Summary Improving Public Policy, Public Resource Management Essays (PUF110)

Essay: Unit 4


Question 1

 understand the role of agenda setting in the public policy process
 understand the distinction between different types of public policy agendas
 understand who participates in public policy agenda setting
 understand the driving forces that influence public policy agenda setting
understand the different approaches to and strategies for public policy agenda setting
 critically assess a government or interest group’s policy agenda setting approach and
methods

, Policy Agenda Setting

Policy agenda setting is the process of which the public policies, and public problems are
identified, and an appropriate action is taken. It is one of the most important phases in public
policy making as it determines what the policy issues are, the influences involved in the
policy making process, and the way of which stakeholders influence policy agenda. Policy
agenda setting is related to what is done and who acts and why. This essay will discuss the
role of agenda setting, the difference between various types of public policy agendas, the
people who are involved in agenda setting, the influences, and approaches and strategies of
public agenda setting.




Participants of Policy Agenda Setting

The people who participant in public policy agenda setting are the politicians, the judiciary,
the officials, the media, civil society, business and labour interest groups and individuals and
the policy stakeholder’s analysis. The politicians have an influence and a role they play in
policy agenda setting. They shape give out content to public policies within the country. The
executive branch of government has influence on policy agenda setting as their main role in
the economy is to implement and execute the law therefore the influence, they have on public
policy processes include the public policy agenda setting. Politicians have political control
over the resources that are available of the government therefore they have the influence to
make decisions on what and how resources are used. The other branches of government
which is the legislative and judiciary also have the influence over policy agenda setting due
to their separation of power.


The officials have an influence on policy agenda setting as they work together with
politicians. The officials and politicians work together to identify what the public policy
problem is. The officials have control over the implementation of the resources available in
government therefore this gives them influence and power in the policy agenda setting
process. The officials have the responsibility over the finances and administration of the state.
The judiciary involves the influence of legal contributions on the policy agenda setting. The
judiciary includes the influence and power of the executives and legislatures have on the
issues involving public policy agenda. The courts of the law play a crucial role in agenda
setting, as the judiciary branch of government interpret the law and the role, they play in
agenda setting is very important. For example, when a public policy is identified, the process
of policy making needs the power and control of the law of the judiciary for the law to be
implemented and applied in policy agenda setting.