Scribd
Upload
238 views2 pages

Stages of Public Policy

The public policy process involves six stages: 1) Problem Identification where issues are defined and brought to public attention, 2) Agenda Setting where issues compete to be actively considered, 3) Policy Making where policies are formulated and adopted to address problems, 4) Budgeting where funds are appropriated, 5) Implementation where executive agencies carry out policies, and 6) Evaluation where policies are assessed for effectiveness and unintended consequences which can lead to new problems being identified.

Uploaded by

Suniel Chhetri
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
238 views2 pages

Stages of Public Policy

The public policy process involves six stages: 1) Problem Identification where issues are defined and brought to public attention, 2) Agenda Setting where issues compete to be actively considered, 3) Policy Making where policies are formulated and adopted to address problems, 4) Budgeting where funds are appropriated, 5) Implementation where executive agencies carry out policies, and 6) Evaluation where policies are assessed for effectiveness and unintended consequences which can lead to new problems being identified.

Uploaded by

Suniel Chhetri
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Defining policy making (Stages of Public Policy Formulation)

Public policy making denotes the process that government agencies follow in order
to generate policy solutions for problems, implement these adopted solutions, and
check to see if the goals of policy have been achieved. There are five stages (steps)
that constitute what is generally referred to as the generic process model of policy
making. These are policy formulation or initiation, policy estimation, policy selection
and adoption, policy implementation and policy evaluation.
Policy making is a demanding exercise that, ideally, in a democratic policy should
involve all those affected by a problem. An orderly approach is required to make
sure that all concerned give their input so that the authorities can make informed
decisions. A lot of time usually passes by from the moment demands for a policy are
made to the moment a policy is announced and put into action or effectuated. In
fact, five categories through which policies have to pass through can be
identified. These are:
1. Policy demands: Policy making begins when people make demands for
action or inaction concerning a particular problem that affects them. Those
demands act as input to the political system. They energize the political
system to begin a process of making policy. Once officials have been
sensitised about such demands several decisions have to be made about
demands.
2. Policy decisions: The policy decisions phase is one where the policy
demands are debated and several policy options that can be used to solve
the problem are considered. The objectives to be achieved by solving the
problem are developed, the outputs of each policy option are considered and
the options are compared;
3. Policy statements: These are the policy pronouncements made by
authorities. These come after a choice of the most favoured option is made
and recommended for policy. Policy statements include such things as Acts of
Parliament, executive orders, and administrative rules and regulations that
indicated what should be done to achieve the results the policy is interned
for;
4. Policy outputs: This refers to what is actually done in pursuance of policy
statements. It is what governments do to operationalize policy and solve
problems. It is putting policy into action to realise goals.
5. Policy outcomes: These are the results of putting policy into action. They
are the effects of policy. They are the consequences of policy actions and
they indicate whether the policy solved the problem or matter of concern or
in fact, raised other problem that may now need policy action to alleviate
them.
These policy manifestations or categories necessarily define the policy process;
they define the stages that policies pass through.
Process of Public Policy

The public policy process is a multi-stage cycle.These six stages overlap each other, with
additional mini-stages, in a process that never really ends.
1. Problem Identification
Either public opinion or elite opinion expresses dissatisfaction with a status quo policy. The
problem is defined and articulated by individuals and institutions such as mass media,
interest groups, and parties.
2. Agenda Setting
The definition of alternatives is crucial to the policy process and outcomes. Before a policy
can be formulated and adopted, the issue must compete for space on the agenda (list of
items being actively considered). An idea must make it through several levels, including the
broad political system agenda, the congressional and presidential agendas, and the
bureaucratic agenda. Key actors in agenda setting include think tanks, interest groups,
media, and government officials.
3. Policy Making
From the problems that have been identified and have made it onto the various agendas,
policies must be formulated to address the problems. Those policy formulations then must
be adopted (authorized) through the congressional process and refined through the
bureaucratic process. Of course, a non-decision (inaction, or defeating a proposal) is, itself,
policy making.
4. Budgeting
The government must decide through the appropriations process how much money to spend
on each policy. Generally, a policy must first be authorized (adopted) before money can be
appropriated for it in the annual budget.
5. Implementation
Executive agencies (the bureaucracy) carry out, or implement, policy. Implementation could
include adopting rules and regulations, providing services and products, public education
campaigns, adjudication of disputes, etc.
6. Evaluation
Numerous actors evaluate the impact of policies, to see if they are solving the problems
identified and accomplishing their goals. Evaluation looks at costs and benefits of policies as
well as their indirect and unintended effects. Evaluation frequently triggers identification of
problems and a new round of agenda setting and policy making.

You might also like