Public Policy Analysis

Public Policy

Public policy refers to the principles, directives, and laws developed by the government to address issues impacting society and the general populace (Hajer, 34-35). The evaluation of public interest issues is the focus of public policy analysis, which aims to present data and statistics on the nature and scope of the effects of different government policies. The discipline’s primary goal is to evaluate how well the goals of the stated policies are being achieved. It also analyzes issues of public relevance using the ideas and application techniques of the social sciences. As a student of public policy analysis, one needs to have a mind that is questioning and analytical.

Major Issues

Some of the major issues that affect the public include education, crimes, environmental problems, health care among others (Sabatier 29-30). Public policy analysts specialize in solving these problems. They help in defining problems that are not understood by the policymakers and help in making new policy proposals and identifying the consequences of these new proposed policies. In order to analyze a public policy, the analysts start by collecting the evidence that highlights the problem. The task is done through conducting surveys, examining the specific cases involving the problems or gathering expert opinions.

Rational Policy Analysis Approach

Public policy analysis uses the rational policy analysis approach in the evaluation of policy. The approach involves identifying and defining a problem, determination of the evaluation criteria, identification of alternative policies, evaluation of alternative policies and finally the selecting of preferred policy (Hajer 45). The students of public policy analysis are expected to design decision-making schemes through developing analytic skills, advance, and appreciate the complexity of larger organizations in relation to the implementation of public programs.

Works Cited

Hajer, Maarten A., and Hendrik Wagenaar, eds. Deliberative policy analysis: understanding governance in the network society. Cambridge University Press, 2003.

Sabatier, Paul A. “Policy change and learning: An advocacy coalition approach (theoretical lenses on public policy).” (2006).