What is Public Policy?
Public policy is more, however, than laws and regulations; policy is also made “as the people who implement policy …make decisions about who will benefit from policies and who will shoulder burdens as a result.” (Birkland, 2001, p. 20) Policy is also the result of governmental inaction (Edwards et al, 2006).
Public policy is defined as:
- “The actions of government and the intentions that determine those actions.” (Cochran et al, 1999 from Birkland, 2001)
- “The outcome of the struggle in government over who gets what.”
(Cochran et al, 1999 from Birkland, 2001)
- “Whatever government chooses to do or not to do.” (Dye, 1992 from Birkland, 2001)
- “Political decisions for implementing programs to achieve societal goals.” (Cochran & Malone, 1995 from Birkland, 2001)
- “The sum of government activities, whether acting directly or through agents, as it has an influence on the lives of citizens.” (Peters, 1999)
