Successful Policy Implementation: The Route to Building Self-Confident Government

Abstract

This article addresses self-confident government from the viewpoint of the need for improved policy implementation practices. It draws upon the findings of recent research undertaken in Malta with the purpose of identifying what factors influenced the successful implementation of a major policy decision and the manner in which these factors affected success. Based upon data collected through both documentary research and interviews with the key players involved in the implementation of the policy under review, 18 factors of success were identified. Although they all played a different and important role in enabling the government to deliver on its promise, central to the issue of success was the manner in which Government organized itself to deliver this policy initiative. The three decisive factors in this regard were: (1) the decision taken to locate political responsibility for the initiative in the Office of the Prime Minister; (2) the presence of a strong project management/team dynamic; and (3) the type and level of commitment shown to the policy initiative which, in itself, was heavily moderated by the former two factors. The article discusses the implications of these three critical factors on the successful outcome of the policy initiative and makes recommendations for their application to future policy initiatives and for the organization of self-confident government.