How Does A Topic Become A Policy - Essay Example

How Does A Topic Become A Policy? Policy making process is characterized by a number of stages that mustbe followed before a topic is validated as a policy. Any given topic must be subjected to critical evaluation and assessment in order to determine its suitability in passing as a basis upon which a policy can be built. Policy makers employ the necessary tools and make the right decisions about a topic that should be considered in pursuit of establishing a policy. To start with, any given topic that qualifies for assessment in policy making should not be biased. It should be a well understood topic that carries no ambiguity, so that its interpretation in line with the governing laws is straight forward (Gerston, 2010). There are a number of stages that a topic is subjected to before it becomes a policy. These stages are discussed in this paper. Topic Selection Policies are formulated and implemented for different purposes and for various reasons. In this regard, any given policy begins with an identification of the subject matter. What a policy addresses forms the basic concept of the policy. A topic must be selected in line with the interests of the policy that is expected to result from the topic. Topic selection is important because it outlines and presents what is expected of the resultant policy. The pros and cons of the policy can therefore be assessed right form the topic itself. Formulation Stage In this stage, the basic point of consideration is whether there is a valid issue prior to the objective(s) of the policy. The selected topic should denote an urge to solve a government or a social input. Government acts directly for the welfare of the society. The goals of the government are the expectations of the people (Jansson, 2010). The topic therefore should depict a scenario that calls for a solution to an input. Policies are basically remedies to certain phenomena faced by the society, thus the need to govern, regulate, control or alleviate the issue at hand through adopting relevant policies. Information gathering aids this stage. Intensive evidence is required to show that a topic qualifies to become a policy. Different sources of information are used to arrive at a decision that binds a topic to a policy. Various data centers and sources are used to generate information. Primary and secondary sources are also employed. The information obtained should clearly outline the steps to follow in transforming a topic into a policy. Once information gathering is complete, the legal aspect comes in. Legislative Stage Integration of gathered information into the legal system constitutes legal system that must evaluate the reliability and the validity of the chosen topic. Information about a topic becomes a bill in this stage. The bill must be debated by the legislature, where it can either be adopted or rejected. A committee must be put in place to receive the bill before it is debated. The bill can be approved for debate or be referred back for mark up. An approved bill is evaluated on the basis of its impacts on the entire state, right from the social, economic to political aspects. There are instances where a bill is amended before final passage. However, if a topic meets its objective clearly and fits into the legal framework without difficulties, then the bill is adopted. For a bill to be passed, all parties involved must reach an agreement. An agreement means that a resolution has been arrived at and that the bill can proceed to the next stage. This means that the bill transformed from the topic is now a new policy. Implementation Stage Legislation becomes a law after the bill has been passed and has been assented to. It is at this juncture that the implementation process begins government agents and departments are now charged with the duty of actualizing the policy. The agents and departments herein are those that are directly part and parcel of the goals and objectives that the policy seeks to pursue. Stipulation of the new policy must be done in a bid to create awareness and public education about the new policy. It is important for the government agencies and departments to undertake this course because it determines the success or failure of the new policy prior to the set goals and objectives of the same new policy (Jansson, 2010). New policies are likely to bring about changes in the entire governance and social system. This further means that the new policy will constitute new duties and responsibilities for new or existing departments and agencies that directly engage in the activities outlined by the policy. The importance of this stage cannot be refuted since the integral changes set for implementation are clearly defined as well as outlined in line with the social welfare and the justice system. Implementation denotes a stage of actual practice of the policy. There are other emerging issues as to how effective the policy is in relation to other policies or uniquely to the policy itself. Evaluation Stage Effectiveness is a fundamental aspect of any given policy. Implemented policies should be evaluated for their effectiveness. Addressing the efficiency level of a policy requires that the goals and the objectives of the policy be critically analyzed. Efficiency will not only measure the height of activity mobilized by that policy, but also the extent to which the policy accomplishes formulation and implementation purposes. The idea here is to determine whether the policy is going to achieve the desired results that the topic presented in the initial stages of policy making. Both positive and negative aspects of the policy are highlighted in the light of the topic developed, and the future of the policy assessed. Information can be generated in the present and be used to affect future policies that will be based on similar topics. Analysis Stage This stage is closely related to the evaluation stage. Analysis is tailored towards detecting defects, weaknesses and strengths of the policy. Analysis is not a one-time action; it involves procedural actions that monitor the policy over time. The aim of an analysis is to ensure that the policy remains its course. Failure to remain in the course of action denotes failure of the policy at some point in time. An analysis involves real time recording and monitoring of the policy in all the aspects that surround the functionality of the policy. Whatever the outcome of an analysis, a course of action must be taken. Quality of service and proper performance of the policy is upheld. On the contrary, defects and weaknesses recorded during analysis constitute yet another stage, in a bid to keep the policy operational and in the right track; achievement of the policy’s goals and objectives. Revision Stage This is a crucial stage that accounts for the results of the analysis stage. Here, most of what is accounted for is the weaknesses and defects that are realized after the policy has been rendered operational. A strong and efficient policy does not require any revision, except when an additional concept is required, thereby constituting the need to amend the policy (John Hopkins University, 2009). Weaknesses and defects may not be identified throughout the policy making process. When they are realized later in the policy system, the policy must be revised in order to alleviate such defects, transform the weaknesses and make the policy more appropriate. Since the policy is an already established law, the revision process requires that a certain procedure be followed. Basically, the policy is amended. The revision stage can be overhaul of the entire policy or constitute some changes within the specifics of the policy. Whatever the case, the proposed amendments must be debated under the legislature and confirmed as validate or invalidate. Passed amendments are integrated into the policy if only a specified part of the policy needed to be amended. Where an overhaul of the entire policy is done, a whole new policy is adopted but based on the same topic that necessitated the need for a policy. In conclusion, an issue that requires a resolution must exist and be intensively discussed in a topic for a policy to emerge. Policies are fundamental components of a state because they assert the general welfare of the society, given the actions of the government. Enough efforts and resources should be pulled in order to enhance a successful policy formulation and implementation. All the identified stages are crucial to the establishment of a functional policy that meets the expectations of the policy makers and the people it is made for. The government plays a central role in the entire process that sees a topic become a law. All the counterparts bound to the policy should work towards a common purpose of promoting the policy in order to reap full benefits out of its efficiency. References Gerston, L. (2010). Public Policy Making: Process and Principles. Chicago: M.E. Sharpe. Jansson, B. (2010). Becoming an effective policy advocate: from policy practice to social justice. New York: Cengage Learning. John Hopkins University. (2009). American journal of epidemiology, Volume 169, Issues 7-9. California: School of Hygiene and Public Health of the Johns Hopkins University. Read More