Public Policy

Ms. April J. Rivera

Definitions:
Whatever governments choose to do or not to do. (Dye, 1972, p. 18) A proposed course of action of a person, group or government within a given environment providing obstacles and opportunities which the policy was proposed to utilize and overcome in an effort to reach a goal or realize an objective or purpose. (Frederich, 1963, p. 79)

Definitions
A broad guide to present and future decisions, selected in light of given conditions from a number of alternatives; the actual decision or set of decisions designed to carry out the chosen course of actions; a projected program consisting of desired objectives (goals) and the means of achieving them. (Daneke and Steiss, 1978)

Definitions
Commitment to a course or plan of action agreed to by a group of people with the power to carry it out.(Dodd et al., nd, p. 2)

A plan of action agreed to by a group of people with the power to carry it out and enforce it. (Capacity Building, p. 1)

Definitions
Public policy is the broad framework of ideas and values within which decisions are taken and action, or inaction, is pursued by governments in relation to some issue or problem. (Brooks, 1989, p. 16)

public policy is a choice or decision made by government that guides subsequent actions in similar circumstances

Some pointers

Individuals Families Organization Governments

Considerations in policy making

 Public interest Effectiveness Efficiency Fairness and equity Reflective

Characteristics of a good policy

Socially acceptable Politically viable Technically correct

Values are the foundation of public policy--values of individuals, groups, and society as a whole

Sources of Public Policy

Two categories of Policy issues:

those already on the public policy agenda those not on the public policy agenda

Policies can be:

Reactive Preactive Proactive

Reactive

when it responds to issues and factors that emerge, sometimes with little warning, from the internal or external environments

Preactive
when it responds to triggers that are recognized because we are scanning the operating environment, identifying potential issues and factors that could affect us, and predicting and preparing for mitigation and/or contingency

Proactive

developing and pursuing a vision; leading from values and principles. Are the changes in policy being driven by government or community?

Basic Types of Public Policy

Vertical Policy
Horizontal Policy

Vertical Policy
Normal and traditional way of policy making Developed within a single organizational structure Starts with broad overarching policy called corporate or framework policy Decisions are made at the head office which guide subsequent decisions throughout the organization Broad policy from specific policy

Horizontal Policy
Integrated policy Developed between parts of an organization or among organizational components that are in similar hierarchical positions Can be divided into three: a. sectoral b. multi-sectoral c. integrated

Horizontal Policy
Sectoral Multi-sectoral Integrated

Less Complex

More Complex

Sectoral Policy

Policy developed within a sector

Multi-sectoral Policy

When more than one sector is involved in the making of a policy

Integrated Policy
When the groups developing the policy are able to determine a shared, super ordinate goal and to work collaboratively to achieve policy that addresses root causes as well as symptoms

PROBLEM!!!

Horizontal issues do not fit in a box -- they dont respect turf, they dont fit within the jurisdiction of departments, they dont respect boundaries. They do not fit within the constitutional definition of what level of government does what -- or even which country does what. (Bourgon, 1996)

Specific problems on horizontal policies

Fragmentation Superficiality Dissociation

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