Place, people and policy : creating policy value from complexity

The thesis applies complex dynamic system thinking to the context of place, people and policy. The thesis aims to contribute to closing an identified gap in policy literature and practice; specifically exploring the theoretical and practical advantages of a policy development model that is more reflective of contextual reality. This research explores and demonstrates the development of policy with a particular focus on place and people. The application of dynamic systems management to place, people, and policy is made viable through the development of a meta-framework that connects dimensions and their associated multiple perspectives. In particular, the thesis demonstrates how the use of a metaframework can assist the representation, understanding, explanation and utilisation of the complexity derived from societal connections, dynamics and contestability to create value through the design, implementation and evaluation of policy. The combination of information and the meta-framework structure supports a narrative that links cause with effect at and between both the practice and strategic dimensions across activities and outcomes that are relevant to people. It further allows, and arguably requires, interests to generate narratives within similar constructs as the basis for community conversations. The meta-framework is first elaborated and then applied to cases studies in different policy arenas. The case studies demonstrate the extension of what may simply be seen as a heuristic device for policy analysis into dynamic applications within place-based development. The cases combine literature with practice to reflect differing contexts: ‚Äö socio-economic pathways to new sectoral and community futures; ‚Äö industry fit to place, emerging values and thinking; and ‚Äö combining latent endogenous capital with emerging macro trends/policy to create new opportunity. The analysis of the case studies supports the proposition that the introduction of a dynamic systems logic meta-framework into public policy making: ‚Äö can provide a framework within which to apply and further develop concepts and tools that are useful in supporting the integration of multiple perspectives and complexity thinking; ‚Äö can improve public policy performance and productivity, and contribute to improved resource allocation, and measurement of success; and ‚Äö can support the proposition that understanding complexity provides the potential to identify innovative policy initiatives.