Explaining the Behaviors of Primary Role Occupants

Function of the Explanations Section of the Research Report

The problem-solving methodology uses seven categories to help drafters think of testable hypotheses about why the role occupant is acting in the socially problematic manner. The categories are: Rule, Opportunity, Capacity, Communication, Interest, Process and Ideology (or ROCCIPI). The purpose of the ROCCIPI categories is to prompt you to consider the legal, social, economic, ideological, political and institutional factors that constrain the actor's choices and/or prompt him to act in the socially problematic manner.

Rule: This factor asks you to look closely at the laws that effect the role occupants' behavior and explain how these laws are leading the role occupants to act in the problematic manner.

Opportunity: This factor asks you to look at whether or not the role occupants have the opportunity to do as the law commands. Also ask how the existing laws and procedures enable the role occupants to make the potentially corrupt decisions. (Primarily look for state infrastructural issues, opportunities to engage in corrupt behaviors -- e.g. a lack of monitoring/supervision, etc.)

Capacity: Do the role occupants have the skills and resources needed to comply with the law?

Communication: Are the law's prescriptions, permissions and prohibitions clear? Do the regulated parties know the law exists? Is the law disseminated in an appropriate manner?

Interest: Why is the role occupant doing what he/she is doing? For example, are the role occupants getting kick-backs, or other favors, in exchange for their actions?

Process: In the "Social Problem" section you should have described the role occupants' decision-making, monitoring, and evaluation processes. In the "Explanations" section, explain how these processes are causing the role occupants to act in the socially-problematic manner. Can the role occupants comply with the law's objectives and requirements given current processes?

Ideology: What do the role occupants think they should do under the existing law? What do they view as their moral and legal obligations?

Criteria for Evaluating an Explanation of the Behaviors of Primary Role Occupants

Does this part use the ROCCIPI categories appropriately to:

a. consider all the possible interrelated causal hypotheses to explain the problematic behaviors of each set of primary role occupants, with sufficient evidence to warrant those hypotheses; and
b. consider all the possible interrelated causal hypotheses to explain the problematic behaviors of each set of implementing agency officials, with sufficient evidence to warrant those hypotheses?