Policy Implementation

Dr. Upul Abeyrathne,

Dept. of Economics,
University of Ruhuna,
Matara.
 What is Implementation?
It is the stage immediately after the passage
of a law.
From a broader perspective, it is the
administration of laws in which various actors,
organizations, procedures and techniques
work together to put adopted policies into
effect in an effort to attain policy or
programmes goals.
 Implementation as a Process
It is a process of decisions and actions directed toward
putting a prior governmental decision into effect.
Steps: 1. Administrative Rule making and establishes the
routines for implementation of the law.
2. Appropriation of resources (Human and Material)
3. Monitoring, rewards and sanctions
4. Redesigning to prevent flaws and missed opportunities.
The most important characteristic of implementation
process is the timely and satisfactory performance of
certain task to carry out the intent of law.
 Implementers
Bureaucracy
Legislature
Courts
Pressure Groups
Community Organization
Public-Private Partnership
 Bureaucracy
Traditionally, implementing public policy has
been a business of the administrative agencies of
the government.
Once a law is passed formally by legislatures, the
administrative agencies begin the process of
implementation.
These organizations have a great deal of
discretion in carrying out public policies because
they are operating under established laws that
secure their jobs.
 It is a top down process of implementation

They process a great degree of discretion

because law givers are unable or reluctant to
provide guidelines in detail.
 Legislatures

Traditional public administration has thought that

Politics and administration were separate activities.
Today this process have been questioned.
Administrative agencies are involved in drafting law
proposal.
On the other hand, Legislatures involve in
implementing public policies when it enacts at laws in
more details.
Legislatures are compelled to get involved in policy
implementation due to many and varied criticism over
bureaucracy.
 In many instances, Public laws are enforced by
courts.
It also involve in policy formulation when it
direct executive on certain issue areas.
It involves in policy implementation when
some party seeks its intervention to get laws
implemented.
 Pressure Groups
Administrative organizations have much
discretion in drafting regulation in support of
legislation.
They are besieged by interest groups.
They can influence implementation at this
point in a way that benefit them.
Some have argued some agencies are
captured by interest group.
 Community Organizations
It has become a fashion to hand over
implementation of laws to community
organizations. e.g. Samurdhi Movement
 Private Public Partnership
To overcome the burden of finance, many
governments at present have resorted to
public private partnership
Securing Economy, efficiency and
effectiveness are other objectives.
It is being thought of as one way to overcome
bureaucratic bottlenecks.
 Techniques
There are many ways to implement public
policies.
There two widely known approaches.
1. Command and Control
2. Economic incentive(Market).
 Command and Control
It is somewhat coercive.
Standard setting, inspections, imposing
sanctions over violators,
Opponents of this approach say that it
dictates behaviour, discourage private
initiatives and innovation, waste or misusese
public resources.
 Economic Incentives
Uses tax credits and holidays, subsidies, other
rewards and punishments for private interests to
comply
They argue that this approach would allow
individual to make their own initiatives, it
enhances freedom and voluntarism and allow to
achieve the desired goals at the lowest possible
cost to society.
Whatever the approach , success depends on good
faith between various actors involved in
implementation.