Examine the policy process of adopting the Capital Investment Entrants Scheme by using Zahariadis's revised Multiple Streams Model

Abstract

Policy process is very complicated since it embraces different actors, ideas, values within a policy domain and time span (Sabatier 2007). One of the most comprehensive models to investigate the policy process is Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Model (1995). However, this model has been revised when applying it in different policy context. Zahraiadis (2003) revises this model by identifying its coupling process and occurrence of window which enhances its explanatory power in the British Parliamentary setting with a small degree of executive-led. If the Zahariadis’s revised Multiple Streams model could be applicable in Britain, can his framework also apply in the non-Western context where has a stronger degree of executive-led, namely Hong Kong? To answer this question, the adoption of Capital Investment Entrants Scheme will be used. This chosen case is not only because of reflecting the executive-led with top down policy making, but also mirroring the policy output of Hong Kong may not match with the defined problem. In this case-study, it shows that the Zahariadis’s revised Multiple Streams model is applicable in Hong Kong. Besides, the model also identifies that the policy sequence of Hong Kong could be driven by a dominant factors which is a salient problem, prominent solution or a political event. In addition, the study also finds out that the executive branch of Hong Kong dominates the coupling process since she monopolizes the information because of her executive-led privilege. On the basis of this finding, it recommends that the elements of “manipulating information and political actor” should be supplemented to provide a more comprehensive study when applying the Zahariadis’s revised Multiple Streams model in Hong Kong.