A theoretical and methodological framework for analyzing long-term policy and the role played by actors in promoting change and stability

Abstract

Public policies are often associated with historical legacies constituted by political processes in which actors seek to promote institutional change or maintain stability. This article presents a theoretical and methodological framework that uses process tracing to identify the most relevant processes for the study of the trajectory of policy through a theoretical lens that draws on studies of the public policy process and the theory of gradual institutional change. The framework enabled us to identify changes in medical workforce policy (MWP) between the 1960s and 2010s and understand the influence of different actors and institutional arrangements. Our findings also reveal the importance of the role of ministry of health executives interested in tailoring MWP to the needs of Brazil’s public health system from 2003.