| Chapter 1: | Introduction |
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process that unfolds over time. In the remainder of this chapter, it is argued that an approach rooted in policy learning theory can meet these theoretical specifications. This section presents a broad conceptual overview of policy learning theory; in the final section of the chapter, it is argued that FCC cable television regulation can be best analyzed through a specific focus on organizational learning.
The notion that policymaking may be characterized as a learning process was first articulated by Hugh Heclo in his study of social politics in Britain and Sweden. After reviewing the historical progression of social welfare policy in these countries, Heclo concluded that policy change cannot be explained simply by shifts in the locus of power among competing political forces. Societal change, elections, and group mobilization unquestionably produce shifts in influence and bring new demands before the state. These forces, however, are best understood as environmental stimuli that spur policymakers into action. Once begun, policy formulation is as much an intellectual as a political process, and actors compete to define the nature of problems and to propose appropriate solutions. As Heclo noted in a frequently quoted passage:
Heclo characterized the policy changes resulting from this process of puzzlement as political learning.
Drawing inspiration from cognitive psychology, Heclo defined learning as “a relatively enduring alteration in behavior that