Unit 1

Concept of Public Policy and Policy Analysis

Public Policy: Policy is a plan of action that serves as a basis for taking decisions to
achieve a particular purpose.
“Public policy is whatever a government chooses to do or even not to do”. Public policy is
the principled guide to action taken by the administrative executive branches of
the state with regard to a class of issues, in a manner consistent with law and institutional
customs. The foundation of public policy is composed of national constitutional laws and
regulations.
Public policy is said to be a combination of laws, regulations, actions, policies and a lot of
other factors concerning a given topic. Such public policies of a nation are shaped over time
by education, advocacy groups, influences of activists, and conflicting interests of special
interest groups.
Public policy refers to the laws, the actions of the government, the funding priorities and
the regulations that reflect given positions, attitudes, cultural ideals or accepted rules.
Public policy can be generally defined as a system of laws, regulatory measures, courses
of action, and funding priorities concerning a given topic promulgated by governmental
entity or its representatives. It means by which government maintains order or addresses
the needs of its citizens through actions defined by its constitution. It deals with issues of
concern to some large segment of society, as opposed to matters of interest only to
individuals or a small group of people. Public policy refers to the rules, regulations, and
guidelines formulated by governments for the purpose of solving problems that have an
impact on the society and the general public.

Public policy is a set of decisions made by governments and other political actors to
influence, change, or frame a problem or issue that has been recognized as being in the
political realm by policy makers and/or the wider public.
Public policy is commonly embodied in "constitutions, legislative acts, and judicial
decisions. It comprises directly or indirectly making ethical judgments. Ethical decisions
are taken mainly by policy makers by selection and reconciliation of interests represented
by individuals, groups, and organizations.
Public policy is based on the balancing individual and social values. From those value
arise its objectives, principles, and styles of policy implementation and intervention.
It considered strong when it solves problems efficiently and effectively, serves and
supports governmental institutions and policies, and encourages active citizenship.
The study of public policy includes policy analysis or policy science, which identifies
effective policy measures, policy instruments, which a government can employ, and the
policy process, which analyses how a government comes to take a decision.
The public policy process is a continuous process. There are the steps of evaluation,
implementation, adoption, and review. The entire process is interactive, dynamic and
continuous.

 Characteristics of Public Policy:

• Policy consists of courses of action rather than mere decisions;
• Policy is purposive or goal-oriented action;
• Policy is what government does, not what it says it will do or intends to do
 • Policy is based upon law and is authoritative
• Policy is the result of political processes.
Policy Analysis
Policy analysis is a technique used in public administration to enable civil
servants, activists, and others to examine and evaluate the available options to implement
the goals of laws and elected officials. The process is also used in the administration of
large organizations with complex policies. It has been defined as the process of
"determining which of various policies will achieve a given set of goals in light of the
relations between the policies and the goals. It is the process of identifying potential
policy options that could address your problem and then comparing those options to
choose the most effective, efficient, and feasible one.
Public policy analysis involves evaluating issues of public importance with the objective
of providing facts and statistics about the extent and impact of the various policies of the
government.
Therefore, public policy analysis is a systematic, rational, comprehensive and deliberate
endeavor to provide public policy makers with clear, neutral, honest and objective advice
which is based on valid and proven facts pertaining to the best program in terms of
effectiveness, efficiency and economy. It includes the examination and improvements of
policy making process itself as well as the evaluation of policy choices and outcomes.
Policy Analysis is the process of assessing, and deciding among alternatives based on
their usefulness in satisfying one or more goals or values.
Policy Analysis is client-oriented advice relevant to public decisions and informed by
social values. The job of analysts consists in large part of producing evidence and
arguments to be used in the course of public debate.
The basic objective of public policy analysis is to assess the degree to which the policies
are meeting their goals. Public policy analysis deals with the application of social science
theories and methods to analyze matters of public importance.

 Public policy analysis focuses on;

 Systematic analysis of public policies themselves;
 Examination of public policy control systems;
 Measurement of possible probable economy costs and benefits of various policy
alternatives
 Evaluation of actual practical produced by a specific policy

 Three approaches of policy analysis;

 Empirical Approach: This approach is concerned primarily with describing the causes
and effects of given public policies. The primary concern is factual and the type of
information produced is descriptive in character.
 Valuative Approach: This valuative approach is mainly concerned with determining the
worth or value of some policy.
 Normative Approach: The normative approach is concerned with recommending future
courses of action that may resolve public problems.
 Nature and Scope of Public Policy
The public policy process is a dynamic and interactive process. It is also a continuous
process, not a one-time event. In most cases, public policy lays down general directives
and rules. The actual details of the policy along with its implementation techniques are in
the sub-policies. So the actual policy is more generic and dynamic.
An attempt by a government to address a public issue by instituting laws, regulations,
decisions, or actions pertinent to the problem at hand. Numerous issues can be addressed
by public policy including crime, education, foreign policy, health, and social welfare.
Principles & standards regarded by the legislature or by the courts as being of
fundamental concern to the State & the whole society.
Public policies are governmental decisions, and are actually the result of activities, which
the government undertakes in pursuance of certain goals and objectives. Public policy is
the outcome of the government's collective actions. It means that it is a pattern or course
of activity or' the governmental officials and actors in a collective sense. Public policy is
what the government actually decides or chooses to do. It is the relationship of the
government units to the specific field of political environment in a given administrative
system. It can take a variety of forms like law, dictates, court decisions, executive orders,
decisions etc.

