From Theory to Action: Bridging Governance Gaps in Public Policy for Sustainable Development
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46507/jcgpp.v6i2.676Keywords:
Evidence-Based Policy-Making, Governance Gaps, Policy ProcessesAbstract
Public policy addresses societal challenges, shapes governance structures, and enhances institutional performance. This paper critically reviews the stages of the policy process—formulation, implementation, and evaluation—by examining key theoretical frameworks, including the policy cycle, rational and incremental models, and evidence-based policy-making. While these frameworks offer valuable foundational insights, their practical application is often constrained by complex political, institutional, and socio-cultural factors. The analysis underscores how real-world governance dynamics frequently demand adaptive and participatory approaches that extend beyond the linear logic of conventional policy models. Drawing on a qualitative literature review, the study emphasises the growing relevance of Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) as a normative foundation for effective governance. SDG 16 advocates inclusive institutions, accountable decision-making, and equitable access to justice—principles closely aligned with effective public policy. By integrating governance-oriented considerations such as transparency, stakeholder engagement, and institutional resilience, the paper argues for a more flexible and context-sensitive approach to policy-making. The findings suggest that bridging the gap between theory and practice requires methodological pluralism and a commitment to institutional values consistent with the spirit of SDG 16. This article contributes to a deeper understanding of how public policy can strengthen democratic governance in an era of uncertainty and complexity.
References
Anderson, J. E. (2015). Public policymaking: An introduction (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Andina-Díaz, A., Feri, F., & Meléndez-Jiménez, M. A. (2023). The bureaucracy trap. Economics Letters, 228, 111166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2023.111166
Armah, B., & Baek, S.-J. (2015). Can the SDGs Promote Structural Transformation in Africa? An Empirical Analysis. Development, 58(4), 473–491. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41301-016-0049-6
Ascher, W. (2017). Understanding the Policymaking Process in Developing Countries. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108277990
Atolia, M., Loungani, P., Marquis, M., & Papageorgiou, C. (2020). Rethinking development policy: What remains of structural transformation? World Development, 128, 104834. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.104834
Birkland, T. A. (2019). An Introduction to the Policy Process. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351023948
Bizikova, L., Swanson, D., Tyler, S., Roy, D., & Venema, H. D. (2018). Policy adaptability in practice. Policy Design and Practice, 1(1), 47–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2018.1436376
Blimpo, M. P., Maruta, A. A., & Adofo, J. O. (2022). Making Institutions Work from the Bottom Up in Africa. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Economics and Finance. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190625979.013.731
Bobbio, L. (2019). Designing effective public participation. Policy and Society, 38(1), 41–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/14494035.2018.1511193
Boeker, M., Vach, W., & Motschall, E. (2013). Google Scholar as replacement for systematic literature searches: good relative recall and precision are not enough. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 13(1), 131. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-13-131
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Buttow, C. V. (2025). Data-Driven Policy Making and Its Impacts on Regulation: A Study of the OECD Vision in the Light of Data Critical Studies. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 16(1), 114–132. https://doi.org/10.1017/err.2024.73
Cairney, P. (2016). The Politics of Evidence-Based Policy Making. Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-51781-4
Capano, G., & Lepori, B. (2024). Designing policies that could work: understanding the interaction between policy design spaces and organizational responses in public sector. Policy Sciences, 57(1), 53–82. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-024-09521-0
Cohen, M. D., March, J. G., & Olsen, J. P. (1972). A Garbage Can Model of Organizational Choice. Administrative Science Quarterly, 17(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.2307/2392088
Dearing, J. W., & Rogers, E. M. (1996). Agenda-Setting. SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452243283
Dewey, J. (2012). The public and its problems: an essay in political inquiry. Pennsylvania State University Press.
Domorenok, E., Graziano, P., & Polverari, L. (2021). Introduction: policy integration and institutional capacity: theoretical, conceptual and empirical challenges. Policy and Society, 40(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/14494035.2021.1902058
Dye, T. R. (2017). Understanding public policy (15th ed.). Pearson.
Easterly, W. (2008). Institutions: Top Down or Bottom Up? American Economic Review, 98(2), 95–99. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.98.2.95
Edwards III, G. C. (1980). Implementing public policy. Congressional Quarterly Press.
Ehsan, S. M. A. (2021). Revisiting Tertiary Education System in Bangladesh: In Quest for Unraveling Existing Issues and Challenges. Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy, 2(1), 45–66. https://doi.org/10.46507/jcgpp.v2i1.33
Etzioni, A. (1967). Mixed-Scanning: A “Third” Approach to Decision-Making. Public Administration Review, 27(5), 385–392. https://doi.org/10.2307/973394
Ferry, M. (2021). Pulling things together: regional policy coordination approaches and drivers in Europe. Policy and Society, 40(1), 37–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/14494035.2021.1934985
Grindle, M. S. (2017). Politics and Policy Implementation in the Third World. Princeton University Press.
