Swim or Sink

Of all the known vehicles for bringing about social and economic change, policies have the most potential for controversy. This book propounds seven fundamental forces that shape policy success or failure; the economy, politics, ambiguity, complexity, instability, resources and execution. Policy rises and falls on these seven forces.

Utilising an incisive, insightful and narrative approach, the author presents vintage cases drawn from many countries and different dispensations in history to illustrate the principles outlined. Policy inevitably interacts with context and contextual issues such as economic downturns, social unrest, geopolitical instability, demographic change, conflicts, migration, and complexity contribute in profound ways to shape policy outcomes across countries on the globe. With rapid technological advancements and innovation, these issues are increasingly pronounced and widely circulated in news media, both traditional and alternative, with consequences for everyone involved.

The author concludes that policymakers should embrace complexity and find ways to initiate and coordinate interactions with relevant stakeholders to avoid challenges down the line in the course of implementation.

Policymakers, business leaders, politicians, researchers, advocacy groups, strategists, and anyone interested in policy, have in this book a companion offering up a rich tapestry of real policy scenarios to learn from amidst the high-octane and fluid environments where policy interactions and counteractions constantly occur.