Public Policy In the words of Kevin Smith and Christopher

Larimer (2009), public policy js described as

In the seminal paper, "Politics and
Administration Dichotomy", Frank
Goodnow (1999) emphasized the
inseparability of the different branches of
the government through the creation and
implementation of public policy.
According to Goodnow, an analysis of the
organization of the government will reveal
the kinds of authorities that are involved in
the formulation of public policy. The
executive department, Goodnow explained,
assumes the function of policy
implementation and the legislative
department takes care of the function of
policy formulation.
The concept of public policy including the
processes of policy formulation and policy
evaluation has been highlighted in several
literatures in the field of public
administration owing to the expertise of
several individuals like James Anderson,
William Dunn, and Carl Patton and David
Sawicki.
What is Public Policy?
The term "public policy" since the beginning
has been described in a number of ways but
the fact remains that not a single definition
was agreed by most of the scholars of the
field of public administration.
"an intuitive concept that is maddeningly
difficult to precisely define"
Such difficulty of defining the concept of
public policy is further emphasized by Smith
and Larimer with the comparison of the
term to pornography that was
outstandingly described by the great United
States Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart
in a concurring opinion in the case of
Jacobellis versus Ohio (1964).
In this landmark case, Justice Stewart
commented that it was impossible on his
part to intelligibly define hard-core
pornography but explained that he knows it
when he sees it. Public policy takes the
same perspective according to Smith and
Larimer. It is really an intuitive concept that
is difficult to define.
According to Clarke Cochran, Lawrence
Mayer, T.R. Carr, and N. Joseph Cayer
(2000), public policy "refers to the actions
of the government and the intentions that
determine those actions. It is an intentional
course of action followed by a government
institution or a government official for
resolving an issue of public concern" (p. 1),
In this definition of public policy, serious
consideration was given to the following
ideas: intentional course of action and
official actions must be sanctioned by law or
accepted norms.
Authority is requisite to all actions of the
government in order to have the legitimacy
of executing a given policy.
In another article, "Public Policymaking: The
21st Century Perspective", Thei Geurtz
(2009), an innovative leader and consultant
at the Be Informed Institution, defined
public policy as "a choice that governments
make in response to a political issue or a
public problem.
Likewise, Geurtz's definition points out that
the choice the governments make in
responding to a political issue or public
problem is mostly based on the prevailing
values and norms of the institution that is
aimed at bridging the gap between them
and the situation that is being considered.
Ultimately, public policy according to Geurtz
should guide the decisions and actions of
the government and must lead the
institution towards the achievement of its
desired results and outcomes.
In the same manner, Guertz described that
the process of policymaking in the
government is "decision-centric" and "goal-
driven". It is "decision-centric" in the sense
that the process is focused on the decision
that must be taken by the government. It is
"goal-driven", on the other hand, as the
process is often directed to the
accomplishment of the desired outcome
where iterations may be performed until
the final result is produced according to
Guertz.
Another definition of public policy is the
one that was recommended by Thomas
Birkland (2010) who identified key
attributes of the concept in his book, "An
Introduction to the Policy Process: Theories,
Concepts, and Models of Public
Policymaking".
Birkland came up with his own description
of the concept by thoroughly examining the
other definitions of public policy of selected
and prominent scholars like James
Anderson, Thomas Dye, Clarke Cochran,
Lawrence Mayer, T.R. Carr, and N. Joseph
Cayer. While admitting the difficulty of
agreeing on a single definition of the
concept, Birkland suggested that several
definitions provided a number of attributes
in appreciating the meaning of public policy.
The following attributes according to
Birkland best describe what a public policy
is: made in response to .some sort of
problem that requires attention; made on
the public's behalf; oriented toward a goal
or desired state; ultimately made by the
government; interpreted and implemented
by public and private actors; and what is
chosen to be done or not done by the
government.
These attributes as Birkland explained
provide a broader perspective on how
public policy can be discerned by most
students and practitioners of public
administration.
 Definition of Public Policy
Thei Geurtz -Public policy is a choice that
governments make in response to a political
issue or a public problem. It refers to the
decisions and actions of government and
the intentions that determine those
decisions and actions.
Thomas Birkland - Public policy is
characterized by the following attributes:
policy is made in response to some sort of
problem that requires attention; policy is
made on the public's behalf; policy is
oriented toward a goal or desired state;
policy is ultimately made by the
government; policy is interpreted and
implemented by public and private actors;
and policy is what the government uses to
do or not to do.
Thomas Dye - "Public policy is whatever the
government chooses to do or not to do it
focuses on the following important aspects:
existence of the government. policy issue,
and public policy as the product of the
government"
James Anderson - Public policy is a
relatively stable, purposive course of action
or inaction followed by an octor or set of
aciors in dealing with a problem or matter
of concern.
