63 5.10 – GARBAGE CAN MODEL

GARBAGE CAN MODEL

The “garbage can model” of decision making offers a radical departure from the familiar rational approaches. Instead of well-planned decision making, this model assumes that decision making is irrational and uncertain, therefore resulting in conflict over goals and ambitions. In this case, “Policymaking becomes an expressive forum where policymakers ‘act out’ social and political agendas that are largely unrelated” (Stewart, Hedge & Lester, 2008). With the garbage can model, policymakers are disconnected and operate independently. The phrase “herding cats” comes to mind when reflecting on this model. The garbage can model’s chaotic nature makes it difficult to solve problems, and the problems that are solved are only resolved by chance. Opportunities to develop solutions are treated like garbage cans. That is, many problems and solutions are thrown into the process at once without meaning or organization, like garbage in a can (Cohen, March, Olsen, 1972).

Recall from chapter 4 that problems must first be identified and then defined and understood before a solution can be pursued. A primary feature of garbage can decision making is that it often results in unnecessary solutions. Known as the organizational garbage, situations arise in which a solution seeks a problem rather than using the logical problem/solution decision structure. For instance, a group of legislators in Florida proposed a bill that would ban hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking. Fracking is a process where liquid is blasted underground at high speeds to release oil or gas. Fracking has been known to cause air and water pollution, oil spills, and even earthquakes. As it turns out, no developers or oil companies have engaged in fracking operations in Florida for years (Blackmon, 2019). Critics argue that this is an example of a solution seeking a problem. They argue that if there is no fracking occurring in the state, then legislation is unnecessary.