City Council Policy Orientations and Policy Development
Terrell Manyak · Journal of Urban Affairs · 1980
This study examines how five city councils conceptually structure the issues that come before them. These structures are uncovered by using open-ended data gathering instruments in conjunction with nonmetric multidimensional scaling and preference mapping techniques. The results suggest that all five councils essentially share a common conceptual framework in evaluating issues. What gives each council a unique orientation within this shared framework are the subtle differences in meaning and importance that are given to their policy dimensions. The results further suggest that city councils may be conceptually limited in the number of dimensions that can be used in decision making at any given time. This limitation necessitates that city councils restructure their policy frameworks if they are to cope effectively with new community challenges.