An Overview of Approaches to the Study of Public Policy

We usually view policy as designating behaviour of some actor or set of actors, such as an official, or government agency, or legislator, in area of activity such as public enterprise or poverty reduction. Public policy also may be seen as whatever a government chooses to do or not to do. Such definition may be sufficient for ordinary discourse, but definitely inadequate for a systematic analysis of public policy, hence a more precise definition is needed to structure our thinking and to facilitate effective communication with one another Nonetheless, there is still common reference point by all users of various disciplines. It is used mainly in reference to what government does in order to meet the needs of the citizenry.