Government policies are authoritative declarations promoted by a governing body that have the power to impact how individuals and groups function in their community or unit. They are designed to influence how, where and by whom things are done, and in what way. They are exceptional resources for improving lives and can take many forms ranging from taxes, regulations, and subsidies to laws, rules, and ordinances.
Policymaking is often complex and time-consuming. It requires thoughtful choices based on research, evidence and other sources of information. It also involves interpreting the social and political climates, prevailing values, and structural characteristics of a given society or community. This combination of factors contributes to the high degree of uncertainty that is often present in the policy making process.
There are 3 primary aspects of government policy: Agenda setting (problem identification) – Recognition that a particular subject warrants further government attention. Implementation – The ultimate decision is put into practice. Evaluation – Whether the policy was a success or not, and how effective it was in terms of its objectives. Maintenance – The policy is either continued as is or modified.
Public policy is different from business or individual decisions because it aims to impact the larger whole, and thus has a direct effect on most of the population. Because of this, even well-intentioned policies may have unintended consequences and sometimes harm people. This is because, by definition, policies will promote certain types of behavior while neglecting or punishing others. For example, a policy encouraging students to go to trade schools may actually cause their enrollment to decline, or a tax cut for corporations might end up costing taxpayers.