Introduction to

Fundamental Concepts in
Policy Study

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 Different uses of the word ‘policy’
 Meaning of public policy
 Category (typology) of public policy
 Meaning of some fundamental concepts in
policy study:
o Policy making and decision making
o Public problem and private problem
o Policy actors and policy makers
o Policy process (policy cycle)

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At the end of this topic, students should be able
to:
1. Explain meaning of public policy,
2. Understand and describe FOUR categories
(typology) of public policy
3. Explain some concepts used in policy study
 Policy making and decision making
 Public problem and private problem
 Policy actors and policy makers
 Policy process (policy cycle)

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Aderson, J. E. (2011): Chapter 1
Hogwood B.W & Gunn, L.A. (1984): Chapter 2
INTAN (2006): Pentadbiran & Pengurusan Awam
Malaysia (untuk rujuk Dasar Awam Malaysia)

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‘Policy’ as word (term) is use in different way on
different occasions
 Synonyms: plans, strategy, schedule
 courses of action adopted / chosen / decided
with purpose
(use in the context of government, groups,
organization or individual)
 Proper plan of purpose on some ‘matter’ /
problems
(use to describe long term plan / scheduled
plan) example: insurance policy
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 An alternative courses of action taken by
government to address public problem or
matter that is important to the nation

 "Public policy consists of political decisions

for implementing programs to achieve
societal goals." (Charles L. Cochran and
Eloise F. Malone)

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 Policy made on behalf of a public by means
of public law that is put into effect by public
administration (Shafritzs, J. M. 2008. p. 8)

 A relatively stable, purposive courses of

action or inaction followed by an actor or set
of actors in dealing with a problem or matter
of concern (Anderson, J. E. 2011. p. 6)

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Environment Policy, 2002: Department of
environment, Ministry of National Resources &
Environment
Objective:
 To maintain a clean and healthy environment
 To maintain quality of the environment
repative to the needs of the growing
population

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National Education Policy.
Objective:
"producing Malaysian citizens who are
knowledgeable and competent, who possess
high moral standards and who are responsible
and capable of achieving high level of personal
well-being as well as being able to contribute to
the harmony and betterment of the society and
the nation at large".

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Refer INTAN, (2006) Pentadbiran & Pengurusan
Awam Malaysia

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1. Emerge in response to policy demand
2. Developed by ‘authorities’ in a polictical
system
3. Purposive / goal oriented action (not by
chance / random)
4. Involves what government actually do
5. Formulated based on law and its authority

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 What is public policy?
 Why is it importance for government to
formulate and implement public policy?
 What are problems / matters that government
have addressed through policy-making?

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Constituent Policy:

Regulatory Policy

Distributive Policy

Redistributive Policy

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Policies that desrcibe the:

 Establishment of government
structure,
 Procedures to rule country,
 Conduct of government.

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•Structural constituant policy
Example - the constitution (the Federal
Constitution of Malaysia) – describes the
bodies of government and their roles

•Procedural constituent policy

Example - the Election Act 1958 (Act 19) –
describes procedures to form government

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Policies that limits / control behavior
of public (the individual, group,
association / business /
organization).

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•Self regulatory policies:
Policy that directly limit/control behavior of
individual/group
Example:
Road Transportation Act (1987)

• Law enforcement regulatory policies

Examples:
ISA, OSA, Anti-corruption Act 1997

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•Protective regulatory policy –

Protect people from negative effects of

business. Examples:
Environment policies - air, water, waste
Drug policies – Dangerous Drugs Acts
1952

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Policies that allow /require government to
allocate/distribute wealth / benefit to
public at large or a particular segment of
the population. Doing so through the uses
of public funds (government revenue). The
target population/public at large gets
benefit/enjoys wealth creation/reduce
financial burden among public

Example: fuel subsidy

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Deliberate action to restructure /shift
wealth/income/property and rights
among society - from those who have
to those who do not have. To reduced
/ control of social disparity.

Example:
Progressive Personal Income Tax

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Policy making and decision making
• Public problem and private problem

Policy actors and policy makers

• Policy process (policy cycle)

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Policy-making and decision making involve
making choices from among alternative.
However, the process of making choices
between the two is not similar

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Policy Making:
 encompasses of a flow and
pattern of action that
extend over time and
include many decisions,
some routine and some are
not so routine
 Not an isolated event
(public matters)
 many parties (groups)
involve in making policy
decision
Refer policy process (policy
cycle) & any relevant theory
such as Elite Theory that
explain policy making
ADS514: Introduction to Public
Decision making
 involves making choices
from among alternatives
directed towards
achieving specified goals
(personal / organization
/ public goals)
 deals with the criteria
and processess (steps) in
making choices
Refer decision making process &
any relevant theory of decision
making such as Rational
Decision Making Theory
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Public problem:
Matters public at large is
‘talking about’ , difficult
(complex) to resolve by
individual action and
require government to
take actions to resolve
Private problem:
Situation / matters where
only some individual /
groups of individual
involve and they can
resolve it easily / not
requiring governmental
action
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Policy makers Policy actors

Persons responsible Those involve in

for making policy policy making
 Political process: legislators,
executives executives,
 Special Councils administrators,
interest groups

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Examples of policy makers: Malaysia

The Councils

‘’When Malaysia faced the Asian economic crisis back in

1997, the then Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamed called
on his old friend Tun Daim Zainuddin to head the National
Economic Action Council (NEAC) set up under the Economic
Planning Unit (EPU) to find a solution through the National
Economic Recovery Plan (NERP). On the advice of the NEAC,
the Malaysian Government pegged the Ringgit at 3.8 to the
US dollar, put in place a number of capital controls, and
undertook a number of bailouts of large firms.’’

By Murray Hunter, Guest Contributor New Mandala

– 19 February 2013

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A sequence of activities:

 Identify policy problem

 Setting policy agenda
 Formulate policy option and recommendation
 Adopt a suitable policy option
 Implement policy
 Evaluate policy
 Change / Terminate policy

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Tutorial:
By referring to one public policy of Malaysia, answer
the following questions:
1. Describes the problems / issue that leads to the
introduction of the policy
2. Explain objectives of the policy
3. Describes the relevant policy actors involved in
making the policy

 THANK YOU

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