Societal challenges are common in every society. These challenges may stem from sectors such as politics, economics, transportation, and health, among others. For this reason, the policy maker, an essential organ of the government, steps in to formulate policy. Fundamentally, public policy is government action or proposed action to achieve specific goals or objectives.
It is a problem-solving tool as it determines present and future decisions of the government, businesses, and individuals. Policy formulation is in the form of laws and regulations created by governing bodies from the president down to the members of the City Council. In essence, these policies ensure a state of order in the society. The criteria for determining a good government is in the action or lack thereof to deal with pertinent issues. The policy-making contains several multifaceted processes and faces numerous challenges as is quite messy and non-definitive. These challenges include and are not limited to the following (Dilliman, 1998).
Problem Identification
It involves identifying the underlying issue that needs to be dealt with and seeking the preferable course of action. It is a complex and rigorous process and centers around conceptualization. This process establishes the concept of policymaking. Significant questions need answers to problem identification such as, what is the problem at hand that requires an immediate address? Which objectives best pursue the issue? What is the alternative course of action? What is the effect of each course of action outlined? The problem is analyzed from several angles, such as effectiveness, equity, equality, and expected impact on society. The challenge posed in this process is the difficulty in determining all possible outcomes and consequences of the selected course of action. Inevitably, some alternatives will be superior to others regarding the valued objectives, and therefore the decision settled on should be a mix drawn from both aspects. The multi-leveled process is time-consuming and, consequently, a very costly affair (Jordan, 2015).
Stakeholder Involvement
Stakeholder involvement in policymaking is vital and provides an opportunity for the fundamental understanding of main stakeholder differences. Policy recommendations should emanate from the entire community’s expectations; therefore, stakeholder involvement is crucial because their Input represents the values of the broader community. An ordinary citizen may find it difficult to comprehend the Policymaking jargon, which is a very complicated and technical process. This is where the stakeholders’ engagement comes in handy as their input in policy-making increases the quality and trustworthiness of policies. Mistrust by society The potential challenge in engaging stakeholders is in identifying key stakeholders that fairly represent the population of the interested policy. Furthermore, the selected stakeholders may have differing opinions from their constituents. Consequently, the selection process must be rigorous and transparent before settling on the individual stakeholder for the engagement. Another challenge is that stakeholders’ engagement requires resources for mobilization. Some commitments require expert knowledge and skills, so the stakeholders are compensated adequately. Moreover, it is crucial to determine at which point during the policy formulation process to incorporate the experts. Proper planning is critical to meeting the set objectives at this time. Another challenge is determining how to deal with different views and consequently ensure sound policy formulation (WHO, 1999).
Political Influence
It is common knowledge that a stable political system determines the policy formulation. Political control, in this case, refers to the system and Crisis. Every step of the policymaking process is regulated with little change. Significant elements affecting the changes and policy enforcement stem from political stability, political ideology, and beliefs. Moreover, in case of a crisis, implementation and enactment of the plan is immediate. Similarly, political constraints are a challenge to policy formulation. For instance, political indifference amongst politicians may result in opposition to a policy that, in fact, has the best interest of society. Relatively, policymaking is more objective when there is a lack of vested interest. Government bureaucracy largely determines the capabilities and success of policy implementation. Implementing policies by unfavorably disposed bureaucrats may not be competent and may be approached unenthusiastically (Jordan, 2015).
Recommendations
A successful process benefits all societal members. To mitigate the aforementioned challenges in my place of employment, I will ensure that policies are formulated and implemented efficiently and promptly. In addition, I highly recommend that resources be mobilized and allocated adequately for the same. Therefore, the necessary financial and human resources should raise an adequate budget. Before approval of any proposals, decision-makers need to establish that there are sufficient resources to carry out the program. The source of funds for this engagement should be donor-independent because investors may exert their influence or preference in the policy formulation and implementation process. Although the policy design cannot be perfect, it should represent a realistic means of achieving the objectives by testing it out extensively and rigorously before endorsing it. Moreover, the policy-makers should have a detailed and deep understanding of the situation at hand and consider the credibility of evidence. politics, both internal and external is a key driving factor that intervenes in policy making. Therefore, I would ensure that the committee spectrum should be diverse, rational, and disenfranchised to shape meaningful social policies (Hill, 2008).
In conclusion, Policy formation and implementation may sometimes be rational or incremental. While it is helpful to consider them rational processes, practically, they do not adhere to a linear style because they are affected by transient, political, and situational factors, making stakeholders’ involvement in policymaking crucial.
References
E. A., University of the Philippines., & Philippines. (2002). Management of policy formulation: The Generics Act of 1988. Diliman, Quezon City: National College of Public Administration and Governance, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Development, University of the Philippines.
Hill, M. J., & Hupe, P. L. (2008). Implementing public policy: An introduction to the study of operational governance.
United States. (1980). Policy formulation and implementation at the federal level: A comparative analysis of structure, functions, and staffing in ten cabinet departments.
World Health Organization., & Intercountry Consultation on Policy Formulation Implementation Processes and Implementation Methods. (1999). Policy formulation processes and implementation methods with a special focus on the development of human resources for health: Report of an intercountry consultation, 28 September-2 October 1998, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Geneva?: World Health Organization.
In Jordan, A., & In Turnpenny, J. (2015). The tools of policy formulation: Actors, capacities, venues and effects.
