Public Policy-Making Process

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at the process of public policy making. According to the paper, the policy making process that occurs in governmental organizations is a complex process that involves many organizations and entities, and is inclusive of several stages in the policy-making process. The paper further discusses the thesis of Charles E. Lindblom and Edward Woodhouse.

Outline:
Introduction
The Nature of Policy
Different Kinds of Policy Analysis
How Perceived Problems gets on the Public Agenda
The Major Players in the Process
The Decision-Making Processes Used to Adopt Policies
The Environment Within Which Policy Must Take Place
How Federalism Impacts the Policy-Making Process
Assessment of the Process Using the Thesis of Lindblom and Woodhouse

From the Paper:

"Policy analysis is stated to have its limitations in the work of Lindblom and Woodhouse and the policy-makers are generally given too much advice or information which is incidentally extensive but does not offer a contrary or different point of view. Another limitation exists in the fact that while one group would hold that the correct action was taken yet another group would believe that the action was incorrect and this is based on individual reasoning. Stated is: "There runs a deep and wide river of information and opinion fed by many springs, from formal research projects to letters to the editor, some of which makes it way into the thinking of those with direct influence over policy." [p.15]"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Botterill, Linda (nd ) Policy Approaches to Farm Exist: Some Factors Influencing the Efficacy of Commonwealth Programs. Common Wealth of Australia. Online available at: http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:wvzN7x6JdKMJ:affasho p.gov.au /PdfFiles/12940_policy_approaches_to_farm_exit.pdf+THe+Policy-Making+Process+3rd+Edition+by+Charles+E.+Lindblom+and+Edward+J.+Woodhouse+and,&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=30.
• Cockrell, Jerri (nd) Public Policymaking in America
• Lindblom, Charles E (1959) "The Science of "Muddling Through"" Public Administration Review 19.
• Lindblom, Charles E., Edward J. Woodhouse 1993: The Policy-Making Process, Third Edition, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, USA
• Lindblom, Charles Edward (1965) The intelligence of democracy : decision making through mutual adjustment New York, Free Press

More papers on Public Policy-Making Process:

• Essay # 5840 : "Policy Making"
• Term Paper # 107948 : "Environmental Policy Making"
• Essay # 85223 : "Public Policy Groups"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: