“Mind the Gap”: Social Disparities and Non-Decision Making

This panel aims to examine how non-decision-making mechanisms shape and maintain social inequalities across various policy domains. While traditional policy research focuses on actual decisions made, this panel will illuminate the hidden mechanisms that prevent certain issues from reaching the public agenda altogether. These processes of systemic exclusion mainly affect marginalized groups whose voices remain unheard in decision-making arenas.
This panel brings together research on the often-overlooked disparities between public needs and policy outcomes in social, urban, and economic domains. Focusing on diverse topics, from smart cities and transportation to education and urban access to amenities, the panel highlights how non-decision-making can perpetuate social inequalities. By examining case studies primarily from Israel within broader OECD contexts, this panel aims to explore both structural barriers and innovative strategies for bridging these gaps and promoting inclusivity.
Shaul Hartal investigates spatial justice and urban access to leisure facilities and finds that limited transportation and amenity diversity in certain neighborhoods curtails engagement and growth. Liran Maymoni presents an empirical analysis of startups in peripheral regions, identifying unique challenges and ecosystem factors influencing innovation in these areas. Albert Yirmiyahu explores the consequences of higher education reforms on disadvantaged groups in Israel, finding that while reforms improved access for peripheral residents, economic disparities persist. Vered Uziel investigates collaborative management in smart cities, specifically urban public transportation. Through interviews and focus groups, Uziel highlights the effectiveness of a collaborative network management style, especially in addressing gender-based disparities in transportation and promoting fairness and social justice. Chen Sharony examines the gap between public preferences for income redistribution and actual policy in Israel. Using a multi-step analysis across OECD countries, this research reveals a disconnection between public preferences and policy in this field. These presentations underscore the need for adaptive, inclusive policy frameworks to address systemic disparities and foster equity across socioeconomic divides.