Public Policy

 Policy is a plan of action that serves as a basis for taking decisions to achieve a particular purpose. It is principle for conduct as well as a course of action to be adopted by an individual, a group, a public or private organization or a government as a guide and standard to realize a specific purpose within a given environment. Hence, the term ‘policy ‘may apply to governmental, private sector organizations, groups and individual. Policy is principle set of actions and inactions to achieve rational outcome.

Public Policy means a course of actions of inaction taken by governmental agencies to resolve a particular issue or set of issues. Public Policies are those principles that guide the decision of government to resolve policy problems and issue.

Definitions given by some scholars:

Faston: Public policy is authoritative allocation of values for the whole society.

Oye: Whatever government chooses to do or not to do.

Anderson: A purposive course of action followed by a actor or set of actors in dealing with a problem or matter of concern.

Frohock: Public policy is a patterned attempt either to  resolve or manage political disputes or to persuade rational incentives to secure agreed upon goals, with public issues capable of ranging from and wide over both material goods and ethical issues.

Cochran and Molone: Public Policy is the study of government decisions and actions designed to deal with a matter of public concern. It is comprise political decisions for implementive programmes to achieve societal goals. These decisions hopefully represent a consensus of values. When analyzed, public policy comprises a plan of action or programs and a statement of objectives, in other words map and destination.

From above definitions we can say that public policy is government decisions and actions designed to deal with issues and problems of the state. It’s principle sets of do’s and don’ts formulated by government which is to be followed by individual and concerned groups to achieve specific objective or rational outcome.

Public Policy is the principled guide to action taken by the administrative executive branches of the state with regard to a class and issues, in a manner consistent with law and institutional costumes. It is a means through which government maintains order or addresses the needs of its citizen through actions defined by its constitution. Public Policy made for conducting some social welfare may be like setting tax rates, rectifying perceived inequalities, sex education, poverty alleviation, community health and sanitation, generation of employment opportunities.

Though public policies represent those policies developed by governmental agencies, role and influence of several non-governmental agencies, role and influence of several non-governmental actors and factors cannot be overlooked. The government should see to it that individuals, groups and institutions within a given environment are obeying and co-operating to implement policies.

Policy may be explicit and implicit. Explicit policies are written form of policy which are open and thus citizen have access to them. Implicit policies may be apparent only to those who are intimately familiar with the detail of the programs.

It is to be noted that policy once made is not forever. With the lopes of time and change in the situation, change in policy may become inevitable. A change in policy may be proposed and debated in public with full particular of interest groups and mass media.

Policy Making Process

It is political science, the policy cycle is a tool used for the analyzing of the development of a policy item. Policy Making can be characterized as a dynamic complex, analytical, through which public problem are identified and countered by creating new public policy by reforming existing public policy. It is a continuous process that has many feedback loops.

According to James E Anderson, Public Policy Making has the following stages:

1.      Agenda Setting (Problem Identification): The recognition of certain subject as a problem demanding further government attention.

2.      Policy Formulation: It involves exploring a various option or alternative course of action available for addressing the problem. (appraisal, dialogue, formulation and consolidation)

3.      Decision Making: Government decides on an ultimate course of action, weather to perpetuate the policy status quo or after it. (Decision could be positive, negative or no action)

4.      Implementation: The ultimate decision made earlier will be put into practice.

5.      Evaluations: Accesses the effectiveness of a public policy in term of its perceived intentions and results. Policy actors attempt to determine whether the course of action is a successor failure by examining its impact and outcomes.

The public problems that influence public policy making can be of economic, social or political nature. In public policy making, numerous individuals, and corporations, non – profit organization and interest groups compete and collaborate to influence policy makers to act in a particular way.

Policy Choice: 

Policy Choice refers to alternatives options as a solution to problems with respect to particular situations. One types of policy may not be appropriate for another type of problem due to various time, place or situation. For example policy implemented in urban area for construction of road way may not be same as hilly area, it is because outcome may not be the same. There is a study of Comparative Public Administration due to different out comes from same policy due to varying place, time and location. Therefore, there should be exploration of alternative possibility.

