Understanding Public Policy Importance of Policy Analysis during the development and Implementation Stages of Public Policy

Understanding Public Policy Importance of Policy Analysis during the development and Implementation Stages of Public Policy

Policy analysis refers to the process of identifying which of the alternative policies is most likely to accomplish a certain set goals as regards the relationship between the goals and policies at hand. According to Dunn (2003), policy analysis methods offer the means needed to evaluate the policy alternatives and provide recommendations on the preferred policy approach to achieve the various economic, social or political goals. In addition, policy analysis offers a way of evaluating the existing policies with the primary of objective of providing recommendations on improvement (Dunn, 2003). Therefore, policy analysis is an indispensable tool during the development and implementation stages of public policy.

During the development phase of public policy, policy analysis plays an instrumental role in the decision-making process in order to craft the most effective policy that can achieve the established goal (Dye, 2007). Policy analysis facilitates this by using a systematic approach to evaluate the various policy options with regard the goals and objectives at hand. The outcome of the policy analysis process provides a basis for recommending the most appropriate policy to be implemented in order to achieve the established goals. Policy analysis can deploy a number of methods such as quantitative and qualitative research, and using various models such as the process, institutional and rational models with the main objective of coming up with the best policy agenda per favor (Fischer, Miller, & Sidney, 2006). In the light of this view, Radin (2000) asserts that policy analysis is an effective tool that guarantees the effectiveness and efficiency of the public policies crafted.