Comparing policies

Abstract

The word policy is commonly used in government documents, academic writings and daily conversations. The simplest definition of policy is "whatever governments choose to do or not to do" (Dye 1992, p.7), which indicates that policy is developed by government and involves both decision-making and non-decision-making. However, more detailed definitions of policy are highly contested. The nature of policy and the ways in which it can be researched, interpreted, and produced are open to debate. The literature that might assist in this matter is diverse, divided and to some extent inconclusive. In the words of Ball (1994, p.15), it contains "theoretical uncertainties".