Problem Structuring and Policy Design Decoupling: Causes, Consequences, and Pathways to Better Integration

Abstract

Problem structuring (PS) and policy design (PD) are inherently intertwined: defining problems requires considering feasible solutions, while designing policies involves engaging with real-world problems. Yet, in both research and practice, they are often decoupled. This becomes increasingly problematic as policy accumulation and layering narrow the space for policy design and shape how problems are defined. While existing literature emphasizes political, institutional, and fiscal constraints, less attention has been paid to cognitive constraints and their interaction with policy design. Drawing on structuration theory, this article argues that PS-PD decoupling is reproduced through the interaction between institutional structures and policy actors' interpretations. It identifies three interrelated mechanisms: anticipatory self-censorship, false coupling between policy problems and solutions, and the reproduction of institutionalized structures. Using illustrative examples, the article shows how these mechanisms contribute to PS-PD decoupling and proposes ways to reconnect both processes in policy analysis and practice.