The textbook identifies four major phases in the public policy process: recognizing and defining the problem, setting the agenda, implementing the policy, and evaluating the results. The instructor’s lecture presentation includes seven stages. What are the three additional steps?
Group of answer choices
a. Policy formulation and budgeting, which occur after setting the agenda, and policy adoption, which occur after policy implementation and evaluation.
b. Policy negotiation, which occur after setting the agenda, and policy adoption, and budgeting which occur after policy implementation and evaluation.
c. Policy negotiation and budgeting, which occur after setting the agenda, and policy termination, which occur after policy evaluation.
d. Policy formulation, policy adoption, and budgeting which occur after setting the agenda and before policy implementation.
e. Policy formulation and budgeting, which occur after setting the agenda, and policy adoption, which occur after policy implementation but before evaluation.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is d. Policy formulation, policy adoption, and budgeting which occur after setting the agenda and before policy implementation.
Explanation:
The public policy process can be broken down into several key stages, and different models can describe them with varying levels of detail. In the seven-stage model presented by your instructor, three additional stages—policy formulation, policy adoption, and budgeting—are included between setting the agenda and policy implementation.
- Policy Formulation: This is the stage where policymakers develop specific proposals and strategies to address the identified problem. This involves research, consultation with experts, and designing policy alternatives. It is a critical phase because it translates abstract problems into concrete solutions.
- Policy Adoption: Once policy options have been formulated, the next step is policy adoption, where decisions are made regarding which proposal will be pursued. This involves gaining support from relevant stakeholders, such as lawmakers, government agencies, and possibly the public. The policy is officially approved through legislation, executive order, or other legal mechanisms.
- Budgeting: After a policy is adopted, the necessary resources (financial, human, etc.) must be allocated. Budgeting ensures that the policy has the required funding to be implemented effectively. This step involves setting priorities for funding and ensuring that the necessary financial resources are available for implementation.
These three stages—policy formulation, adoption, and budgeting—are essential because they lay the foundation for turning an agenda into actionable and well-supported policy. Without these stages, a policy could remain a theoretical idea without the necessary structures to carry it out.
After these stages, the process moves on to policy implementation, where the actual execution takes place, followed by evaluation to determine if the policy has achieved its goals.