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Synonyms

Goal setting; Issue recognition; Plan of action; Prioritization

Definitions

An agenda is a list, outline, or plan for discussion and/or action among groups and individuals. The inclusion and order of the items on an agenda reflect their priority and importance to its authors and participants. “Agenda setting” aims to influence what is or is not included in an agenda. It is a principal component in decision-making activities at all levels of government. Recognizing that governments rarely have the resources to attend to all of the issues that concern all of their constituents, setting governments’ policymaking agenda is a competitive process that involves a range of stakeholders, who engage in getting certain items onto an agenda, as well as keeping others off (Birkland 2020).

Introduction

Processes of influencing governments’ agendas involve a range of stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, with diverse interpretations of the issues and varying opinions on the...

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References

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Correspondence to Lois M. Warner .

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Warner, L.M. (2021). Agenda Setting. In: Farazmand, A. (eds) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_249-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_249-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-31816-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-31816-5

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