Häberlein, L., & Hövel, P. (2023). Importance and Necessity of Stakeholder Engagement. In Elsa González-Esteban, Ramón A. Feenstra, & Luis M. Camarinha-Matos (Eds.), Ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation in Practice (pp. 38–53). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33177-0_3
Hermansyah, H., Zubaidah, S., Jumroh, J., & Ahmadi, Z. (2024). Strengthening Collaborative Governance in the Department of Transportation: Implementation and Enforcement Levies. Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy, 5(2), 193–216. https://doi.org/10.46507/jcgpp.v5i2.640
Hill, M., & Varone, F. (2014). The Public Policy Process. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315832937
Hinrichs-Krapels, S., Bailey, J., Boulding, H., Duffy, B., Hesketh, R., Kinloch, E., Pollitt, A., Rawlings, S., van Rij, A., Wilkinson, B., Pow, R., & Grant, J. (2020). Using Policy Labs as a process to bring evidence closer to public policymaking: a guide to one approach. Palgrave Communications, 6(1), 101. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-0453-0
Hope Sr, K. R. (2020). Peace, justice and inclusive institutions: overcoming challenges to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 16. Global Change, Peace & Security, 32(1), 57–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/14781158.2019.1667320
Islam, K. M., Meyer‐Sahling, J., Mikkelsen, K. S., Rahman, T., & Schuster, C. (2023). Does citizen participation make public servants more satisfied with their jobs? It depends on whether they are Spectators or Participants. Public Administration and Development, 43(5), 381–392. https://doi.org/10.1002/pad.2031
Janssen, M., & van der Voort, H. (2016). Adaptive governance: Towards a stable, accountable and responsive government. Government Information Quarterly, 33(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2016.02.003
Jones, C. O. (1977). An introduction to the study of public policy. Duxbury Press.
Kalyanamitra, P., Tatiyalapa, D., Mala, T., & Yaowanit, K. (2017). Causal Factors of Success in the Good Governance Implementation of Local Administrative Organizations in Central Region, Thailand. Asian Political Science Review, 1(2), 31–37.
Khomsi, K., Bouzghiba, H., Mendyl, A., Al-Delaimy, A. K., Dahri, A., Saad-Hussein, A., Balaw, G., El Marouani, I., Sekmoudi, I., Adarbaz, M., Khanjani, N., & Abbas, N. (2024). Bridging research-policy gaps: An integrated approach. Environmental Epidemiology, 8(1), e281. https://doi.org/10.1097/EE9.0000000000000281
Knoepfel, P., Larrue, C., Varone, F., & Hill, M. (2007). Public policy analysis. Policy Press. https://doi.org/10.56687/9781847422309
Koontz, H., & O’Donnell, C. (1972). Principles of management: an analysis of managerial functions. McGraw-Hill.
Kujala, J., Sachs, S., Leinonen, H., Heikkinen, A., & Laude, D. (2022). Stakeholder Engagement: Past, Present, and Future. Business & Society, 61(5), 1136–1196. https://doi.org/10.1177/00076503211066595
Kumar, M. (2025). World-class dreams, marginalized Realities: Neoliberal urban governance in the Global South. Journal of Urban Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jum.2025.04.007
Leong, C., & Howlett, M. (2022). Policy Learning, Policy Failure, and the Mitigation of Policy Risks: Re-Thinking the Lessons of Policy Success and Failure. Administration & Society, 54(7), 1379–1401. https://doi.org/10.1177/00953997211065344
Lindblom, C. E. (2018). The science of “muddling through.” In J. Stein (Ed.), Classic readings in urban planning (pp. 31–40). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351179522-4.
Lodhi, I. (2021). Globalisation and public policy: bridging the disciplinary and epistemological boundaries. Policy and Society, 40(4), 522–544. https://doi.org/10.1080/14494035.2021.1987137
Manazir, S. H. (2023). Reimagining public policy formulation and analysis: a comprehensive theoretical framework for public policy. Discover Global Society, 1(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44282-023-00018-4
Massey, A. (2022). Sustainable Development Goals and their Fit with Good Governance. Global Policy, 13(S1), 79–85. https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.13037
Mazmanian, D. A., & Sabatier, P. A. (1983). Implementation and public policy. University Press of America.
