Policy information and policymaking in governmental bureaucracies: A causal modeling of processes and impacts

This is a study of the relationship between information utilization and decisionmaking in governmental bureaucracies. More specifically, this study attempts to empirically investigate causal relationships among the factors involved in the "impact stage" of information utilization in bureaucratic decisionmaking. This study is conducted on the basis of a comprehensive conceptual framework, which combines past theories and/or empirical findings in a systematic way. The comprehensive conceptual framework this study employs can provide new insights into explaining the gap between the perceived need to use information in decisionmaking and the ability to apply this need into practice. Consequently, this study provides some new theoretical and empirical insights into the question of whether, when, and under what conditions use of information and its impact are likely to occur in bureaucratic decisionmaking or organizations.