The disparity between policy intent and outcome: a case of implementation of regulatory environmental planning policy and on-site construction environmental management operations

Internationally, on-site construction operations are acknowledged as a major source of environmental degradation and exhaustion of natural resources. After the United Nations Earth Summit in 1992 the advent of Agenda 21 served as a catalyst for major environmental change in which a new approach – ecologically sustainable development – was cultivated. This afforded governments the opportunity to amend existing, and implement new initiatives to promote the principles of ecologically sustainable development. Policy is one mechanism employed by government authorities to promote sustainable practices and regulate construction operations. However, even with such controls, construction operations continue to result in negative environmental impacts. The disparity between policy intention and outcome can be explored from an implementation perspective, with a focus upon regulatory environmental planning policy and on-site construction environmental management operations. Using a conceptual framework containing ten preconditions for perfect policy implementation as an analytical lens, a phenomenological two stage qualitative research approach is utilised. Stage 1 reveals the etic perspective through 12 semi-structured interviews with specialist practitioners; interrogation of expertise over multiple projects determines the suitability and completeness of the conceptual framework to describe the phenomenon of environmental protection through policy implementation. Stage 2, an emic perspective, deploys the framework to explain specific environmental protection outcomes in 4 case study projects. A combination of detailed, semi-structured interviews, together with statutory and project-specific documentation are analysed thematically in order to understand the interplay between project participants and policy that leads to a specific level of environmental protection. Cross case analysis is then conducted to determine generalisations within the cases. A synthesis of Stage 1 and Stage 2 data is then undertaken. Results suggest weaknesses with policy implementation processes, inter alia, poor communication and coordination, multiple links affecting the causal framework, complex dependency relationships and an incomplete understanding of policy objectives. The research extends the framework for policy implementation by identifying four additional influences: policy operationalisation, organisational position, professional belief, specialist knowledge and understanding. Subsequently four additional conditions have been proposed. The significance of this research is two-fold. First, it establishes a rigorous and appropriate framework for analysis allied to methodology with which to study the complexity of disparity between policy intent and outcomes at the implementation phase. Second, it extends current knowledge of the link between policy intent and implementation outcomes through the addition of four conditions. Taken together they provide the opportunity to conduct further research to validate the framework, and have the potential to trigger reflective learning within the relevant professions that will lead to improved environmental protection.