Milton, S. (2021). Higher education and sustainable development goal 16 in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Higher Education, 81(1), 89–108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00617-z
Milton, S., & Alhamawi, M. (2024). Peace-centred sustainable development: An analysis of SDG 16 in the Arab states. World Development Perspectives, 34, 100587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wdp.2024.100587
Mohammed, A. S., Fuseini, M. N., & Baba, K. C. (2023). Grassroots stakeholders’ perception of participation in the Medium-Term Development Plan of District Assemblies in Ghana: The case of Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District. Heliyon, 9(8), e19178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19178
Muluk, M. R. K., Novita, A. A., & Wiswayana, W. M. (2025). Collaborative Strategies for Community Empowerment: A Narrative Study on Thematic Village Development in Malang, Indonesia. Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy, 6(1), 23–38. https://doi.org/10.46507/jcgpp.v6i1.649
Nakamura, R. T. (1987). The textbook policy process and implementation research. Review of Policy Research, 7(1), 142–154. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1541-1338.1987.tb00034.x
Nakamura, R. T., & Smallwood, F. (1980). The politics of policy implementation. St. Martin’s Press.
Nutley, S., & Webb, J. (2000). Evidence and the policy process. In H. T. O. Davies, S. M. Nutley, & P. C. Smith (Eds.), What works? (pp. 13–41). Policy Press. https://doi.org/10.51952/9781847425119.ch002?
Ogami, M. (2024). The Conditionality of Political Short‐Termism: A Review of Empirical and Experimental Studies. Politics and Governance, 12, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.7764
Razafindrakoto, M., & Roubaud, F. (2018). Responding to the SDG16 Measurement Challenge: The Governance, Peace and Security Survey Modules in Africa. Global Policy, 9(3), 336–351. https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12559
Sabatier, P. A. (1986). Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches to Implementation Research: a Critical Analysis and Suggested Synthesis. Journal of Public Policy, 6(1), 21–48. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0143814X00003846
Sarnthoy, P. (2019). The Role of Human Resource Management Practices in Promoting Good Governance in the Thai Civil Service. Asian Political Science Review, 3(1), 98–115.
Shawoo, Z., Maltais, A., Dzebo, A., & Pickering, J. (2023). Political drivers of policy coherence for sustainable development: An analytical framework. Environmental Policy and Governance, 33(4), 339–350. https://doi.org/10.1002/eet.2039
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
Süsser, D., Ceglarz, A., Gaschnig, H., Stavrakas, V., Flamos, A., Giannakidis, G., & Lilliestam, J. (2021). Model-based policymaking or policy-based modelling? How energy models and energy policy interact. Energy Research & Social Science, 75, 101984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2021.101984
Terry, G. R. (1977). Principles of management. Richard D. Irwin Inc.
Widayat, R. M., Aji, J. S., & Kurniawan, C. (2023). A Systematic Review of Social Media and Government in the Social Science Discipline. Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy, 4(1), 59–74. https://doi.org/10.46507/jcgpp.v4i1.100
Wlezien, C., & Soroka, S. N. (2016). Public Opinion and Public Policy. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.74
Xu, Z., Liu, Z., & Luo, H. (2025). Can Artificial Intelligence Technology Help Achieving Good Governance: A Public Policy Evaluation Method Based on Artificial Neural Network. Sage Open, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251317833
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Saddam Rassanjani, Nitiwate Meesonk
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Please find rights and licences in Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy. By submitting articles or article manuscripts, the author agrees to this policy. No special documents are required.
1. Licence
Use of articles will be governed by the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licence as currently displayed on the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-SA).
2. Author(s)' Warranties
The author warrants that the article is original, written by the stated author(s), has not been published before, contains no unlawful statements, does not infringe the rights of others, is subject to copyright that is vested exclusively in the author and free of any third-party rights, and that any necessary written permissions to quote from other sources have been obtained by the author(s).
3. User Rights
The spirit of Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy is to disseminate articles published as freely as possible. Under the Creative Commons licence, Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy permits users to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work. Users will also need to attribute authors and Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy for distributing works in journal and other media of publication.
4. Rights of Authors
Authors retain all their rights to the published works, such as (but not limited to) the following rights:
1. Copyright and other proprietary rights relating to the article, such as patent rights,
2. The right to use the substance of the article in future works, including lectures and books,
3. The right to reproduce the article for own purposes,
4. The right to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the article's published version (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal (Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy).
5. Co-Authorship
If the article was jointly prepared by more than one author, any author submitting the manuscript warrants that he or she has been authorised by all co-authors to agree on this copyright and licence notice (agreement) on their behalf and agrees to inform his or her co-authors of the terms of this policy. Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy will not be held liable for anything that may arise due to the author's internal dispute. Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy will only communicate with the corresponding author.
6. Royalties
Being an open-access journal and disseminating articles for free under the Creative Commons licence term mentioned, the author(s) are aware that Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy entitles the author(s) to no royalties or other fees.
7. Miscellaneous
Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy will publish the article (or have it published) if the editorial process is successfully completed and the Journal or its sublicensee is obliged to proceed with its publication. The Journal also reserves the right to conform the article to its preferred style of punctuation, spelling, capitalisation, and usage.
