion mechanisms by applying the Nonaka’s model of knowledge creation (the SECI model). The approach presented here can serve as a useful framework for policy implementation analysis from a cognitive point of view. This paper addresses the question how local agencies create and utilize policy knowledge in policy implementation process through case studies of child abuse and neglect prevention policy in Japan.
