POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR 1
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Bridgett Reilly
Liberty University
PADM610: Management of Public Sector Organizations
Professor Marshall
December 1, 2024
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR 2
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Introduction
Policy implementation is an imperative part of the executive branch in the United States
government. Policy implementation is a formative stage of the policy process. It
determines policy's form and effect while also lying at the intersection of politics, policy,
and the public. Policy implementation takes place within a given institutional setting and
requires specific structure and organization to conduct it, both of which allocate
decision power and mint specific roles in the implementation process. Nevertheless,
current implementation literature tends to overlook implementation arrangements as
structures influencing, and influenced by, power. (Sager & Gofen, 2022)” It has been
debated for years among politicians and citizens alike if policy implementation can be
hindered by specific factors and whether policy implementation in the public sector is
the same or different from the implementation of the private sector. “The terms public
sector and private sector are used to compare different types of organizations in the U.S.
economy and how they operate. Public sector organizations are entities that are owned,
operated, and funded by the government, while private sector organizations are
businesses and companies that are owned, operated, and funded by private individuals
or groups.”
(Murray, 2024)
Public Policy Implementation and Hindrance
“While it would be impossible to agree on one definition, common themes exist.
throughout the literature. First, public policy is created by the government, and private
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR 3
business activity is not included in its definition. Second, public policy occurs as a
response to a public problem. Public problems are issues that the government has the
power to resolve. (Martin et al., 2021)” The process of public policy is not as simple as
voting and then implementing the policy. “The stages of policy development can
generally be categorized into five general stages. U.S. policy development encompasses
several stages. Most policy models generally include the following stages: (1) identifying
the issue to be addressed by the proposed policy, (2) placement on the agenda, (3)
formulation of the policy, (4) implementation of the policy, and (5) evaluation of the
policy. This is similar to the community police response acronym SARA (scanning,
analysis, response, and assessment) and uses some of the same techniques, but on a
much bigger, national level. (Burke, 2019)” Each of the steps in the policy-making
process is important in its own way. Of all five steps, the one that holds the most
importance, though, is step 5: implementation of the policy.
Implementation is defined as the process of putting a decision or plan into effect,
execution. Milakovich and Gordon state in Public Administration in America: In speaking
of implementation, we adopt Charles O. Jone’s definition of the term as well as his
elaboration of it: Let us say simply that the implementation is that set of activities
directed toward putting a program into effect. Three activities, in particular, significant:
(1) organization—the establishment or rearrangement of resources, units, and methods
for putting a program into effect; (2) interpretation—plication—the routine provision of
services, payments, or the statute and (3) application− the routine provisions of services,
payments, or the other agreed-upon program objectives or instruments. (Milakovich &
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR 4
Gordon, 2023, pg. 447) The implementation of policy can be hindered by numerous
different things. These things include anything from unclear policy goals, lack of
resources, resistance from stakeholders, and poor coordination between agencies. It
seems as though the type of hindrance depends on the type of policy. “Resource
constraints, stakeholder resistance, political obstacles, and technical issues can all hinder
effective execution. Bureaucrats play a crucial role in shaping outcomes through their
discretionary decisions.
Strategies to overcome implementation hurdles include monitoring progress, gathering
feedback, and adaptive management. Policy evaluation is vital for assessing
effectiveness and driving continuous improvement. By learning from both successes and
failures, policymakers can refine their approaches and enhance governance. (Challenges
in Policy Implementation, 2024) Of course, the issues previously listed are not the only
issues that the government has and continues to be faced with when it comes to policy
implementation.
Strategies to Implement
Implementation strategies are methods or actions that aim to overcome implementation
barriers, increase the pace and effectiveness of implementation, and sustain
interventions over time. The Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC)
study has defined 73 discrete strategies (Powell et al., 2015). There is currently little
evidence on how to choose the most effective implementation strategies (Baker et al.,
2010), but understanding the stage of implementation and implementation enablers
and barriers helps to identify strategies that may be most useful and effective in a
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR 5
specific context. (Ces, 2022) The type of strategy used is dependent on the type of policy
being implemented. Effective communication is an important strategy for policy
implementation. This includes things like knowing your audience and “catering” to
them, setting and expressing your goals, and utilizing plain language. Another type of
strategy used in policy implementation is coordinating throughout all the levels of the
government and not staying focused on just one particular one. Robust Implementation
Planning: Thorough planning is essential to ensure smooth policy implementation.
