Achieving Culture Change: A Policy Framework
This draft discussion paper looks at how government policy can be used to
encourage particular courses of action and behaviour in cases where
powerful cultural factors are at work. The traditional behaviour change
approach has been to use a combination of incentives, legislation and
regulation in an attempt to encourage and persuade the public into adopting
different forms of behaviour.
However we know that these will be less effective at doing so where
cultural factors – for example our attitudes, values, aspirations and sense
of self–efficacy – are pointing in the opposite direction. This draft
discussion paper sets out the state of knowledge about “culture change” and
how this can be practically used to inform policy development. It is
relevant to a wide range of government objectives, including educational
attainment, social mobility and opportunity, healthy living, environmental
sustainability, and maintaining thriving communities.
It was also recently discussed at a Strategy Unit lunchtime seminar, the
slides from which are available below, together with the draft discussion
paper.
The Strategy Unit welcomes feedback on this paper to be received by
Friday 31 August 2007. Comments should be addressed to
David Knott either by e–mail at david.knott@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk,
telephone 020 7276 3526, or post at:
Room 4.16
Admiralty Arch
The Mall
London
SW1A 2WH
A final version of this
discussion paper was published on 21 January 2008.
