PUB4869 2026 ASSIGNMENT 6 2026 PUB4869 2026
DISCLAIMER
THE DOCUMENT PRESENTED IS A DEMOSTRATION ON HOW STUDENTS CAN
APPROACH THE ASSIGNMENT FOR PUB4869. IT IS BASED ON PRESCRIBED
MATERIAL AND EXTERNAL RESEARCH. THE DOCUMENT CONTAINS BOTH SHORT
NOTES AND A RESPONSE EXAMPLE FOR EACH QUESTION. STUDENTS ARE
THEREFORE ADVISED NOT TO COPY AND PASTE BUT USE THE DOCUMENT AS A
RESEARCH GUIDE THAT WOULD HELP THEM DRAFT THEIR OWN FINAL COPIES.
,PUB4869 2026 ASSIGNMENT 6 2026 PUB4869 2026
Contents
QUESTIONS .............................................................................................................. 3
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3
Definitions .................................................................................................................. 3
The Control Process................................................................................................... 6
Necessity for Public Policy Evaluation........................................................................ 9
The Evaluation Process ........................................................................................... 11
Criteria for Improving Policy Evaluation.................................................................... 14
, PUB4869 2026 ASSIGNMENT 6 2026 PUB4869 2026
QUESTIONS
Introduction
The dynamic field of public management necessitates that government institutions
operate with flexibility while simultaneously maintaining robust accountability towards
the clients they serve, ensuring the delivery of services that enhance public welfare.
This commitment to efficient and effective governance relies on rigorous assessment
tools. Although interrelated, policy analysis (PA), defined by its application of research
to acquire a deeper understanding of socio-technical issues and determine the most
efficient alternative course of action, must be critically distinguished from policy
evaluation (PE). PE operates primarily as a retrospective appraisal, rigorously
measuring policy results and determining the extent to which specified objectives are
achieved. This academic examination will delineate these fundamental differences
before proceeding to discuss the steps in the control process, which provides the
necessary data for effective evaluation. Furthermore, the imperative for policy
evaluation, its systematic stages, and the key criteria that ensure its improvement will
be detailed, confirming its role as the critical feedback loop in policy management.
Definitions
1. Define policy evaluation and explain how it differs from policy analysis.
Provide a practical example of each from a public policy context.
A Critical Distinction Between Policy Evaluation and Policy Analysis in Public
Management
The effective management of public affairs necessitates a rigorous commitment to
evidence-based decision-making, distinguishing clearly between the preliminary
investigative function of policy analysis and the consequential assessment role of
policy evaluation. While closely interrelated and often operating sequentially within the
public policy process, these two concepts fulfil distinct epistemological and practical
roles for public managers (Hanekom, 1987).
Defining Policy Evaluation
Policy evaluation (PE) fundamentally concerns itself with appraising the effectiveness
and worth of government action (Hanekom, 1987). It can be formally defined as the
appraisal or assessment of a policy's content, its implementation trajectory, and its
DISCLAIMER
THE DOCUMENT PRESENTED IS A DEMOSTRATION ON HOW STUDENTS CAN
APPROACH THE ASSIGNMENT FOR PUB4869. IT IS BASED ON PRESCRIBED
MATERIAL AND EXTERNAL RESEARCH. THE DOCUMENT CONTAINS BOTH SHORT
NOTES AND A RESPONSE EXAMPLE FOR EACH QUESTION. STUDENTS ARE
THEREFORE ADVISED NOT TO COPY AND PASTE BUT USE THE DOCUMENT AS A
RESEARCH GUIDE THAT WOULD HELP THEM DRAFT THEIR OWN FINAL COPIES.
,PUB4869 2026 ASSIGNMENT 6 2026 PUB4869 2026
Contents
QUESTIONS .............................................................................................................. 3
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3
Definitions .................................................................................................................. 3
The Control Process................................................................................................... 6
Necessity for Public Policy Evaluation........................................................................ 9
The Evaluation Process ........................................................................................... 11
Criteria for Improving Policy Evaluation.................................................................... 14
, PUB4869 2026 ASSIGNMENT 6 2026 PUB4869 2026
QUESTIONS
Introduction
The dynamic field of public management necessitates that government institutions
operate with flexibility while simultaneously maintaining robust accountability towards
the clients they serve, ensuring the delivery of services that enhance public welfare.
This commitment to efficient and effective governance relies on rigorous assessment
tools. Although interrelated, policy analysis (PA), defined by its application of research
to acquire a deeper understanding of socio-technical issues and determine the most
efficient alternative course of action, must be critically distinguished from policy
evaluation (PE). PE operates primarily as a retrospective appraisal, rigorously
measuring policy results and determining the extent to which specified objectives are
achieved. This academic examination will delineate these fundamental differences
before proceeding to discuss the steps in the control process, which provides the
necessary data for effective evaluation. Furthermore, the imperative for policy
evaluation, its systematic stages, and the key criteria that ensure its improvement will
be detailed, confirming its role as the critical feedback loop in policy management.
Definitions
1. Define policy evaluation and explain how it differs from policy analysis.
Provide a practical example of each from a public policy context.
A Critical Distinction Between Policy Evaluation and Policy Analysis in Public
Management
The effective management of public affairs necessitates a rigorous commitment to
evidence-based decision-making, distinguishing clearly between the preliminary
investigative function of policy analysis and the consequential assessment role of
policy evaluation. While closely interrelated and often operating sequentially within the
public policy process, these two concepts fulfil distinct epistemological and practical
roles for public managers (Hanekom, 1987).
Defining Policy Evaluation
Policy evaluation (PE) fundamentally concerns itself with appraising the effectiveness
and worth of government action (Hanekom, 1987). It can be formally defined as the
appraisal or assessment of a policy's content, its implementation trajectory, and its
