صنع السياسة العامة في الكويت : مشروع المنطقة الاقتصادية الشمالية-دراسة حالة

Abstract EN

Objectives: This paper analyzes the main factors that influence public policy and decision making in Kuwait taking developing the Northern Economic Project as a case study.

It explores the influence of the political environment on the public policy vision in general and on the Project in particular.

The study does so through looking the impact of Kuwait political system form, competition among political poles specifically among the ruling family, the merchants class role, besides the one of the execution and legislative authorities, as well as the freedom margin in influencing the process of planning and executing the Project on the ground.

Method: Relying on a field study, we present results based on elongated interviews with people who have been directly involved in developing the Project.

In addition, we relied on tracing the development of the project since its beginning.

Six interviews were conducted with the Project supervising team.

These interviews were open-ended and lasted two hours each.

We also relied on officials’, and Project in-charge people statements reported by the media.

Results: The paper concluded that Kuwait political system form, competition among the poles of the ruling family, as well among merchants, and their lobbies in the parliament and the executive legislation authority are of a huge and negative influence on the Project, and are the most prominent challenges facing its development and execution.

When compared to the other factors, freedom margin, specifically of discussing different government projects had little influence, though on the contrary to the others, it has a positive impact on Project planning.

Conclusion: Study recommends employing the free¬dom margin in Kuwait to increase people awareness concern¬ing the importance of the Project, as well as exchanging professional views about it.