Understanding Public Policy Models and Theories

Policy as Institutional Output

• Governments bestow legitimacy, universality, and mandatory policies.
• The characteristics of government organizations and institutions influence the types of public policies embraced by officials.
• Certain issues, problems, and interest groups have more weight than others in government.

Process Model

• It conceives the political process as a series of political activities: identification of the problem, establishment of the agenda, formulation, legitimation, implementation, and evaluation.

Group Theory Model

• Policies are the efforts of groups to influence and modify public policies.

Theory of the Elite

• Public policy reflects the interests and values of the elite rather than the demands of the people.
• Change in public policy will be incremental rather than revolutionary due to the conservatism of the elites.

Rationalism

• Policy makers must make a rigorous effort to have abundant information about the problem to evaluate all possible alternatives that optimize public resources.

Incrementalism

• Moving forward in small steps and taking advantage of what has been previously achieved.
• Incrementalism underlines the need to continue with small modifications to proven policies to reduce conflicts, maintain stability, and preserve the political system.

Game Theory

• This model is frequently applied to international conflicts, for example in defense policies.

Theory of Public Choice

• Based on the principle of the selfishness of individuals and their repercussions in collective action.

Systems Theory

• Not all levels of government assimilate and incorporate federal public policies with the same successes or failures.

Types of Policies

• Redistributive Policies: Grant particular advantages to some individuals, altering the initial position of others.
• Institutional or Constitutional Policies: Rules to which public activities must be submitted.
• Regulatory Policies: Measures that impose mandatory conditions for all affected individuals.
• Distributive Policies: Mandatory transfers of resources from one citizen to another.

Key Figures in Public Policy

• Harold Coswell - Total Rationality (radical)
• Herbert Simon - Limited Rationality
• Charles Lindblom - Incrementalism
• Yehezkel Dror - Midpoint between Incrementalism and Rationality
• James March and Johan Olsen - Garbage Can