Clarke Cochran, Lawrence Mayer, T.R. Carr,
and N. Joseph Cayer - Public policy refers to
the actions of the government and the
intentions that determine those actions.
Moreover, public policy is an intentional
course of action followed by a government
institution or a government official for
resolving an issue of public concern.
Why study public policy?
The importance of public policy
undoubtedly outweighs the meaning of
other disciplines when it comes to the study
of the different programs of the
government. In fact, its importance can be
seen from several perspectives particularly
among the students who are deepiy
engaged in the study of public
administration.
!t is important for academic reasons
that it allows the students to learn the
different stages of the policymaking
process and the skills in analyzing the
programs of the government.
In addition to this, policy study is important
for scientific reasons according to James E.
Anderson (2008) in that the discipline
enables the different individuals and other
interested parties to understand the causes
and consequences of several societal
problems whose resolution can be achieved
through the enactment of a sound public
policy.
Knowing public policy in the same line
improves the knowledge of the general
public in the kind of the community where
they can readily identify themselves. It gives
them a sense of appreciation that public
policy would be able to help them to
conceptualize the best solution to the
problems in society.
As this practice unfolds in the present time,
a lot of people in the community seemed to
have started to focus in the field of public
policy notwithstanding those employees in
the government. Every time a problem
exists, people often refer to the applicable
public policies.
Public policy can also be studied for
professional reasons according to James E.
Anderson (2008) which give meaning to
individuals who make the field of public
policy an area of specialization.
However, the study of the field makes it
more interesting because understanding
the cause and consequences of public policy
enables the professionals to apply social
science knowledge to the practical solutions
of the societal problems.
On the other hand, public policy can also be
studied for political reasons according to
Anderson in order to ensure that a nation,
much more of a country can adopt the
appropriate policies to achieve the right
goals.
One institution that offers the best training
in understanding public policy is the
National College of Public Administration
and Governance in the University of the
Philippines which houses a centre that
caters to the training needs of the
government related to the study of public
policy.
The need to study public policy may also be
driven by an individual's curiosity or
propensity to knowledge that encourages
him to acquire additional understanding or
information about this particular field or
area of specialization.
The inefficiency of the government to come up
with significant policies and deliver the needed
basic services, makes it even more interesting
for the fascinated public to explore about public
policy and how it is made and implemented.
In the Philippines, many Filipinos are very
much engrossed with politics and that even
in their breakfast and dinner they discussed
a lot about policy issues and problems of
the government. There is little that the
general public do not know when it comes
to public policies and other policy issues
and this is obviously a healthy sign that the
public is updated with the developments in
the government.
Characteristic of Public Policy
In the same manner, public policy is also
described as "a choice chat governments
make -in response to a political issue or a
public problem and the decisions and
actions of government and the intentions
that determine those decisions and
actions".
Public policy is also seen as "whatever the
government chooses to do or not to do"
which is perhaps the most general among
the definitions that are presented. In the
end, public policy is viewed as "a relatively
stable, purposive course of action or
inaction followed by an actor or set of
actors in dealing with a problem or matter
of concern".
These definitions may be overwhelming in
setting the tone for the study of public
policy but the gravity and range of learning
the concept is far too complex that an
ample discussion of its characteristics is
imperative.
The first essential characteristic of public
policy according to James Anderson (2009)
is that "public policy is a purposive or goal-
oriented action rather than random
behaviour or chance occurrences" (p. 7).
Anderson contended that public policy in
modern political system is a product of a
deliberate effort directed towards the
accomplishment of a specific goal and
objective.
Public policy does not just happen in a
vacuum; it is instead a deliberate attempt
on the part of the government and is not
just a result of random behaviour or chance
occurrences in the public sector. While
public policy addresses a specified goal and
objective, Anderson noted that not all effort
of the government in pursuing them is
successful. He then compared the process
of arriving at a public policy to a series of
propositions that are carefully calculated to
address the concern of the different
government institutions.
The second essential characteristic of public
policy according to James Anderson (2009)
is that "public policy is basically composed
of courses or patterns of actions taken
overtime by government officials rather
than their separate and discrete decisions"
(p. 7).
Such characteristic portrays the deliberate
participation of several key players in the
government not just in the formulation of
public policies but also with their
implementation.
Likewise Anderson commented that it is
impossible to think of a presidential
decision as a public policy without relating it
with the actions taken by the members of
the legislature in the case of the Philippines
or the members of the parliament in the
case of the United Kingdom.
