USING THE DELHI PROCESS TO ANALYZE SOCIAL-POLICY IMPLEMENTATION - A POST HOC CASE FROM VOCATIONAL-REHABILITATION

This study uses a Policy Delphi to discern differences in perspective among and within groups responsible for formulating and implementing v ocational rehabilitation policy. Four groups of players were chosen fo r our analysis: government officials, academics, directors of rehabili tation centers. and the staff who interface with program participants. Significant differences were found between the groups regarding the r elative importance of possible legislative goals. This suggests that t he failure of vocational rehabilitation-policy to promote a work agend a may be attributed to a lack of consensus among policy implementors. The Delphi technique could help policy planners understand the differe nt perspectives within the implementation community, and hence craft m ore realistic legislation.