Public policy is what public officials within a government, and by extension the citizens they represent, determine in order to address public problems. Policy analysis is methodologically diverse and uses both quantitative methods and qualitative methods, including case studies, survey-based research, statistical analysis, and model building. Various approaches to policy analysis exist. One common methodology is to define the problem and evaluation criteria; identify all alternatives; evaluate them; and recommend the best policy agenda. Social science studies in the scientific category typically are not intended to influence public policy directly. Their purpose is to deepen, broaden, and extend the policymaker's capacity for an informed decision to provide options, but not answers.
This book is designed to first, help readers develop a fuller understanding of public and private policy and the ways governments or managers make policy decisions; second, encourage readers to understand the term estimation, uncertainty and sensitivity analysis that should be incorporated into policy analysis; and third, encourage critical thinking about public policy and use a set of decision-making tools such as decision trees, simulations and multi-criteria decision-making instruments
Chapter 1 Introduction to Public Policy
Chapter 2 Estimation
Chapter 3 Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analysis
Chapter 4 Project Financing
Chapter 5 Economics and Public Policy
Chapter 6 Structuring Decision
Chapter 7 Risk Attitude
Chapter 8 Cost-Effectiveness
Chapter 9 Multiple-criteria Attribution