Public Policy Making / Formulation, Essay Example

Public policy making has a political nature thus involving many people. Therefore, the formation of public policy is difficult and tiresome. In this regard, the simplified descriptions called “models,” which represent the complex real world activities are made. These descriptions were created to highlight the political issues, public problems, and confusing, or obscure events. The models form the agenda of discussion where problems identified. The model identifies the role played by opponents, and at this point, the following things happen:

• The opposition party emerges
• There is formation of a counter opinion, or counter proposal,
• Authorities identified,
• Presentation of counterproposals,
• There is expansion of the opposition,
• The proposal presented.

Upon completion of the above procedures, the policy formulation process comes to the final stages. Here, there is decision-making, implementation, and evaluation of the public policy (Ogden 86).

• Authoritative decisions: this is where a public problem has reached a formal agenda. The government authorities discuss and make final decisions to adopt the advocate’s proposal, or to reject it. If no action is taken, then they preserve the status quo.
• Implementation of the public policy: This is made after the government makes the final decision regarding the new policy. New regulations are adopted with respect to the enforcement of new procedures.
• Evaluation of the policy: this happens after the policy has taken charge. In this case, the advocates, opponents, and other interested parties examine the consequences brought up by the newly implemented policy. The citizen reactions observed upon the implementation, or rather data regarding the policy collected and analyzed to come up with a conclusion. If there is a problem, the stages of policy formulation start again and if there is no problem, then the policy are turned into law.

Works Cited

Ogden, Drake. How National Policy Is Made: Increasing Understanding of Public Problems and Policies. Oakbrook, Illinois: Farm Foundation, 2001.

Oakley, Maureen and Rodriguez, Ezra. Policy Studies, 26 (2), (2005): pp 211-227.