“Normative Optimalism”-Comment.

Answer: According to Dror, in practical reality policy making is a complex process and one cannot always have a rational approach to decision making. He highlights the limitation of the incremental model which does not take into account the dynamic equation of power and how
it impacts the policy making process.
To resolve this, Dror adopts a ‘normative optimalism’ model which maintains the elements of rationality as prescribed by Simon, at the same time carries a practical approach in understanding the role of intuition and experience in the process of policy making. Dror’s concept of ‘normative optimalism’ argues that policy analysis must acknowledge that there is a role of extra-rational understanding based on tacit knowledge and personal experience with the motive to induce decision makers to expand their thinking to deal with this complex
world.
Dror puts forward a complex 18 staged model, explained within three stages broadly:

Post –policy making stage: It is motivating the execution of policy.

Meta policy stage: It includes processing of values.

Policy making stage: It is sub-allocating resources.

This 18-stage model operates at two interacting levels i.e. rational and extra-rational. His model provides a framework to analyse policy in a given context.

UPSC General Studies Paper Preparation