Public policy may be positive or negative. It is positive in the sense that it depicts the
concern of the government and involves its action to a particular problem on which the
policy is made. Negatively, it involves a decision by the governmental officials regarding
not taking any action on a particular issue.
We have seen that public policies are the collective actions of the government. Public
policies will include laws, rules, regulations, judgments, case studies, government
programs etc.

 Nature of the public policy:

 Restrictive Policies
These policies curtail benefits for certain type of transactions or situations. One example
is when the government imposes customs duties. This is done with the view of restricting
imports into the country. The government wishes to bolster domestic production and
trading and promote exports. So they will impose customs duties on imports to
discourage heavy importing. This is a restrictive policy.

 Regulatory Policies and Practices

These policies and practices aim to regulate the different sectors of an economy. These
regulations keep the sector in check and ensure that there are no deviations from the
government policies and plans. Take for example the banking sector of the country. It is
strictly regulated by the NRB in accordance with the policies of the government.
Similarly, the NRB also governs the money market.

 Facilitating Policies
The government often has many banks, institutions etc. that facilitate and grow
businesses in an economy. These bodies help implement policies to facilitate businesses,
hence facilitating policies.
 In the public policy process, there are mainly five steps as follows,
 Identification of Problem
 Formation of Policy
 Policy Adaption
 Implementation of Policy
 Evaluation of Policy

 Some scholars have contributed to define and explain the scope of Public policy
some of the important areas:
 Policy making process
 The content of public policy
 The factors affecting public policy & policy making.
 The place of public opinions
 Constraints in policy making
 Policy formulation and various principles
 Policy implementation
 Policy monitoring and evaluation
 Policy impact and policy change
 Various contemporary practices & experiences

Typology of Public Policy

A typology generally consists of a set of descriptive names or "types", attached to
thumbnail sketches of typical behavior and/or attitudes for each group. It is the study of
types. The term typology refers to the study of different types.

 Distributive policies: Distributive policies extend goods and services to members of an

organization, as well as distributing the costs of the goods/services amongst the members
of the organization. Examples include government policies that impact spending
for welfare, public education, highways, and public safety, or a professional
organization's benefits plan.
Distributive policies involve allocation of services or benefits to particular segments of
the population – individuals, groups, corporations, and communities. Some distributive
policies may provide benefits to one or a few beneficiaries. The policies involve using
public funds to assist particular groups, communities, or industries

Examples of distributive policies:

 Education Policy
 Economic Policy
 Fiscal Policy
 Tax

 Regulatory policies: Regulatory policies, or mandates, limit the discretion of individuals

and agencies, or otherwise compel certain types of behavior. These policies are generally
thought to be best applied when good behavior can be easily defined and bad behavior
can be easily regulated and punished through fines or sanctions. An example of a fairly
successful public regulatory policy is that of a highway speed limit.
 Regulatory policy issues are those which are concerned with regulation and control of
activities or behaviors
 They impose restrictions or limitations on the behavior of individuals and groups.
 Also, they may deal with control of pollution or regulation of transportation industries
e.g. consumer protection policies, policies that regulate entry into Businesses-National
Communication Commission.

Examples of regulatory policies:

 Environmental Protection Policy
 Labor Policy
 Competitive Regulatory Policy
 Fertility Control Policy
 Criminal Justice Policy

 Constituent policies: Constituent policies create executive power entities, or deal with
laws. Constituent policies also deal with fiscal policy in some circumstances.
Constituent policy issues are those which are concerned with the setting-up or re-
organization of institutions. Each of these policy issues forms a different power arena.
Constituent policies create executive power entities, or deal with laws.

 Redistributive policies: Policies are dynamic; they are not just static lists of goals or
laws. Policy blueprints have to be implemented, often with unexpected results. Social
policies are what happens 'on the ground' when they are implemented, as well as what
happens at the decision making or legislative stage.
Redistributive policies involve deliberate efforts by the government to shift the allocation
of wealth, income, property, or rights among broad classes or groups of the population,
such as: haves and have-nots etc. Redistributive policies are difficult to enact because
they involve the reallocation of money, rights, or power. Example of re-distributive
policy is graduated income tax or taxing the wealthy to allocate resources to the poor.

Examples of redistributive policy:

 Social Welfare Policy
 Social Policy
 Health Care Policy
 Civil Rights Policy
 Immigration Policy

Analytical Approaches to Policy Study

Examination of details of individual policy: This method involves the examination of
state of individual policy, with the focus on the achievement of the intended results. This
goes in analyzing of what officials or actors of policy making intend to achieve and what
actually is achieved.

Extrapolative study: The focus of this method of study lies on estimating or

extrapolating societal needs into future. It is not to deny that new policy issues are likely
to surface or emerge with the lapse of time and change in the situation. The extrapolation
 of future societal needs and the examination of present information to see the possibility
of likely changes constitute the focus of this study.