Developing a detailed implementation plan that includes timelines, resource allocation,
responsibilities, and performance indicators helps streamline the process and provides a
roadmap for action. Flexibility should be built into the plan to accommodate unforeseen
challenges and adapt to changing circumstances. (Urmy, 2023) You need to tailor your
implementation strategy to specific contexts and use both top-down and bottom-up
strategies. Top Down: A centralized approach where new innovations come from a
central course such as a governing body. Examples include Mandating change through
policy, distributing educational materials, & delivering training bottom-up: a
decentralized approach targeting stakeholders at ground level. Examples include
recording and sharing local knowledge & networks of practitioners developing solutions
to implementation problems. (CES, 2022)
The Private Sector
In 2021, USAID made a statement in reference to the private sector. “Private sources
now represent nearly 90 percent of financial flows to developing countries. The private
sector creates nine out of ten jobs in the developing world and provides an important
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR 6
pathway to self-reliance. It is the driving force behind new innovations that solve
problems. It brings expertise to building local markets that match local savings with
investment opportunities and provide countries with the tools to finance their own
development. The private sector has the scale and resources to match the complexity of
challenges countries face on their journey to self-reliance.” The private sector varies
vastly from the public sector in numerous ways. One of the major differences is the fact
that, unlike the public sector, the private sector does not have to “answer to” the
government. This means that guidelines and policy implementation can be easier.
However, that is not always the case. Sometimes being in the private sector can make
things more difficult.
Analysis
The strategies used in the public sector are similar to the ones used in the private sector
policy implementation. There are numerous examples of similar strategies used
throughout the policymaking and implementation process. That is not to say that there
are not strategies that are used solely for the private sector or strictly for the public
sector or that there are strategies that work better in one sector than the other. One of
the strategies that works in both the public and the private sectors is effective
communication.
Communication is key in any type of relationship, whether it be personal or professional.
Clear, concise, simple communication goes a long way. One strategy that evidence shows
seems to work better in the private sector versus the public sector is dissemination
strategies. Dissemination strategies describe mechanisms and approaches that are used
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR 7
to communicate and spread information about interventions to targeted users.
Dissemination strategies are concerned with the packaging of the information about the
intervention and the communication channels that are used to reach potential adopters
and target audiences. (Dissemination implementation 2014) Studies show that certain
strategies can be used in both the private and public sectors.
Biblical Reference
The Bible does not directly speak about public or private sectors or policy. However,
there are several passages that speak about implementation. Implementation is the act
of making something effective or active. Take, for example, implementing the way God
wants you to live your life. You can take all the lessons you learn from the Bible and
implement changes in your life to become closer to the type of person the Lord wants
you to be. Mark 10:17-20 is a good example of this. “17 And as he was setting out on his
journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I
do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one
is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not
commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your
father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my
youth.”(BibleGateway, 2011) These three verses show how the man has implemented
the Bible into the way he lives his life. Psalm 19:7-10 is another good example of
implementing religion and the Bible into your life. The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making the wise simple.
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR 8
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord
are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.” (BibleGateway, 2011)
Conclusion
Coming into this week of class, I had my mind set on the fact that in order for the
implementation strategies to work for the public and private sectors, they had to be
vastly different. While reading this week's assigned reading, I began to realize that my
first instinct was wrong. Although there are some strategies that work better in different
sectors than others, they can all be used in both private and public sectors. This has
been and will continue to constantly be a debate because of the numerous differences
between the private and public sectors.
Sources
Burke, A. S. (2019). 4.3. the stages of policy development. SOUCCJ230 Introduction to the
American Criminal Justice System. https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/ccj230/chapter/3-
3 the-stages-of-policy-development/
#:~:text=Most%20policy%20models%20generally%20include%20the%20following%20st
ages%3A,the%20policy%2C%20and%20%285%29%20evaluation%20of%20the%20polic y .
Challenges in policy implementation: Social Problems and Public Policy class notes: Fiveable.
All 38 AP Subjects. (2024). https://library.fiveable.me/social-problems-public-policy/unit-
12/challenges-policy implementation/study-guide/xEoqa8tdLgDiUUGS
Ces. (2022). Implementation strategies: Implementation. CES Guide to Implementation.
https://implementation.effectiveservices.org/strategies#:~:text=Integration%20strategies
% 20are%20aimed%20at%20integrating%20a,and%20updated%2C%20and%20record
%20sy stems%20may%20need
Martin, K., Lee, K. E., & Hall, J. P. (2021). Public policy: Origins, practice, and analysis.
https://web.ung.edu/media/university-press/public-policy.pdf
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR 9
Milakovich, M. E., & Gordon, G. (2023). Public Administration in America (12th ed.). Cengage
Murray, J. (2024, June 7). Public sector vs. private sector: What’s the difference? The Balance.
https://www.thebalancemoney.com/public-sector-vs-private-sector-5097547
Powell, B., Waltz, T., Chinman, M., Damschroder, L., Smith, J., Matthieu, M., Proctor, E., &
Kirchner, J. (2015, February 12). A refined compilation of implementation strategies:
results from the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) project. BMC.
https://library.fiveable.me/social-problems-public-policy/unit-12/challenges-
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Private sector engagement policy: Strategy and policy. U.S. Agency for International
Development. (2024, August 26). https://www.usaid.gov/policy/private-sector-engagement
Sager, F., & Gofen, A. (2022, March 9). The polity of implementation: Organizational and
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online library. Willey Online Library .
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gove.12677
University of Colorodo Denver. (2014). Dissemination implementation. Dissemination
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%20 strategies%20describe%20mechanisms%20and,and%20systems%20interventions
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https://knowledgebase.ng/effective-strategies-for-policy-implementation/
