Policy Implementation
This essay will discuss the importance of implementation in the policy making process. It will describe the role that governmental agencies play in the implementation process, the affect that implementation has on policy, outline how governmental agencies affect policy through the implementation process and describe what types of factors affect policy implementation.
Before addressing the previously listed issues, it is first necessary to describe what implementation is, specifically in regards to the policy making process. Policy implementation is commonly referred to as “what happens after a bill becomes a law”. As Stage 4 of the five stage policy process, Policy Implementation is defined as “Application of the policy by the government’s administrative machinery” (Anderson, 4). In simpler terms, “implementation encompasses whatever is done to carry a law into effect, to apply it to the target population (for example, small businesses or motorcycle operators), and to achieve its goals” (Anderson, 209).
The importance of implementation in the policy making process cannot be overemphasized. The weeks, months, and sometimes years, that are spent drafting legislation or other policy adoption methods, are all for nothing without proper implementation. Accordingly, “the consequences of implementation for the content or substance of policy, and for its impact and degree of success, are every bit as important as what transpires during the formulation and adoption stages” (Anderson, 210). Actually they may even be more important that what transpired during the other phases in many cases, especially since policies are oftentimes intentionally vague. This is generally necessary to get policy adopted but leaves much interpretation to the implementing agency or system. As a result “administrative agencies often are provided with broad and ambiguous statutory mandates that leave them with much room for choice in deciding what should or should not be done on some matter”
Before addressing the previously listed issues, it is first necessary to describe what implementation is, specifically in regards to the policy making process. Policy implementation is commonly referred to as “what happens after a bill becomes a law”. As Stage 4 of the five stage policy process, Policy Implementation is defined as “Application of the policy by the government’s administrative machinery” (Anderson, 4). In simpler terms, “implementation encompasses whatever is done to carry a law into effect, to apply it to the target population (for example, small businesses or motorcycle operators), and to achieve its goals” (Anderson, 209).
The importance of implementation in the policy making process cannot be overemphasized. The weeks, months, and sometimes years, that are spent drafting legislation or other policy adoption methods, are all for nothing without proper implementation. Accordingly, “the consequences of implementation for the content or substance of policy, and for its impact and degree of success, are every bit as important as what transpires during the formulation and adoption stages” (Anderson, 210). Actually they may even be more important that what transpired during the other phases in many cases, especially since policies are oftentimes intentionally vague. This is generally necessary to get policy adopted but leaves much interpretation to the implementing agency or system. As a result “administrative agencies often are provided with broad and ambiguous statutory mandates that leave them with much room for choice in deciding what should or should not be done on some matter”
References: Anderson, J. (2011). Public Policymaking. (Seventh ed.). Boston: Wadsworth.