Student handout 6.2: The policy cycle – a tool to observe and understand political decision-making processes

Living Democracy » Textbooks » Student handout 6.2: The policy cycle – a tool to observe and understand political decision-making processes

Concepts and key questions Adapt the questions as necessary	Notes	Sources of information
1. Topic What is the issue?
2. Problem Who sets the agenda? What is the problem? Do all protagonists agree on their definition of the problem?
3. Debate Who is involved? What are the protagonists’ interests and values?
4. Decision What is the outcome? Have certain interests been given priority – or is it a compromise decision?
5. Implementation How is the decision implemented? Who is involved or responsible? Are there problems or conflicts?
6. Opinions Which individuals, protagonists, groups, etc. support or criticise the outcome? What are their values, ideologies and interests?
7. Reactions How do they react? (Individually, collectively?) What are their means of exercising power and pressure?
8. New problem, old problem or a solution? Is there a new agenda-setting debate? What is the problem? The old one or a new one? Or has the decision led to a solution that ends the process?