Could Rational Choice Theory Have Been Used to Predict The Failures of The Aston Pride Project?

If, on the other hand people that do not have the knowledge they need to achieve their aims are given suitable training, induction and knowledge they can make positive contributions to the partnership and make rational choices. Knowing that a problem exists is the straightforward part having the ability and resources to solve that problem is the difficult part. Investing time and effort into establishing good relationships with the organisations that are needed to take the partnership forward is a sound use of that time and effort. When the amount of time and effort to do that for the Aston Pride Project is considered then the failure to build sound working relationships was predictable. Game theory is probably the part of Rational Choice Theory best suited for predicting the success or failure of programmes or projects that are intended to involve co-operation and interdependence to achieve successful outcomes (Abercrombie, Hill & Turner, 2000 p. 146).

In Aston as in other inner city areas the co-operation and interdependence of the groups involved in the New Deal for Communities delivery programmes was complicated was complicated by issues of race and ethnicity which contributed to the misunderstandings that undermined the Aston Pride Project. These differences were between the various community groups and the members of the public sector that were involved in the Aston Pride Project. As Birmingham City Council, various government departments and statutory bodies did not understand how community representatives were picked. Conversely the community representatives were not entirely aware of how local and central government bureaucracy operates (Dale, May 28 2004).

However for the community representatives their selection may not have been democratic it could in their eyes be regarded as legitimate as it could be based on non-rational criteria or considerations such as religious position, social position or standing as well as perceived knowledge and wisdom. Community groups could have counted suggestions about the right of their representatives to represent them with the argument that all the bureaucrats involved in the processes of the Aston Pride Project were not elected (Abercrombie, Turner & Hill, 2000 p. 289). However Birmingham City Council could not contend that it was not used to administrating policies, services and benefits on behalf of central government especially as it is the largest council in Britain.

Therefore overall Rational Choice Theory could have predicted most if not all of the Aston Pride Project’s failures and if used prior to the launch of the project may have prevented those failures and perhaps could have averted the break down of the project. In some respects the Aston Pride Project is the prime example of how not to run a programme based on partnerships between community groups and agencies from local and central government. With hindsight some of the failures of the Aston Pride Project appear so obvious that any one with a modicum of common sense not involved in the project could have predicted that it would face problems even if they could not have predicted all its failures. Once using Rational Choice Theory the failures of the Aston Pride Project appear even more apparent, predictable and to a great extent avoidable or solvable. The government did not offer a definitive set of guidelines or universally adaptable structures for the chosen regeneration partnerships to operate with yet other projects did not grind to such a controversial halt. The desire of the people involved in establishing and running the Aston Pride Project to make the partnership work should not be doubted although with better organisation, more realistic expectations and training, their commitment to regenerating the Aston area could have yielded more effective results.

Bibliography

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Aston Pride New Deal for Communities (6 April 2004) Report of the Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee

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Dale P – Claims of rigging in Aston vote, Birmingham Post June 6 2003

Dale P – Aston Pride race bias allegation, Birmingham Post May 28 2004

Dale P – Regeneration has failed city’s youth, Birmingham Post October 4 2005

Department for Work and Pensions (2003) – Departmental Report 2003, The Stationary Office, London

Fay B (1996) Contemporary Philosophy of Social Science, Blackwell Publishers Oxford

Oldham J – We’ll find the missing millions, Sunday Mercury December 5 2004

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