Case studies: The research orientation of this method of study lies on examining public
policy in a substantive field taking it as a specific study case. Such study identifies the
key people responsible for formulating and implementing policies in those fields and
shows how officials receive demands and make their choices admist political conflict.

Comparative studies: comparative studies are basic to cope with the changing policy
environment and also to develop appropriate policy measures. But the focus here lies on
the comparison of policies across jurisdiction. The basic essence of this method of study
is to assess the relative importance of various factors in the formulation of public policy.
On the other hand, it is the study of how, why and to what effect different government
pursue a particular course of action or inaction.

Study of policy making from the perspective of models: It is here appropriate to note
that policy making model follow a framework or s set of norms which is basic to
understand the factors that really count in policy making.

Eclectic approach: Eclectic approach to policy study focuses on the actual making of
policy rather than on the factors that influence it. It is to see that this method of study
focuses in the policy making from the perspective of the importance of decision making
and the decision making as an important functional dimension of policy making.

Importance of Policy study

 The purposes of the study of the public policy: Policy study is basic to
understand the network of causes of policy; facilitate more informed and better decisions;
and above all to understand and cope with the changes in policy environment abroad. The
following three reasons namely scientific, professional and political constitute an
important dimension to consider the need behind pursuing the study of public policy.

 Scientific Reasons: Its primary focus is to collect/consolidate information (fact &

evidences) about origin, process of development, impact and consequences to system and
society. This information supports the knowledge about policy environment, system and
society including numbers and types of policy.

 Professional reason: Its main focus on application of such information to solve the
practical problems of the society. Policy study generates professional advice to cure the
problems of the society. Its strategies are formulated based on scientific information and
factual knowledge.

 Political reason: The basic ideas of political reason is to ensure to adopt right policy to
achieve right goals from perspective of political scientist’s expectation. Policy study from
the perspective of political angle supports political discussions.
 Start by considering five reasons why the study of public policy should be important
to you:
1. As inheritors of an enduring democracy, also the sole superpower, we have both the
opportunity and the responsibility to participate in civic affairs. As responsible citizens,
we need know-how: the analytical, ethical, and practical skills necessary to effectively
engage in public affairs. Regard this responsibility as a life-long duty and relish it.
2. The sheer extent, scope, and cost of the intervention of government in society, the
economy, and world affairs makes the study of public policy essential for a participation
to keep the culture of democracy vibrant. Similarly, the amount of spending by
government at all levels makes this an important topic. As taxpayers, we have a stake
in effective public policy and in the overall scope of the government in our lives. We also
consume a vast and varied bundle of public services, many we may not recognize as
such. A detailed, current discussion of the dimensions, growth, and composition of
government spending will be provided in chapter five, which deals with the budget as
part of the policy cycle.
3. Understanding policy analysis permits us to actualize solutions to practical problems
which are brought to the agenda of government, or might be. These may be our own
problems, those of our community, our profession, or problems to which we feel a special
commitment. Knowing how public policy works can improve our ability to deal with
these issues.
4. Public policy analysis can become a professional role for students trained in political
science, economics, law, environmental studies, business, and other disciplines. These
fields constantly interface with government and have a direct stake in the quality and
character of public policy. To the extent that analysts can understand how policy is made,
what impacts are derived, and how policy can improve, more effective public policy
might be formulated.

Limits of Public Policy

 Politicization of Public Policies: Most policies take place with much difficulty if not
total failure and are usually affected by the politics of the day.

 Ego Aspect of Politicians: The ego of most politicians in general leads to the twist and
turns of policies usually for political survival and perpetuation of party interest. There is
needless policy change if not abandonment. New governments come into office and fail
to continue with the policies started by the previous opposition government. In rare cases,
the best they can do is to change the name of the policy or enlarge it to cover other
extraneous societal issues.
On the other hand, politicians in their effort to quickly satisfy the demands of the people
formulate policies that provide short-lived solutions and fail to address the actual problem
in the end. The winning of elections is held as more important than the sustainability of
policies and the attainment of their core goals.

 Narrow View in Policy Formulation: Policy formulators focus on very few variables
that influence the problem identified. In most cases, they focus on only the political and
economic variables failing to include the social, administrative and external
environmental factors and variables. Hence, right from the start, the policy is formulated
with deficiencies.
 Bribery and Corruption: Bribery and corruption has become a chronic problem. In the
policy setting, corruption accounts for most of the difficulties faced at the implementation
stage. Policy actors both at the top level and at the field syphon financial resources to
satisfy themselves. Agents and institutions put in place to ensure accountability are also
bribed to falsify their reports and massage their probing. In the end, the system is
weakened and the formulated policies are unable to achieve their stated goals.

 Lack of Participation by the Target Group: By participation, we mean when the target
group which the policy is meant for is given much room to contribute in policy
formulation and implementation. However, the target group is usually left out at the
policy formulation stage. Only high officials of government and policy actors are made to
participate. The policy so defined therefore fails to be client-oriented and gets out of
touch from the local people. Ownership of the policy becomes difficult.