“5C Protocal” (Brynard, 2001 cited in Mitchell, 2007) can assist one to understand all the twists and turns in the implementation process. There are 5 critical variables which Brynard mentions which act as a base for effective implementation. Brynard firstly created a convergence between the top-down and bottom-up models of policy implementation. He argues that top-downers regard the policymakers as the ones who are the central actors for policy implementation, whereas the bottom-uppers regard the target groups and the service deliverers as the ones who play a critical role in policy implementation (Brynard, 2005).
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However, one can state that the policymakers do need the target groups and the service deliverers for effective policy implementation. The two models should therefore come together for effective policy implementation. The 5 variables that Brynard looks at are;
content, context, capacity, commitment, and clients and coalition. Brynard suggests that the aforementioned variables are critical in assessing the effectiveness of the course that the implementation is taking (Mnculwane, 2008). The 5 variables will be discussed below one by one in order to explore their relevance for this study.
3.5.1 Content
The content of a policy is essential; this is because a policy is regarded as either distributive, regulatory or redistributive. This seminal typology was provided by Lowi (1963). Brynard cites other scholars who suggest that
the content of the policy is not only important in the means it employs to achieve its ends, but also its determination of the ends themselves, and in how it chooses the specific means to reach those ends (Brynard, 2005:
180).
Moreover Pressman and Wildavsky (1973: xv) interpret implementation as "a seamless web...
a process of interaction between the setting of goals and actions geared to achieving them."
Hence it follows that facilitating the objectives and the means to meet the objectives is the content of the policy. However, the content of the policy is not only important in achieving the ends of the policy, “but also in its determination of the ends themselves and in how it chooses the specific means to reach those ends (Brynard, Cloete and de Coning, 2000).
Therefore, being able to mediate the choice of ends and means is basically what forms the content of the policy.
3.5.2 Context
According to Mnculwane (2008: 50),
The relevance of contextuality in putting a policy into effect is premised on an important postulation that implementation is inevitably impacted upon by the very context within which policy execution takes place.
Therefore, implementers ought to be aware of the relevance of the context for effective policy implementation because if not considered this could hinder the effectiveness of the implementation. It is fairly common wisdom that “a context-free theory of implementation is
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unlikely to produce powerful explanations or accurate predictions” (Berman, 1980: 260).
Therefore, it is very important for researchers or implementers to pay attention to social, economic, political, and legal settings (O’Toole, 1986). Brynard believes that effective implementation results from human interactions (Brynard, 2005). Moreover he holds that for effective implementation a critical role must be played by effective working relationships between the implementing agencies during the policy process. Mnculwane (2008) too notes that the context variable is moulded by the social, economic, political and legal realities within which the policy occurs. During the implementation process the actual policy changes its environment and could also be changed by the context. Therefore, effective working relationships between implementing agencies plays a critical role in effective implementation because favourable working conditions and good relationships between implementing agencies could affect the end results of the policy in a positive manner.
3.5.3 Commitment
For a given policy to be implemented the actors should be willing and able to implement the policy (Brynard, 2005). Therefore, if the policy actors are unable or unwilling to implement the policy it will then be ineffective. In other words the commitment of the actors is essential in order for an effective implementation process to take place. According to Mnculwane (2008: 52),
…good policies with all the necessary features germane to effective implementation can be put in place, but if the various actors in the policy game are either unwilling or unable to implement, the said intervention will remain ineffective.
The quality of the commitment is influenced by the clients and coalitions implicated with that particular policy. As much as this particular variable is critical for effective implementation there are different perspectives to be gained from the bottom-up and the top-down proponents. For example, it is argued by Brynard (2005) that the top-down perspective would view implementer commitment being shaped by the content of the policy and its capacity provisions in terms of resources – that is, both the content and the capacity could be controlled by and from the top. The bottom-up view would also consider content and the capacity but would tend to view commitment as being influenced by the institutional context, and thus by clients and coalitions (Brynard, 2005). Therefore, for an effective implementation there has to be a satisfactory level of commitment from the implementers.
34 3.5.4 Capacity
Brynard (2000) views capacity as the structural, functional and cultural ability to deliver the required public service. This is the ability to mobilize resources for the attainment of policy objects. For the policy to be successful there should be resources available to be used in meeting the objectives of the policy. Poor resources could hinder the effectiveness of the implementation: this would result in the failure of that particular policy. Therefore, availability of resources has a huge potential impact on the outcome of the implementation of the policy. However, as stated by Mnculwane (2008) while or in as much as there should be a provision of resources it is also critical for the environment where the implementation will occur to be conducive to the policy which is to be implemented. However by the same token, Brynard (2005) perceptively notes that the resources should not be the main focus in terms of how they impact on the capacity, but the main focus should rather be on how capacity can be created and operationalized. Therefore, it is essential that those who are to implement the policies be well-capacitated in order for there to be an effective implementation process which will result in meeting the desired predetermined outcomes.
3.5.5 Clients and coalitions
There is a critical role played by coalitions of individuals and organizations who are affected by the policy in one way or another. For effective implementation of policies there should be a coalition of interest group leaders and outside actors who support the policy: they need to come together as the different power shifts could strongly influence the implementation process of a policy. Elmore (1979) argues that implementation is affected in some critical sense by the local coalitions of those who are affected by the policy as they are the ones who the implementing agencies need to satisfy. Therefore, if the coalitions are not in support of the policy this could then hinder an effective and positive result: however if the coalitions are in support of the policy they would accept it and follow through with it. The coalitions are needed as part of the decision-making process as at the end of it all they are the ones needed to implement the process. In addition the coalitions’ thoughts and views should be considered as the implementing agencies need to consider of their morals, culture and their environment so that they formulate an appropriate policy. With this variable it is critical for the
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government to join with coalitions of interest groups and other outside stakeholders by communicating and working together towards effective implementation.
Therefore, the 5C variables shape the effectiveness of the implementation process. All the variables will be used to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the language policy but one will focus particularly on the Clients and Coalitions variable because this study will be looking at the role of the students in the implementation of the Language Policy at UKZN, Howard College campus. The study will investigate the critical role played by the coalitions of individuals and organizations who are affected by the policy in one way or another.
Coalitions of interest group leaders and outside actors who are in support of the policy could strongly influence the implementation as the different power shifts influence the implementation process. The staff and the students of UKZN, Howard College campus will be asked if they were aware of the policy before its implementation and also if they were included in the formulation of the policy. The students and the staff of UKZN are the affected groups so they form the base of the policy’s outcomes. The success or failure of the language policy will be determined by the attitudes and responses of the students and the staff of the institution. The perceptions of the clients are essential for successful implementation of policies. Khosrowpour (1997) argues that policymakers should attempt to maximize clients and consultants’ compatibility by involving clients who are responsible for the project.
Policymakers and the affected group should have good relations as it facilitates understanding, constructive compromise and reasonable expectations.
Perceptions from the students on the language policy could be of assistance to the policymakers as they will gain information that could assist in ensuring the success of the policy. Therefore, one could agree with Smith (1973) that if during policy formation the public or the interest groups are not included this could hinder the execution of the policy. It is very important to include the interest groups because they are the affected ones and not the policy implementers.
