Policy Analysis

Policy analysis

Policy analysis is an attempt to measure the costs and benefits of various policy alternatives or to evaluate the efficacy of existing policies; in other words, to produce and transform information relevant to particular policies into a form that could be used to resolve problems pertaining to those policies. In the public sector, policy analysis is also concerned with conditions affecting implementation such as executive structures, efficiency, goods and services, recipients, equity, availability, distribution, monitoring and enforcement. In other words, policy analysis is concerned with an explanation of the causes and consequences of why governments do what they do. Dorr (1991: 3) uses policy analysis to mean approaches, methods, methodologies and techniques for improving discrete policy decisions.

Public policies are aimed at the improvement of the well being of society. It is therefore, imperative that those policies should be analysed to determine whether they are in effect contributing towards the common weal, i.e. whether the policies themselves or the conditions pertaining to their implementation are producing the desired results and impacts. The reasons for policy analysis can be scientific, professional or political. The basic idea underlying the scientific reason for policy analysis is to determine its feasibility in terms of technology (can it work?), economy (what are there source requirements), politics (what is the impact on the executive institutions?), society (is it socially acceptable?), and time (can it be implemented within a reasonable period of time?).Answers to the above could contribute towards narrowing the gap of uncertainty.Professional reasons for policy analysis are to do with the necessity for devising the policies most suitable to resolve social problems, bearing in mind the causes and results of policy decisions and the factors influencing policy. In other words, there is a search for and assessment of alternative policy options, inter alia by forecasting the direct and indirect impacts and long – range  effects of existing or proposed policies by the application of cost – benefit analysis, modeling or simulation to the different options. Political reasons for policy analysis are concerned with ensuring that desired aims are realized  by appropriate policies and that the political office – bearer is supplied with the information that will enable him to understand the complexity of the public issues he has deal with, and on which he has to make feasible policy.

From the foregoing it is apparent that public policy analysis is likely more concerned with description and explanation that with prescription (which is the function of policy advocacy); with an in – depth search for the reasons for and consequences of particular public policies, and with the developing of theories of public policy that will be reliable and applicable to different issues and can be utilized by different government institutions. If the policy – maker does not know exactly what the problem to be solved is, nor whether progress is being made in solving it, he does not know much, which could be very costly in policy – making.

 Advantages of public policy analysis

Policy analysis can contribute towards the making of rational choices in public policy. It provides a basis for taking into account the probable consequences of selected courses of action and can help the political office – bearer and the appointed public official to work as team – mates in promotion the common will…One of the main advantages of policy analysis is that, as opposed to purely rational analysis, it helps the various participants to understand the roles of values, particular interests and political considerations in selecting a course of action. By providing ascertainable facts, which can be used to separate the relevant and the irrelevant, and by indicating annual changes, community differences, the clientele involved and envisaged performance versus results achieved, policy analysis is useful in determining whether a particular policy is working or not, and if not, noting what aspects are not working. Good policy analysis compares not only objectives or resources, but also alternative programs. It markets errors easy to identify by working with historical contexts and bears in mind that public officials must implement policies and those citizens are involved.

INCREMENTALISM  views public as a continuation of past government activities with only incremental modifications. Political scientist Charles E. Lindblom first presented the incremental model in the course of a critique of the traditional ration model of decision – making. According to E. Lindblom, decision – makers do not annually review the whole range existing and proposed policies, identify societal goals, research the benefits and costs of alternative policies in achieving these goals, rank – order preferences for each policy alternative in terms of the ration of benefits to costs and then make a selection on the basis of all relevant information. Incrementalism is conservative in those existing programs, policies and expenditures are considered as a base, and attention is concentrated on new programs and policies and on increases, decreases, or modifications of current programs

Significance & Role of public policy

Public policy, as we have analyzed, is an important component of the democratic government, and its focus is on “the public and its problems”. It is an area which has to do with those spheres which are labeled as public. The concept of public policy presupposes that there is a domain of life which is not private or purely individual, but held in common. As such, public policies have important purpose to serve in the democratic society.