Incrementalism and Mixed Scanning

Описание: A number of scholars have expanded on the criticisms of the rational model and have argued that individual decisions, and change in general, are produced by an “incremental” process. Incrementalism is a model of decision making that stresses making decisions through limited, successive comparisons. In contrast to the rational model, it focuses on simplifying choices rather than aspiring to complete problem analyses and on remedying ills rather than seeking positive goals.

Incrementalism emphasizes decision making through a series of limited, successive comparisons within a relatively narrow range of alternatives rather than a comprehensive range. Incrementalism focuses primarily on short-term rather than long-term effects. Differences between rationalists and incrementalists are very sharp. First, the rationalist attempts to maximize benefits in all phases of decision making, whereas the incrementalist tries to satisfice (to use economist Herbert Simon’s term), to reach a decision that is satisfactory.

Second, although incrementalism does not dismiss the importance of long-term consequences, it emphasizes short-term needs and problems. Incrementalists are comfortable filling the role of troubleshooters, responding to immediate pressures and seeking to alleviate the worst of them. Third, Lindblom and others suggest that the emphasis in the rational model on comprehensive evaluation of how a given decision would affect all other decisions is unrealistic. They contend that it is impossible to account in advance for all the ways in which a particular course of action will affect other decision-making processes and their outcomes.

Incrementalism may also have a practical advantage for public administrators as they try to deal with executive orders or legislative requirements which often are ambiguous. Making decisions incrementally may enable administrators to satisfy minimal expectations while gaining time to determine more specifically what effects the directives will have in practice.