Importance of Interest Groups and Stakeholders Within Policy Formation Process
Networks (or interest groups) and stakeholders engagement in the policy making process is important as they represent the wider population that the policy will have an impact on. The input that they bring into the policy formation process helps frame the policy to best suit the wider community. Views about policy are presented to the government by stakeholders through a policy advocacy statement. This outlines the benefits and consequences of the proposed policy from the public’s perspective. It will also contain recommendations and alternative policy options. Therefore, it will have positive impact on the government’s decision on a policy agenda. Hence, policymakers have to consider and incorporate some of the proposed changed in order to develop a policy that is inclusive of the public opinion.
Interest groups can exert power on the policy formation process through proposing against the government’s policy agenda. They do this in favour of the benefits they receive, thus blocking government initiatives that could hinder these benefits. As a result, the interest group’s proposal positively affects the government’s agenda in policy making. One important tactic that interest groups take advantage of is the manipulation of the country’s economy. This threatens the government to revise its policy agenda thus incorporating their proposal as to avoid economy crisis.
On the other hand, academics, researchers and consultants also have impact in the policy formation process. They have an important role in “ stimulating international conventions, drafting treaties, providing scientific information and monitoring implementation”. J. Kingdon discussed that their impact in the policy formation differs from each other. Hence, academics have the capability to have an impact on the policy alternatives than the agenda. This is because they are more involved with the identification of public issues. Researchers are more into identifying the root cause of a problem. Therefore, they have a great impact in the development of policy options. They provide policymakers with evidence that will be used as a guide in selecting the best possible policy option.
The media plays a crucial role in the policy making process. J. Kingdon described the media as a “powerful agenda setter”. It reports political concerns that contribute to broad public interest. Therefore, media coverage of an issue that is of considerable interest to the public may trigger policymakers develop the issue into a policy agenda. This will therefore create the opportunity for research into the issue to identify the causes. Therefore, possible solutions will be developed to resolve the issue.
Networks (or interestgroups) and stakeholders have a great influence in the policy formation process. Therefore, it important to engage them in the policy formation process as they have the benefit of assisting policymakers to select the best possible policy options that is beneficial to the general population.