Analysis:

Analysis means evaluating and measuring the impact of a particular policy. The basic idea is to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the impact of a particular policy. It is mean to examine the extent pf policy performance as measured against the achievement of policy goals. Thus the evaluation of this sort demands consideration on the change on both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the policy result.

What is Public Policy?

A broader perspective is basic to understand the concept of public policy. This acceptance demand a clear understanding of public policy This acceptance demand a clear understanding of public policy analysis. There are two perspective of public policy and they are :

The first Perspective

1.      Policy Analysis

2.      Public Policy

The Second Perspective

1.      Public

2.      Policy

3.      Analysis

Policy Analysis:

Policy Analysis includes the examination and improvement of policy making process itself as well as the evaluation of policy choice and outcomes. Policy thus, constitutes the understanding of the process by which policy is formulated. Public analysis also covers evaluations’ of policy option and policy consequences. This aspect demands the need to take a careful analysis of policy making process. On the basis of above aspects it is obvious that policy analysis demands knowledge by which policies are made, implemented and evaluated.

Policy Analysis Involves:

1.      Primary concern with Explanation Rather than Prescription

2.      Rigorous search for the causes and consequences of public policies.

3.      Effect to develop and test general propositions about the causes and consequences of public policies.   

Dunn: It is an intellectual and practical activity aimed at creating, critically assessing and communicating knowledge of an in the policy making process.

·         Knowledge of- systematic, empirical studies of how policies are made and put in effect.

·         Knowledge in- Refers to understanding that the effectiveness of policies making depends upon access to the stock of available knowledge.

Analysis of Policy includes:

1.      Policy Determination- Concern with which the policy is formulated why, when, and for whom.

2.      Policy Content- Description of a particular policy, and how such policy is developed as compared to other policies.

3.      Policy Monitoring and Evaluation- This aspect examine the level and extend of policy performance as measured against policy goals including the policy impact of a particular policy.

Analysis for Policy Includes 2 distinct Aspects

1.      Information for Policy: The basic idea of this aspect is to feed into policy making activities. Extensive internal or external research or advice of a judgmental or qualitative nature and this is likely to support in identifying or sorting policy option.

2.      Policy Advocacy: It involves research and arguments which are intended to influence policy agencies.

According to Cochran and Malone, there is a difference between positive and normative policy analysis.

·         Positive Policy Analysis: It is type of policy analysis which strives to understand the policy as it is without any indication of approval or disapproval. It also explain how various social and political forces would change policy.

·         Normative Policy Analysis: It is type of policy analysis which is directed towards studying what public policy ought to be to improve the general welfare. Hence, it expresses a judgement about what ought to be weather a situation is desirable or undesirable. It is perspective and recommends action to be taken.

Ralph C. Chandler and Jack C Plano,

Policy analysis is a systematic and data based alternative to institutive judgement about the effects of policy or policy options. It is used for

·         Problem assessment and monitoring

·         As a “before the fact” decision tool.

·         For evaluation.

William Dunn: Policy analysis is an applied social science discipline which uses multiple methods of inquiry and argument to produce and transfer policy-relevant information that may be utilized in political setting to resolve, public problems.

Characteristics of Policy Analysis

1.      Policy Analysis is applied and problem oriented rather than pure and problem blind. Prescriptive as well as descriptive.

2.      Policy Analysis is multi-disciplinary approach which is basic to deal with the real various types of problem.

3.      Policy Analysis requires politically sensitive planning. The analysist should be trained in the political skills as well as in planning techniques and approaches. They should have awareness and understanding sympathy for the essentially political nature of policy process. It is basic need for analysis to generate recommendation that are likely to have impact.

4.      Policy Analysis is client oriented as it demands concern of client. Policy analysist are required to be committed to society and they should not act as an agent of social change.

5.      The study of policy analysis includes:

·         Analysis of the Policy Process: This encompasses the definition of the problem, agenda setting, formulation, implementation and evaluation of the policies.

·         Analysis for the policy analysis: This encompasses the use of analytical techniques, research, and advocacy in problem definition, policy formulation, implementation and evaluation.

Forms of Policy Analysis

1.      Prospective Policy Analysis: It involves the production and transformation of information before policy actions are initiated and implemented. The information helps draw or identify policy options that serves as a basis for policy decision. It focuses on question like what will happen in a particular situation and what should be done for taking corrective action.