Welfare and poverty
State the specific policy to be analyzed. Identify the nature of the problem being targeted by the policy.
Policy Analysis Outline
Introduction– State the specific policy to be analyzed. Identify the nature of the problem being targeted by the policy.
a. Inform the reader how the policy is defined, and for whom it is a problem.
b. Provide reader with the context of the policy being analyzed (how does this specific policy fit with other policies seeking to manage a social problem?)
c. Choice analysis- Provide information regarding the design of programs created by the policy. Answer the following questions: What are the bases of social allocation? What are the types of social provisions? What are the strategies for delivery of benefits? What are the methods of financing these provisions?
Historical Analysis– State what policies and programs were previously developed to deal with the problem.
a. How did previous policies address the issue?
b. Describe how the specific policy/ program under analysis has evolved and changed over time. Include the people and stakeholders involved in the initiation or promotion of the policy. Include the groups that opposed the policy?
c. Answer the following questions, what does history tell us about effective and ineffective approaches to the targeted problem being addressed? To what extent does the current policy incorporate the lessons learned from history?
Social Analysis– Problem Description-provide information regarding society’s
knowledge and awareness of the issue/problem.
a. Are society’s efforts to deal with the issue/problem in accordance with research findings? What population is affected by the problem? (Describe the demographics of the population).
b. What theories of human behavior are explicit or, more likely, implicit in the policy?
c. What are the major social values related to the problem and what value conflicts exist?
d. What are the goals of the policy? Manifested and latent. What are the hypotheses of the problem and goals?
Economic Analysis–What are the effects of the policy on the US economy?
a. Will the policy impact income, inflation, unemployment (this is a macroeconomic analysis of the policy)?
b. What might be the effects on people’s behavior, social markets, etc. regarding the policy? (Microeconomic analysis).
Introduction– State the specific policy to be analyzed. Identify the nature of the problem being targeted by the policy.
a. Inform the reader how the policy is defined, and for whom it is a problem.
b. Provide reader with the context of the policy being analyzed (how does this specific policy fit with other policies seeking to manage a social problem?)
c. Choice analysis- Provide information regarding the design of programs created by the policy. Answer the following questions: What are the bases of social allocation? What are the types of social provisions? What are the strategies for delivery of benefits? What are the methods of financing these provisions?
Historical Analysis– State what policies and programs were previously developed to deal with the problem.
a. How did previous policies address the issue?
b. Describe how the specific policy/ program under analysis has evolved and changed over time. Include the people and stakeholders involved in the initiation or promotion of the policy. Include the groups that opposed the policy?
c. Answer the following questions, what does history tell us about effective and ineffective approaches to the targeted problem being addressed? To what extent does the current policy incorporate the lessons learned from history?
Social Analysis– Problem Description-provide information regarding society’s
knowledge and awareness of the issue/problem.
a. Are society’s efforts to deal with the issue/problem in accordance with research findings? What population is affected by the problem? (Describe the demographics of the population).
b. What theories of human behavior are explicit or, more likely, implicit in the policy?
c. What are the major social values related to the problem and what value conflicts exist?
d. What are the goals of the policy? Manifested and latent. What are the hypotheses of the problem and goals?
Economic Analysis–What are the effects of the policy on the US economy?
a. Will the policy impact income, inflation, unemployment (this is a macroeconomic analysis of the policy)?
b. What might be the effects on people’s behavior, social markets, etc. regarding the policy? (Microeconomic analysis).
Political Analysis– Who are the major stakeholders regarding the policy?
a. What is the powerbase of the supporters? What is the powerbase of the opponents? How well are the recipients of the policy included in the ongoing development of the policy?
b. What are the arguments in support of the policy? (How is it legitimized?) Policy Evaluation– What are the outcomes of the policy in relation to the stated goals?
a. Does the policy achieve what it set out to achieve?
b. Are there any unintended consequences of the policy?
c. Is the program cost effective?
