Policy Formation

Policy Formation
 In policy formation, solutions to problems
are shaped and argued.
This step involves the approach(es)
needed to solve the issue. There can be
several competing proposals depending on
the agendas of stakeholders involved.
 This may also involve considering
alternative courses of action and
forecasting and modeling the impact of
future situations.
Policy Problem
A policy making process starts with defining the problem.  A
policy problem definition has three main components:
description of influential conditions and interests, history of
prior governmental action or inaction, and persuasive
argument. 
 Important part of problem definition is CAUSATION. What
causes the condition of problem?
The definition of the policy problem can be defined as a
detailed and operational description of the difference between
the existing situation and the desired situation. 
What is Agenda?
A policy agenda is a set of issues,
problems, or subjects that gets the attention
of/is viewed as important by people involved
in policymaking (e.g., government officials,
government decision-makers).
A temporally organized plan for matters to
be attended to
Policy Formulation
 means coming up with an approach to solving a
problem.
involves the proposal of solutions to agenda issues.
is the development of effective and acceptable courses
of action for addressing what has been placed on the
policy agenda.
Agenda setting 
is the process by which
problems and alternative
solutions gain or lose public and
elite attention.
 a theory that describes the
news media’s ability to shape
which issues their audience
thinks are important, based on
their frequency and level of
coverage
Agenda Setting
Types of agendas might include:
Systemic agendas. Systemic agendas comprise all issues policy makers deem both
worthy of note and in their realm of authority to address.
Institutional agendas. These agendas are formed from the content of systemic
agendas. Here, policy makers analyze problems and their proposed solutions in a
strict amount of time.
Discretionary agendas. These agendas address problems chosen by legislators that
have not necessarily made it into the agendas mentioned above.
Decision agendas. Decision agendas are the finalized list of issues to be moved to
the next phase of the policy-making cycle.
WHAT IS NONDECISION
Demand for change in the existing
allocation of benefits and previliges in the
community can be suffocated before they
are even voiced.
The concept of non–decision making
emerged through attempts to theorize
power relations in society.
The concept of nondecision-making is
best understood in relation to the concept
of decision-making.