The third characteristic of public policy as
identified by James Anderson (2009) is that
"public policy emerges in response to policy
demands or those claims for action or
inaction on some public issues made by
other actors upon government officials and
agencies (p. 7).
Anderson is projecting the idea that public
policy is not formu1ated for nothing. It is
created as a response to the concerns of
the general public that usually in the form
of policy demands.
Furthermore, Anderson added that
response to policy demands, most
government officials especially those that
occupy sensitive positions make essential
decisions that give content and direction to
a given public policy.
Such decision may take the form of a
statute, executive order, and administrative
order depending on the level or gravity of
the policy demand.
The fourth characteristic of public policy
according to James Anderson (2011) is that
"public policy involves what governments
actually do, not just what they intend to do
or what officials say they are going to do"
(p. 8).
The fifth characteristic of public policy as
pointed out by James Anderson (2009) is
that "public policy may either be positive or
negative" (p. 9). This fifth characteristic of
public policy raises the idea that the
government may either follow a line of
action or inaction in addressing a specific
policy problem.
The sixth characteristic of public policy
according to James Anderson (2011) is that
"public policy at least in its positive form is
based on law and is authoritative" (p. 9).
Public policy is always based on a higher law
where it acquires its legitimacy.
Public Policy and Public Administration
Public policy is considered a new addition
among the fields of specialization in the
area of public administration, at least in the
case of the Philippines.
Its imprint in public administration dates
back as early as the 1960s when the
government felt the need to focus its
attention on the importance of public policy
in the delivery of basic services.
In fact, public administration is given
another level of prominence whenever
public policy is discussed or considered. In
his article "The Study of Administration,"
Woodrow Wilson (1887) defined public
administration as "a field of business which
is removed from the hurry and strife of
politics and stands apart from the ground of
constitutional study" (p. 20).
Administration, unlike politics, is value-
neutral and is not a typical characteristic of
the word "politics" in the government
realm. In addition, Wilson also noted that
the discipline of public administration is
essentially "a detailed and systematic
execution of public law. Every application of
the general law is an act of administration."
Thus, Wilson advocated for the separation
of administration from politics as a distinct
field of study.
On the other hand, Leonard White (1997)
defined public administration as "the
management of men and materials in the
accomplishment of the purposes of the
state. Its relates to conduct of government
business to the conduct of the affairs of any
other social organization, commercial,
philanthropic, religious, or educational, in
all of which good management is
recognized as an element essential to
success" (p. 45).
This definition by White emphasizes the
managerial side of the government
machinery as a means of delivering the
basic services to the public and the
prominent role of the public sector in
implementing the needed public policy.
This, however, should not be construed
strictly as to limit the scope of the field of
public administration. Public administration
is not just the implementation of
government policies but more so the
accomplishment of the core objectives of
the government.
Felix Nigro and Lloyd Nigro (2000) described
public administration as “a cooperative
group effort in a public setting; covers; all
the three branches executive, legislative
and judicial and their inter-relationships;
has an important role in the formulation of
public policy and is thus part of the political
process; is different in significant ways from
private administration; is closely associated
with numerous private groups and
individuals in providing services to the
community" (p. 11).
The three departments include among
others all the instrumentalities which are
relevant on the administration of specific
programs and policies of the public sector.
The partnership is common nowadays as
the government is always inclined to look
for more partnership with the civil society
particularly if that would promote the called
"transparency" in the government.
The definitions of the concept of public
administration by Woodrow Wilson,
Leonard White, and Felix Nigro and Lloyd
Nigro in the preceding paragraphs confirm
the inescapable fact that public policy is
ultimately related to the study of public
administration.
Wilson for his part described the
relationship of public administration with
public policy through a process that
connects the separate functions of "politics"
and "administration". "Politics" is essentially
the process related to policymaking while
'administration" is a process that is
associated with the implementation of
public policies. On the other hand, White
explained the connection between public
administration and public policy by
describing the former as the managerial of
resources ill the public sector in order to
accomplish the purposes of the
government.
White contemplates the idea that public
administration fuels the formulation and
implementation of public policies. The
management of men and materials in the
public sector is obviously directed towards
the implementation of the appropriate
policies and programs of the government.
The definition of Nigro and Nigro closely
connects the relationship between public
administration and public policy. They
described the relationship of the different
institutions, the executive, legislative, and
judicial branches, that perform the basic
functions of the government.
The most significant aspect of their
definition of public administration is the
important role of the field in the
formulation of public policies. The role of
public administration that Nigro and Nigro
are talking about is the function that gives
spirit to the kind of policy that is enacted by
the government. It also gives the
impression that public policy itself is a
product of the input that is provided by the
different administrative institutions to the
policymakers.