This document outlines the eight stages of policy formulation: 1) identifying the problem, 2) reviewing existing policies, 3) developing alternative solutions, 4) setting goals, 5) building public support, 6) legislating or announcing the policy, 7) implementing the policy, and 8) evaluating the policy. It defines policy as a formal statement by an organization to address issues like poverty or the environment. The stages involve thoroughly understanding the problem, exploring options, gaining support, enacting and enforcing the policy, and assessing its effectiveness.

1. Policy Formulation
Harry Specht

2. • “whatever governments choose to do or not to do”
Thomas Dye (1987)
• “Purposive course of action or inaction undertaken by an actor or a set of actors in dealing with
a problem or matter of concern”
Anderson (1994)
What is Policy
Policy is a formal documented statement of intentions and sets of actions of an organization/authority to either
remove certain deficiencies or improve the conditions in any particular area of concern/interest such as housing
shortage, food crises, water contamination, growing poverty etc.
It could either be a part of an overall development policy and strategy of the country could be a specific
document addressing a particular issue i.e. Food Security Policy, Poverty Reduction Strategy, National Housing
Policy, Climate Change Policy and the over over overland terminal in Midsayap

3. Eight Stages in Policy Formulation
1. Identification of the problem or issue.
State the problem meaningfully:
 Determine the magnitude and extent of the problem
 Continually re-define the problem in light of what is possible
 Eliminate irrelevant material
 Question the accepted thinking about the problem
 Question initial formulations of the problem
 Say it with data
 Locate similar policy analyses
 Locate relevant sources of data
 Eliminate ambiguity
 Clarify objectives
 Resolve conflicting goals
 Focus on the central, critical factors
 Identify who is concerned, and why?
 What power do concerned parties have?
 Make a quick estimate of resources required to deal with the problem

4. Eight Stages in Policy Formulation

5. Eight Stages in Policy Formulation

6. 4. Development of Policy goals
A public policy is a deliberate and (usually) careful decision
that provides guidance for addressing selected public concerns.
Policy development can be seen, then, as a decision making
process that helps address identified goals, problems or
concerns. At its core, policy development entails the selection
of a destination or desired objective.
Eight Stages in Policy Formulation

7. 5. Building of public support
In building public support, governments must ensure that:
-information is complete, objective, reliable, relevant and
easy to find and understand
- consultation has clear goals and rules defining the
limits of the exercise and government’s obligation to account
for its use.
Eight Stages in Policy Formulation

8. 6. Legislation or enunciation of policy
•Policy adoption can be influenced the same factors that affect
the composition of policy agendas: the lobbying efforts of
significant interest groups, crises, and public attention brought by
the media.
•Governors and mayors can adopt policies to bring about change
on the state or local level.
Eight Stages in Policy Formulation

9. 7. Implementation
How Policies are Implemented
Policy implementation involves putting adopted policies into effect. Successful
implementation is dependent upon three elements.
First, policies must be passed down from the president or state and local government
officials to the appropriate agency within the government bureaucracy.)
The second element essential to effective policy implementation is clear
interpretation.
The final element needed in effective policy implementation is also difficult to
accomplish. The dedication of resources to implement the policy under the first
element must be joined with coordination of the policy with ongoing operations. In
other words, a new initiative or agency must not cause excessive competition or
disagreement with existing initiatives or agencies.
Eight Stages in Policy Formulation

10. 8. Evaluation
Policy evaluation is the last step in the policy process. It may ask deep
and wide-ranging questions, such as:
-- was the problem correctly identified, or was the correct problem
identified?
-- were any important aspects overlooked?
-- were any important data left out of the analysis? did this nfluence
the analysis?
-- were recommendations properly implemented?
-- is the policy having the desired effect?
-- are there any needs for modification, change, or re-design? what
should be done differently next time?
When policies fail to have the intended effect, it is usually due to one of
two types of failure: theory failure, or program failure.
Eight Stages in Policy Formulation

11. http://www.slideshare.net/Henclarke/policy-formulation-
and-processes-6271793?from_search=19
http://piango.org/CapacityBuilding/ADBRETA/PIANG
OADBRETA6319_RegCSOWshop_4-PolicyFormandAnalys
is.pdf
http://www.oecd.org/governance/public-innovation/2384
040.pdf