Analyzing problematization as a situated practice in critical policy studies: a case study of ‘customer focus’ policy in urban compliance services

Abstract:

This paper seeks to refine the analytical tools available to critical policy scholars for analyzing policy problems by extending upon the popular ‘What’s the problem represented to be?’ (WPR) approach. WPR is highly effective at revealing how policy problems are contingent upon prevailing discourses; however, it is less effective for addressing how this contingency unfolds at the level of practice in particular governance context. Hence, this paper argues for supplementing the WPR approach with an analysis of the situated practices that give rise to particular problematizations. To demonstrate the utility of studying situated practices, a case study is presented wherein this approached is deployed alongside a more standard WPR analysis. The case study is based on research into the adoption of ‘customer focus’ policies by the compliance branch of an Australian city council. The paper makes a contribution to literature on policy problems, policy practice, compliance-oriented services, and customer focus.