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Policy Formulation
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Policy Formulation
Policy formulation in simple terms can be defined as coming up with the most effective ways of addressing a specific plan or agenda describing a particular task or event. We set agendas for example for meetings whether formal or informal (Davis, 1987). The agendas are used as guidelines during the sessions so that none of the essential ideas expected to be discussed is forgotten. To understand these agendas better together with their intended purposes, we need to have a good policy. However, policy formulation experiences a lot of facets. This paper will, therefore, discuss one of the significant facets encountered during policy formulation.
Policy formulation involves two major stages, that is, determining the various policy options at hand and then selecting the best options depending on the targeted agenda. The first step which involves identification of the policies options may not be a big problem as such. The participants must make sure that they understand details or the options submitted to them for selection. It should include the benefits, cost analysis if any and the problems that may arise when the particular option is selected for implementation (Craft & Howlett, 2012).
Selection of better and most preferred options is always the problem for most policymakers. Here, every participant s always biased in one way or the other. Whereas each participant gave out personal consideration in the earlier stage, it is quite evident that the majority will support their possibilities.

This unilateral act by policymakers has resulted in informed decisions that have cost either a country, government or an organization depending on the target of h policy.
Personal interests are widely seen during the selection stage. As a policymaker, you switch your primary focus from the main problem to be solved and focus on your interests. For example, there was this my friend who used to chair committees charged with the mandate of formulating policies to save the government forests and monitor planting of trees. With various beautiful proposals at hand, he used his position to influence the selection of a better plan for the intended task. Instead of focusing on saving and protecting the forests and environment, he shifted his focus on illegal timber business for self-gains. He had to make loopholes in the policies that would make him actualize his illicit activity. Such kinds of acts are not only dangerous to the policymakers, but to the people and the environment at large.
Before a policy is selected for implementation, all the participants in the formulation process are expected to fully understand and examine all the options before making a better decision. Some, however, feels that they are well conversant with particular options. In an event when their preferred options are not selected as the best, they feel sidelined, and their trust to their fellow members reduces. It merely means that even if such policies go to the implementation stage, they won’t adequately support it to realize its mandate. As a result, it will be a total failure (Craft & Howlett, 2012).
In conclusion, policy selection is a very crucial stage in policy formulation. In this stage, all the essential policymakers ought to put aside they’re on personal interests and come up with a preferred policy that will be implemented efficiently to realize its mail agenda. In doing so, we will have right strategies that will enable us to achieve our goals either as a country, and organization or even at an individual level.

References
Craft, J., & Howlett, M. (2012). Policy formulation, governance shifts, and policy influence: location and content in policy advisory systems. Journal of Public Policy, 32(02), 79-98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0143814x12000049
Davis, K. (1987). Research and policy formulation. Health Policy, 7(3), 295-296. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0168-8510 (87)90070-4