A widely used concept in the policy implementation (and change) literature distinguishes
between top-down and bottom-up approaches. The two approaches vary in a number of areas, such as the
role of actors and their relationships and the type of policies they can be applied to.
3.1.1 Top-down approach
Top-down theorists see policy designers as the central actors and concentrate their
attention on factors that can be manipulated at the central level (Matland 1995). The most detailed
top-down approach was presented by Sabatier and Mazmanian (1979), who identified a number of
legal and political variables and then synthesised them into six conditions needed for effective
implementation ranging from clear objectives, causal theory, legal structure of the implementation
process, committed officials, supportive interests groups to no undermining of changing socioeconomic
conditions (for more detail on these conditions, see Sabatier 2005: 19). In terms of
policy areas, ‘top-downers’ usually prioritise clear policies (Matland 1995: 155).
Strengths and weaknesses
One strength of the top-down approach is that it seeks to develop generalisable policy advice and
come up with consistent recognisable patterns in behaviour across different policy areas (Matland 1995).
But top-down approaches are criticised for only taking statutory language as a starting point and hence do
not consider the significance of previous actions. The approach may be said to consider implementation as
an administrative process and ignores or eliminates political aspects. The emphasis on statute framers as
key actors is another source of criticism (i.e. local actors are not taken into consideration)